Her Modern Kitchen

Eating & Living in Austin, Texas

Healthy

10 Minute Sautéed Asparagus

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This Sautéed Asparagus recipe guarantees perfectly cooked asparagus every time! It’s simple and will have a healthy side dish on your table in 10 minutes!

Once warmer weather rolls around, there’s nothing I love more at dinner time than a quick, healthy meal. In our house, that usually means firing up the grill, throwing on our favorite meat (topping it with a bit of homemade pesto!) and serving it with a side of sautéed vegetables.

Sautéed Asparagus - 6

Lately, my go-to dinner vegetable has been asparagus. It’s spring time, so that means asparagus is in season and at its peak! Since fish or chicken takes less than 10  minutes to cook on the grill, you can start this quick 10 Minute Sautéed Asparagus recipe on the stovetop at the same time as you begin to preheat your grill.

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It took me a while to figure it out but the secret to perfectly cooked asparagus is adding a splash of water to the saute pan and then quickly covering it to lock in all the heat. You get the best of both worlds with this method.  You end up with asparagus that’s tender and cooked all the way through while also getting a bit of browning on the outside.

Sautéed Asparagus - Raw

Before I figured out this water trick, I used to cook the heck out of asparagus, widdling it down into little spears that were charred on the outside with a crunchy, undercooked inside. By the time I was done cooking them, they had turned an ugly shade of green — you know that shade of green, it’s that same shade of green as the boiled-too-long, frozen peas your Grandmother used to serve you (or at least mine did!). It’s that shade of green that’s unattractive and definitely not appetizing.

My water method keeps the asparagus looking green, bright and fresh, and definitely something you’d be craving to put on your plate and eat!

Sautéed Asparagus - 2

To jazz up the asparagus in this recipe, I add a bit of pressed garlic to the olive oil while it heats in the pan before adding in the veggies. This gives the garlic a chance to cook some and also flavors the olive oil. Right before the asparagus has finished cooking, I add in a sprinkle of coarse salt, crushed red pepper flakes and a dash of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch.  This dish is definitely simple, quick and perfectly complements any main dish you choose to serve.

Right before the asparagus has finished cooking, I add a sprinkle of coarse salt, crushed red pepper flakes and a dash of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch.  To finish it off and add a bit of brightness and acidity, I squeeze a small wedge of lemon over top, right before serving. This dish is definitely simple, quick and perfectly complements any main dish you choose to serve.

Sautéed Asparagus - 4

Sautéed Asparagus - 5

10 Minute Sautéed Asparagus

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound asparagus spears washed and cut into thirds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • pinch of coarse salt
  • squeeze of lemon juice about a 1/4 of a lemon

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat
  2. Press the garlic cloves into the warming garlic and let cook for 30 seconds
  3. Add in the asparagus and toss to coat with the olive oil and garlic
  4. Cook on medium-high for 3 minutes
  5. Pour in the 1/4 cup of water and immediately cover the skillet with a secure fitting lid
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low and let the asparagus cook for 5 minutes
  7. Remove the lid and add the sesame seeds, red pepper, and a hefty pinch of coarse salt
  8. Toss to coat then squeeze on the lemon
  9. Serve immediately

 

Healthier Basil Pesto

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A healthier and flavorful basil pesto sauce using vegetable broth and walnuts for an added boost of protein and less fat!

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who dislikes basil pesto. There’s just something about the mix of fresh basil and garlic that creates a savory, rich flavor combination that seems to fix all the problems in the world. Or at least, all problems are minimized for the 15 minutes you spend eating your pesto flavored dish.

Healthier Basil Pesto - Finished Ingredients

I personally love pesto and tend to keep a jar of homemade pesto on hand in our freezer at all times to quickly add a fresh burst of herbs to our meals. Although pesto is most often paired with pasta for a deliciously, carby entree, <3M and I very rarely use pesto as a pasta sauce.

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Artichoke & Leek Fritatta

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Our 2nd CSA box from Johnson’s Back Yard Garden contained a lot of the same veggies as last time – which meant we repeated a few of the recipes from the first box and threw in a few new ones too.

Photo from of JBG, Week of April 20th CSA Box

Photo from of JBG, Week of April 20th CSA Box

Artichokes & Leeks – I really hate fresh artichokes. They’re so fussy and the end result is hardly worth my efforts. Personally, I’m more than wiling to pay a premium at the grocery store to have someone else do all the prep work so I can easily begin cooking with just the artichoke hearts.

That being said, I did waste a half hour of my life trimming the ‘chokes, steaming them and plucking out the rich hearts in order to make an Artichoke & Leek Frittata (recipe below). It’s something I’ve made before, it’s delicious, healthy, and filling. We enjoyed ours as is but it’s also great served with a side salad or some garlic bread!

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Beets  – If it ain’t broke, why fix it? I went with the same pickled beet recipe as last time and am still enjoying them on my salads and in wraps for lunch!

Carrots & Red Spring Onions – Carrots in our house usually end up as hummus dippers on the side of a salad or as roasted carrot fries, as last time. But with this CSA box, I wanted to get a little creative and was inspired to make a carrot soup.

The bright orange color and the fresh carrots just sang spring, making this soup delicious, filling and satisfying.  The soup is very simple with only a handful of ingredients but the result is a refined, slightly spiced, carrot soup.  I garnished our soup with some homemade, roasted chickpeas which gave the soup texture and a wonderful crunch. Here’s a recipe similar to what I made for both the carrot soup and the spiced chickpeas.

Carrot Soup, Tahini Kale Salad & Spiced Chickpeas

Carrot Soup, Tahini Kale Salad & Spiced Chickpeas

Kale – Sometimes simple is best. This time around, I made a simple kale salad with a tahini-lemon dressing massaged into the kale. This salad is flavorful, slightly nutty and has a fresh, spring lemon flavor that compliments the earthiness of the kale. We paired the kale salad with the carrot soup and topped the salad with more of the roasted chickpeas. I’ve detailed the kale salad recipe below.

Parsley – Last CSA box, we really enjoyed the Chimichurri sauce and used the leftovers as dressing on salads for lunch the remainder of the week. So when we received another beautiful bunch of parsley, I had to recreate the Chimichurri sauce once more.  We topped both grilled chicken and grilled salmon with the sauce. While creating the sauce, I also utilized a few of the red spring onions from our CSA box.  This time around, I did tweak the Chimichurri sauce, reducing the olive oil by half and swapping in vegetable stock to ‘healthily’ it a bit.

Romaine & Spinach – At heart, I’m a true salad lover. So our two heads of romaine and bundle of spinach were quickly turned into salads for lunch, wilted into tomato, feta, and spinach omelets and made into lettuce buns for turkey burgers, keeping with the low-carb dinners.

Artichoke & Leek Fritatta

A light, easy meal! Great for a weeknight dinner or weekend brunch.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium leeks sliced and cleaned
  • 8 artichokes heart chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp dried tarragon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup non-fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 oven proof pan with olive oil or non-stick spray and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and ricotta. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and baking powder. Set aside.
  4. Spray a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium-heat on the stove. Once warm, add the sliced leeks and gently cook until softened, about 10 minutes stirring often to avoid excessive browning.
  5. Once the leeks are cooked through and softened, add the artichoke hearts to the skillet until warmed then remove from heat.
  6. Gently stir the artichokes and leeks into the egg mixture. Note that the color of the mixture may change, don't worry if this happens, it will go back to normal when cooked.
  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan and place in oven to cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the top should be slightly brown check for doneness by pricking a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it is done. If not, return to over for 5 additional minutes and repeat toothpick process until the toothpick comes out clean.
  8. To serve, cut into 4 large pieces and sprinkle each with a bit of additional Parmesan.

 

 

 

Apple Pie Smoothie

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Apple Pie is an iconic American dessert.  And in my family, it was a regular.  I have quite a few childhood memories that include making and eating apple pie with my family. It was always around for holidays, made every year for my Dad’s birthday [because it was his favorite], and was enjoyed after most Sunday night dinners.

Making the pies, at least when I was younger, was a family affair.  I remember my Dad sitting at our kitchen table running apples through a hand-cranked apple peeler and watching the thin strips of skin drop to the floor.  These were my apple strings were favorite part, I always loved eating the long ropes of apple skin while watching him crank away.

While Dad was peeling the apples, my Mom would begin making the homemade pie crust using her Mom’s recipe [obviously, because in our family, we just don’t do store-bought pie crust].  I remember her carefully rolling out the dough so it wouldn’t tear and crimping it perfectly around the edge of the pie pan, creating perfect edges with ease.  Once the apples were peeled and cut, she’d mix the apples in with the sugar and cinnamon and pile them high into the crust, neatly topping everything with a buttery-rich crumb topping.  In our family, crumb topping was the only way to enjoy apple pie.  Not only did you NOT have to roll out two pie crusts but you got that extra crunch & warmth from the topping that made eating apple pie that much more comforting.

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My mom would bake the apple pie an hour or so before dinner so by the time our meal was complete, we’d be able to enjoy warm apple pie – which is the only way an apple pie should be enjoyed, warm & fresh out of the oven.  In fact, my Aunt Val didn’t even realize apple pie was served cold until she was in her 20’s.  Some may say she was considered spoiled but I’d save she was privileges for never having to eat cold apple pie [yuck!]

Most people love enjoying a slice of apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream, and in my family, we enjoyed that once in a while but our standard was to accompany apple pie was with a few slices of sharp cheddar cheese on the side.  It might sound strange, maybe even a bit “Polak” but apples & cheese are a common pair and the creaminess of the cheese and its slight bite paired perfectly with the sweet-tartness of the apple pie.  My Grandma Hellert would be the to initially make the cheese request and at times, she’d simply show up with blocks of cheese whenever she knew apple pie was on the menu.

Although I have fond memories of apple pie from my childhood, my current apple pie indulgence is limited to visits home or in this past Christmas’ instance, my Mom’s visit to Austin. And honestly, I’m fine indulging in it every few years but in between these homemade treats, I still enjoy the flavors of apple pie by mixing up an Apple Pie Protein Smoothie – the healthified apple pie!

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This smoothie recipe is something I came up with years later, after first enjoying an Apple Pie Milkshake during my 3rd grade class’ Apple Day celebration.  The original recipe had applesauce, cinnamon, milk, and of course, ice cream.  Mine on the other hand has fresh apples & applesauce, spices, almond milk & vanilla protein powder. It’s a slimmed down version of the milkshake but still delivers all the flavors of Mom’s apple pie without the fat, calories, and post-indulgence guilt.  It’s great for breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack or even a late night dessert!

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Apple Pie Protein Smoothie

A healthy, tasty creation to curve a sweet craving that taste's just like Mom's homemade apple pie!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 smoothie
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup almond milk vanilla or original [I use unsweetened]
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 apple finely diced* [I prefer Fuji or Empire but I’ve also used Granny Smith for some extra tartness]
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder [I use about 40 grams]
  • 6-8 ice cubes

Method
 

  1. Directions:
  2. Place everything in the blender beginning with the top of the ingredient list and working you way down.
  3. Add additional ice cubes as needed to acquire your desired thickness.
  4. Pour into a glass, sprinkle with cinnamon & enjoy!

Notes

Sometimes, I only add half of the apple to the smoothie and choose to stir in the rest to the smoothie after blending. Obviously, you can’t drink the smoothie but I enjoy eating it with a spoon, kind of like a soup smoothie!

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Jamba Juice Favorites

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That I’m a Jamba Juice Ambassador.

JambaAmbassado

Yes, it’s an official title.

Sadly, this Ambassador-ship doesn’t grant me global amnesty but it does grant me the opportunity to live a long and fruitful life (#LiveFruitfully).

Now let me share how my Ambassador title came to be….

My little po-dunk hometown in upstate New York doesn’t have a Jamba Juice within a 1,000 miles of it which means I had never even experienced Jamba Juice until two years ago when I moved to Austin, Texas.  Thankfully, Jamba has a vibrant, fun logo and a brand name I was simply just drawn to and that, paired with my overwhelming love for smoothies, made us instant buddies.

My new Austin gym was conveniently located around the corner to a Jamba Juice which meant that after waking up at the crack of dawn to sweat it out before heading to work, I could reward myself with a protein packed, healthy  treat.  I loved that Jamba listed all its ingredients, provide nutritional facts that were easily accessible in the store and online, and everyone could customize their smoothie with add-ins like Energy Boots, Daily Vitamins, extra Protein, or a Metabolizer.  My love for Jamba was sealed upon the first sip!  I’d even talk <3M into grabbing “Special Drinks” with me on Saturday mornings.  It just became habit!

When we moved from Austin to NYC, I thought I’d have to scrounge around to find a Jamba Juice for breakfast in the morning but to my surprise, Jamba followed me!  On my way to work in the morning while living in NYC I walked by TWO Jamba Juice stores.  Oh, the smoothie possibilities were endless.  I could grab a smoothie for breakfast or make a quick trip there during the work day for an afternoon treat and so, our courtship continued in NYC.

Finally, after bidding a-due to my NYC life and making the move back to Austin, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that my new office was located a mere 3 blocks from a downtown Jamba Juice!  (Can you hear the Smoothie gods singing?)  We were meant to be.  When the call for Jamba Juice Ambassadors arose, I knew I had to apply and proclaim my love for Jamba Juice to the world!

After hearing about my love for smoothies, my new profound love for running, and my overall active, health conscious lifestyle, Jamba chose me!  (I already knew you loved me back Jamba Juice but now it’s official!) So from now on, be prepared for an increased outpour of smoothie pictures & Jamba love as I spread Jamba’s #LiveFruitfully message!

To start you off – here’s two of my favorite nutrient and protein packed smoothie options.

Post-Workout Smoothie
Vibrant Blueberry: It already comes packed with nutrients as a Pro-Biotic smoothie but add in a whey protein boost anyway!
Order a 16oz and you’ll end up with 280 calories, .5g fat, and a whopping 20g of protein!

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Mid-Day Snack
Caribbean Passion: It’s a classic smoothie so order the 16oz and ask them to “Make It Light!” This will cut the calories, carbs and sugars by a third.
Again, throw in some added protein (soy this time) to increase the staying power along with a 3G Charger boost to help push through the afternoon slump.
Order a 16oz and you’ll end up with 195 calories, 0g fat, and 12g of protein!

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If you happen to grab one of my favorite smoothies, Tweet me @hermodkitchena pic and don’t forget to tag @JambaJuice & #LiveFruitfully

Panko Crusted Goat Cheese Salad

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Usually while dining, the term “cheesy” refers to calorie bomb, most often in the form of a creamy, gooey,  or melted.  Though delicious, this cheese is usually accompanied with something being fried (MozzSticks), smothered (Enchiladas), or creamy (Alfredo).

Now cheese isn’t bad but there is a good and bad way to eat it.

CheeseStick – Good: Go for lowfat and have it with some almonds or an apple as an afternoon snack.  I love Sargento because they even make flavored sticks like Pepper Jack & White Cheddar to switch it up.

Feta- Good: Enjoy it on a salad.  The harder the cheese the better it is for you, honestly. Atheno is  my personal favorite, even the reduced-fat version is amazing. Sprinkle it on salads and wraps.

Alfredo – Bad: It not only involves cheese but cream as well which is code for fat.

Queso – Bad: Not only is it creamy, gooey, and melted but it comes with a side salty chips.  And you no, once you start you can’t stop.

If you really want cheese in your diet – try shredded cheese, a little goes a long ways and make it the reduced-fat or part-skim version.  Cabot makes a great 50% fat free cheese in a variety of flavors.  Need blue cheese, swiss cheese, Mexican cheese, or an herby cheese?  Try Laughing Cow wedges.  They’re 35 calories and low in fat.  I’ve used them for quesadillas, buffalo wraps, alfredo sauces, and even just plain ol’ cheese & cracker snacks.  This company is also the maker of the famous mini Babybel cheese rounds.  Those are good in moderation as well – like a cheese stick type snack.

This being said, the king of cheese, at least in my opinion, is Goat Cheese aka Chevre. It’s French.  It’s fancy.  It’s creamy.  It’s decadent. It’s full of flavor.  It usually have 70-80 calories per ounce and around 6g of fat. Totally reasonable for cheese.  Plus they make all types – spreadable logs, crumbles, and even cream cheese, I have a Fig flavor that’s great on bagel thins.

The below recipe is my ode to Chevre.  Healthified of course!  Often times while dining out, I’m drawn to a specific goat cheese salad, the encrusted goat cheese medallion salad that I often find on restaurant menus.  However, I’ve never ordered it for I know the truth about this salad.  This once healthy salad is destroyed in a restaurant kitchen with a dip in the fryer resulting in oil soaked cheese rounds.

So here’s my version at home version that’s quick and healthy.

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Encrusted Goat Cheese Salad with Grapefruit Balsamic

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 2 salads
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons whole almonds finely chopped in a food processor
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons liquid egg whites or 1 egg white
  • 1-4 oz log of Chevre cut into 6 rounds
  • 1 grapefruit 3/4 sections with skins removed, 1/4 used for juicing
  • Spring mix 3-4 cups or desired salad size
  • 1/4 cucumber diced
  • additional almonds coarsely chopped, as garnish
  • handful of berries of choice as garnish
  • 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed grapefruit juice about 1 quarter of the fruit
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey

Method
 

  1. In a bowl mix breadcrumbs, almonds, salt, pepper and basil.
  2. In a 2nd bowl, place flour.
  3. In a 3rd bowl place egg whites.
  4. Next, cut four goat cheese rounds. If you have trouble cutting the rounds, warm the knife under hot running water to make the cut a bit easier, then mold and flatten to get your desired round shape.
  5. Take our four goat cheese rounds and dip the rounds in the flour then egg whites, then panko-almond mixture. You might need to press the crumb mixture into the grounds. Set aside.
  6. Next make the balsamic dressing.
  7. Heat balsamic vinegar over low heat on stove. Squeeze in 3 tablespoons of grapefruit juice (roughly a quarter of a grapefruit). Once warmed, stir in agave nectar or honey. Taste for desired sweetness. It should be sweet-tangy. Set aside.
  8. Next, assemble the salads so they’re prepared when medallions are done cooking. Compile spring mix, cucumbers, grapefruit sections, berries, and roughly chopped almonds.
  9. Finally, heavily spray a pan with olive oil (I use Pam Olive Oil). Heat on medium high and place medallions into pan. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until a brown and golden crust forms. Before flipping, spray the uncooked, top side with olive oil (3-4 second spray per round) and gently flip. Allow to cook until also golden and crispy. (You may need to re-spray pan if it looks a tad dry.)
  10. Once medallions are cooked and warmed through center, place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Let stand 1 minute then place a top salads, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Let me know if you like it/try it.  And I’ll try and make a separate link in time for a printable version without pictures…just in case!

Mostly Plants….

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Here’s an email I sent someone months back about overhauling their diet.  This is a great basis for revamping your eating habits and its tailored for meat eaters and vegetarians alike….It throws in breakfast suggestions, substitutions, and even a bit on exercise. Again, this is all based on my own personal experience and what I found works best.

 

Michale Pollan

Okay the subject line is a quote from a book by Michael Pollan, but it’s seriously a good rule to live by.  Remember this whenever you eat.

Sooo here’s some eating tips/meal ideas

Breakfast:  Choose one of these meals, but always try and have a glass of water when you wake up/before you eat.  Also, I pair my breakfast with coffee and a tablespoon of coffee mate creamer.  During the week, I eat breakfast between 9-10 but as soon as I wake up I’ll have water or tea, and a couple berries to hold me over until I get to work to have breakfast.  At work I have coffee at like 10:30.  On weekends, I have coffee at like 7:30 and breakfast at like 8:30 or 9.  If you don’t drink coffee then go for tea or light juice. They have that Tropicana OJ with only 50 calories per cup!

1/3 cup uncooked oatmeal, made with water and 1/2cup skim milk. Throw in a sliced up banana with cinnamon and a bit of sweetener (I used splenda or sugar free maple syrup but you can use regular sugar or brown sugar).  I also ALWAYS eat my oatmeal with ¼ cup of Fiber 1 Original on top.  It adds extra protein and protein fills you up.  The key to making this small bit of oatmeal into a lot of oatmeal is to continually add water and microwave it until it soaks it all up.  You can get a huge filling bowl this way.

Make scrambled eggs in the microwave.  Beat 2 eggs in a bowl, microwave for 45 seconds, take them out, stir them around and microwave for another 30 seconds.  You can add as many vegetables into the scrambled eggs as you want.  Or fat free cheese!  And eat it with toast and jelly.  Skip the butter on the toast.

Smoothie – This is where you need some protein powder, use about 2 scoops.  I use Muscle Milk Light – any flavor.  Mix the powder with ½ cup skim milk, a banana, maybe ¼ cup of non fat yogurt, and whatever fruits or berries you might have.  Just experiment a bit until you find a combo you like.  I usually have to throw some splenda into my smoothie though because I like them to be sweet.  Eat that with a ½ cup of Fiber 1 or Cheerios or Special K cereal to hold you over.

You can also do the Bagel thins if you like bagels with low fat cream cheese.  I do low fat cream cheese then cut up veggies to mix it with or strawberries sliced on top of the bagel.  These are awesome and have them with a light yogurt.

Another quick easy breakfast – Slice of whole grain toast (about 100-120 calories per slice), put some peanut butter or almond butter on it, slice up a banana, and sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Eat the rest of the banana on the side.  Quick easy filling and it gets you all your protein and fiber too.

Morning Snack:  Have a snack mid morning…I usually eat breakfast at 830, eat a snack around 10 or 10:30 and have lunch between 1 and 2.  Also, drink something with your snack.  It’s important to drink a lot.  The packets you can mix with water are awesome if you hate plain water.  Just make sure the calories aren’t too bad (no more than like 10 calories per packet).  Tea is also great because if you crave sweets, you can add some milk and truvia for a great mid-morning sweet treat.  I’m a tea addict now a days.  Try www.adaiago.com

Greek yogurt is awesome – lots of protein to keep you full and I like to mix plain greek with jam.  You’re looking for greek yogurt to have about 130 calories or less per serving and at least 15g of protein. Stay away from the flavored kind and you’ll clock in at less than 100 calories with a great protein boost.

Yoplait Light yogurt is great too.

Eat a fruit, melon (melon’s awesome = mostly water and it fills you up).

Lunch: Again, this should also have some sort of drink with it.  Unsweetened iced tea with lemon, water, diet coke if you’re a soda addict, some sort of liquid to fill you up.

I do the lean cuisines a lot.  So pick one you like, throw some extra vegetables into it so it’s more filling or add a small salad to it.  Eating just a plain lean cuisine will not seem filling and you’ll be hungry in an hour.  You need to add things to it.

I also take leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch.  Again, I add extra vegetables or take some carrots and hummus on the side.

Salads are a big go-to lunch for me.  You can make these as big as you want.  Think of fruits and vegetables (as long as they’re raw or cooked with out oil/butter) to be calorie free foods!  I always add lots of variety to my salads.  If you like cheese on your salad, go for feta.  Its flavorful and one of the few cheeses that isn’t bad for you.  Go for light dressing – and measure it out.  Seriously, the serving size is 2 tablespoons.  Measure out and mix up your salad.  You’ll be surprised by how much dressing that really is.  I also eat my salads with baked pita chips or reduced fat wheat thins.

Soups are also good here. The brothy kind, not creamy.  Eat the whole can!  Throw in extra vegetables too.  Eat it with crackers or something crunchy and a small salad.  You want your soup to have 90-120 calories per serving – that’s about 200 per can which is totally fine for lunch.

 

Afternoon Snack:  Have a granola bar.  I like Special K, LaraBars, Luna Bars, whatever you like.  Eat a piece of fruit.  Go for veggies and hummus.  Light yogurt.  Or get a small smoothie somewhere.  You’re looking for a snack that’s between 100-200 calories.  Mixed nuts are good but follow the serving size.  Sometimes my afternoon snack is a “special drink” like something from Starbucks, as long as it’s the light version, or whatever I  might be craving.  This is my healthy “treat.”

Dinner: Baked chicken with BBQ sauce, brown rice (1/2 cup uncooked) mixed with some store bought stir fry sauce or sprinkled with parmesan cheese and garlic powder with a side of mixed vegetables or a salad again. Have steamed or baked fish if you don’t want chicken.  Also, when cooking meat on your own, add lots of spices.  You can fink McCormick spice mixes at the grocery store.  Sprinkle them on meat and vegetables.  Spices add flavor.  If something is flavorful, it’ll taste good.

Eat sushi, just stay away from mayo or the fried stuff. Pair it with miso soup or edamame or seaweed salad.

Salad with grilled meat &  dressing on the side.  Do the whole, dip your fork in the dressing then grab some salad.

Try eating veggie burgers. Honestly, you can get mixed vegetable kinds that are good.  Serve it like you would a regular burger, use fat free cheese.

Honestly, dinner’s whatever you’d normally have.  Just make it healthy.  Bake the meat instead of cooking in oil or frying.  Choose steamed vegetables.   Check out this website www.hungrygirl.com  She offers a ton of recipes that are healthy that taste full flavored.  Some need special ingredients, but I promise they’re worth it.  Cooking her recipes are easy and they involve meat.  But seriously, check out her site. I own all her cookbooks and I really love them.  Even though they seem a bit cartoonish.

If you’re out to eat, ask them to make the vegetables without oil or seasoning then just add salt and pepper to them at the table.  Tell them to cook your meat without a lot of oil.  Ask for dressing or sauces on the side that way you can control the amount.  It sounds demanding, but trust me, they’ll make your food the way you want them to.  Just be nice about it!   Also, before you eat, have a glass of water. Just gulp it down to fill you up.  And pay attention to your stomach so you can tell when you’re really full or not.

Treats: I love frozen cool whip in a bowl with chocolate chips or sugar free chocolate syrup and strawberries.  Make another smoothie if you want.  Just make it smaller.

Have 1 graham cracker with peanut butter and chocolate chips on top.

Make Swiss Miss diet hot chocolate with cool whip on top.

Try frozen yogurt with nuts.

Your “treat” should be about 120-180 calories tops.

Alcohol: Go for light beer if you drink beer.  Go for “skinny” cocktails if the restaurant offers them.  Stay away from margaritas and pina coladas.  Drink SODA WATER with flavored vodka and squeeze an orange or lime or lemon in it or if you really need a mixer, ask for soda water, flavored vodka of your choice and a SPLASH of OJ, cranberry juice, tea….  Go for wine – 2 glasses max.  And drink water with your alcohol.  Also – clear alcohol has less calories than the colored stuff.  So say no to rum, whiskey, and that horrible  UV vodka with the crazy colors.  More expensive clear alcohol tastes better and it has a higher percentage of actual alcohol, so you’ll still get the buzz without having to buy extra drinks.

Exercise:  Aim for 5-6 days a week of exercise.  Here’s my plan…

3 days a week of 1 hour cardio with abs.  I do a full hour on the machines, switching the machines every 20 mins so I don’t get bored.  Also take cardio classes if you don’t like the machines – kickboxing, spin, step, zumba (which is actually fun).  And if you want some cardio workouts, I can give you some of mine too.  I have a treadmill walking workout that burns tons of calories.

2 days a week I do Body Pump with a half hour of cardio or at least some kind of strength training.  Currently I’m on a Pure Barre kick and have noticed a great difference in my body – more on that in a future post.

2 days off a week – or I might take an early morning walk (no more than 30 mins) or a short easy 30 min bike ride.  Or a yoga class.  It’s great for core and ab muscles, it stretches and relaxes you.  I like the heated classes personally.  But you should try a bunch to find the ones you like.  I usually try and fit in as much exercise as I can while still listening to my body.  Even if you don’t want to work out, get your butt to the gym, do cardio for 10 mins then ask yourself if you really want to go home.  Chances are, you’ll probably finish your work out even if it’s half ass-ed.  The point is, you did it and you’ll feel better about yourself.  Also, it takes about 2 weeks for a habit to form – so in that amount of time you should be come used to getting to the gym or exercising regularly.

 

So that’s my life style over view – take my tips and bend them as you may to create a healthy lifestyle that works for you.  And in the future, add my recipes and other tips and tricks and I’m sure you’ll find the balance you need to feel satisfied with food, exercise, and your appearance. Just remember – plants!

Healthified

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Healthified: The act of taking a healthy recipe
 and making it even healthier.

It’s a well known fact that I’m a healthier eater – a healthier eater that likes GOOD food and sweets.  In fact, at times I could most definitely pass up a real meal in place of a dessert buffet.

Yes, I’m a vegetarian, technically a pescatarian, yet very few know the definition of this word.

Pescatarian: Used to define those who abstain from eating all animal flesh with the exception of sea-based creatures.

It seems to be that my pescatarian-ism has become less and less a part of my regular diet, usually only coming into play when I am out to dinner and a scrumptious, reasonably priced salmon dish screams out to me.

As a result of my continuous broadcast about healthy eating, a few friends both near and far, have requested an assortment of my healthy recipes.  After giving it some thought I believed might be easiest if I list the recipes here on my blog that I myself have taste tested and approved and also throw in some healthy lifestyle tips and tricks I use.

Some of these recipes are modifications of recipes I have found on other blogs, magazines, or cookbooks and I promise to  give credit where credit is due when I post these recipes but please know, a lot of the recipes I’ll post were used as a base for inspiration, which were then healthified.

Mantra

I plan to post recipes for breakfasts, lunch, dinners, and of course sweets. For most recipes, I’ll include nutritional information for reference.  I’ll also add in some information about transitioning to a healthier diet without deny yourself completely of all the good food in life.  I love wine, chocolate, and crave the comfort foods of my Mom’s kitchen.  I’ll also be sure to post modifications or substitutes for every day foods and how to navigate social outings and restaurants to stick to the healthy eating mantra. I feel that I myself have weeded through the majority of healthy living articles published to now know the best recipes, foods, and tips, so hopefully this will be a compilation of what I’ve discovered.

Lastly, as I said, I am vegetarian so these recipes will be vegetarian.  This does not mean they can’t be made with meat – simply substitute cooked chicken, shrimp, or ground turkey where you see fit (I’ll also try to note substitutions).  Just remember, these changes will effect the nutrition of the recipe.  I may also use ingredients, spices or herbs that are foreign to you – these ingredients key and are used because of the nutritional value and added taste element.  The key to making good-tasting, healthy food is flavor – leaving out these spices will greatly effect your likelihood of enjoying the recipes.

To start things off, tomorrow I’ll post an overview that I had sent someone last year who had wanted to clean up their diet.  It goes over meal options, how to eat, and even some exercise ideas.

And, if you have any specific requests for a healthified recipe, please let me know because it’s more than likely that I have one.

I Finished Early!

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So I was on a 3 day juice fast and I did so well, I finished early!

Hahaha. Kidding!

Actually, I stopped the cleans on the third day because the thought of putting that red or green juice to my lips literally made me want to vomit.

I could not even swallow it at the end of day two.

In fact, during day two, every time I had drink the juice I was unable to finish the bottle and my final bottle of red juice on day 2, I actually ended up throwing out.

beetroot-juice

I did actually enjoy the cashew milk and I’ve been sipping on that the past few days, using it on cereal and in my oatmeal. Yummy!

So honestly, I don’t consider my self a quitter because I feel like quitting results from being too hungry or not being able to stand the effects of the cleanse where as I finished early due to the repulsive nature of the juices.

Anyways, here’s my opinion of the cleanse

1) I was never hungry.  In fact, I felt like I was just constantly drinking and actually had to force my self to drink the liquids towards the end of the days.

2) I temporarily lost 4 pounds in 2 days and have gained 2 pounds back so far.

3) My stomach definitely shrunk – I can’t eat as much as I used to before the cleanse but I’m sure that will change in time.

4) It taught me that I can control my sugar cravings and to just say no. As a result, I plan to limit the amount of added sugar in my diet.

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5) I felt no caffeine withdrawal symptoms, but I do plan to cut back two 1 cup a day.

6) I used to eat large amounts of roughage or dairy and would have digestive issues – so far I’ve had two vegetable heavy meals with no stomach aches.

7) On the day after the cleanse my head felt “clearer.”  I was able to concentrate better at work and felt more productive. I also had a bit of an energy boost – surprising because the 2nd night of the cleanse I was awoke at 3am and fiddled around ‘til morning – my waking was not a result of hunger pains or any of the likings, I just plain couldn’t sleep.

8) On the day before the cleanse I felt a cold coming on, and it was a bit stronger on the 2nd day, but on the day after I “finished” my cleanse, all cold symptoms were gone and I can officially say I did not get a cold. I truly believe this was because of all the micronutrients I had pumping through my blood thanks to the juices.

So overall, I can’t find anything negative to say about the cleanse and it will probably be something I do again at some point, though I might search out a different version.

Now my only issue is…what to do with that leftover juice, it’s good through the 10th!

1 Juice, 2 Juice, Red Juice….

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Yesterday was the first day on the cleanse…

This was how my morning went …

6:30am Wake Up and think to my self “You’re not hungry, you’re not hungry….damnit I’m HUNGRY! Well, I can’t eat at 6:30 because that’s just way too early for breakfast and I haven’t even picked up the juice yet! Gotta wait til at least 8am.”

8:00am Pick up Juice and think “Got my juice! This is gonna be fun, man I hope the green juice tastes like the Wegmans Green Glory because that’s my favoirte!”

Green

8:30am: First green juice down the hatch… “That does NOT taste like Wegmans…a bit too grassy but I know it’s good for me, I’ll drink it”

Then around 9:30am I had some hot water with lemon in it…

11:00am Red Juice Time! “Man I love beets but I hate beet-carrot juice…just drink it, drink your vitamins”

Red

11:30am: This is where the effects of NOT eating kick in..or maybe it’s the overload of micronutrients because my head feels a little foggy and tight and my eye sights a bit patchy when I first standup…But it eventually passes

1:30pm Another green juice!  Chug chug chug!

3:30pm Cayenne Pepper Lemonade “Whoa! This stuff is good, I don’t mind it at all!”  It tastes like a kicked-up lemonade and not that spicy at all.

4:15pm: Revise my last statement, that Cayenne Lemonade is good til I get to to the end where all the cayenne fell.

After work, I hit the gym for some light walking on the treadmill, since I’m not supposed to be exercising on the cleanse.

6:30pm: Another red juice! “God I really hate red juice”

8:30pm : Cashew milk time! “OMG. This tastes like a melted smoothie, a bit cinnamony, sweet, creamy” LOVE IT!

– Does anyone know how to milk a cashew?  Whenever I think of any kind of nut milk I picture someone literally milking a nut……(Don’t worry, I know you don’t actually milk a nut)

So day one evaluation: I didn’t mind it, wasn’t really that hungry at all but boy was I moody and the rage struck right around 5pm.  It was the, don’t get in my way, don’t even look at me the wrong way type of rage.  I was also a bit emotional all day but other that that I didn’t feel all that different and it wasn’t all that bad.  Hopefully things will continue looking up for me!  Other than that, my body isn’t feeling any different yet.