Category: Healthy

Earthy, Vegetarian Breakfast Wrap

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What makes this earthy? The “sprouted lentils” is certainly it. I accidentally stumbled upon sprouted lentils when I realized I hydrated too many dried lentils for another recipe. I left them in the fridge and next thing I knew there were sprouts! They’ve lasted a couple weeks now. To keep them sprouted, I spray a bit of water and toss them a bit. 

Sprouted Lentils

Since I have no idea what to do with all these I’ve been using them in a variety of recipes as a test. I’ve read that, once sprouted, they are easier to digest because the complex sugars break down. 

As for the breakfast wrap, it was pretty good. You be the judge. 

What you’ll need:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small soft taco shell
  • 1 Tbls hummus
  • A sprinkle of sprouted lentils
  • Black beans
  • Spinach
  • Hot sauce, optional

What to do:

Green Smoothie

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What a great way to start your day! I Dalways say you should start your day off right and this is certainly something to add to your morning routine to make it happen!! 

This recipe yields 4 servings. 

What you’ll need:

  • 1 banana
  • 4 strawberries 
  • 1/2 cup blueberries 
  • Handfull grapes
  • Handfull spinach 
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 2 tsp flax seeds
  • 2 Tbls hemp hearts
  • Handfull cashews 
  • 2 tsp spirulina 
  • 1 tsp wheat grass 
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • Water
  • Lime wedges for garnish, optional 

What to do:

    1. Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth
    2. Add more almond milk or water to your liking depending how thick you like your smoothies. 
    3. Pour in a glass and garnish with a lime and straw. 

    Enjoy!

    Kale and Purple Cabbage Salad

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    I’m on a mission to eat healthier. By healthier I mean increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables, decreasing dairy and decreasing animal protein. Where will I get my protein do you ask? The right kinds of veggies and superfoods. For example, I just started using spirulina (it’s not in this recipe but could have been now that I think of it!) Here’s some info on it if you’re interested. Spirulina info. It’s loaded with more than just protein. 

    Not only is this salad full of veggies and nutritional value, it’s all raw and looks so pretty. The key to eating raw kale and Cabbage, in my opinion, is time. Give it time to soak in however you decide to dress it. Two to three hours and tossing it every 1/2 hour is how I do it. They’re both tough and hearty so soaking them softens them. 

    What you’ll need: 

    • One bunch of kale, coarsley chopped
    • 1/2 head purple Cabbage, sliced thin
    • 1 carrot, shredded
    • 1/2 red pepper, sliced small and thin
    • 1/2 yellow pepper, sixes small and thin
    • 10 dried figs, sliced thin
    • 1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
    • 1/4 cup raw hemp hearts
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • Juice of one lemon
    • 1/2 cup (or more depending how much you like) extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • S & P

    What to do:

      1. Prepare and mix all ingredients in a large bowl. 
      2. Cover and refrigerate for a total of 2-3 hours minimum, tossing every 1/2 hour the first 3 hours. 

      Enjoy!

      Breakfast!!! Whole Wheat Toast with Avocado Cream topped with a Poached Egg

      WhyILoveFood3 Comments

      Start the day off right with this easy, DELICIOUS breakfast. I just love breakfast…I really do. If I had to choose I’d say it’s my favorite meal of the day. This breakfast takes 5 minutes to make and is super easy. Don’t be  afraid of poaching an egg. Just simmer some water, add a tablespoon of vinegar, stir the water and gently place the egg in. Cook 2 – 3 minutes depending on how easy or hard boiled you like them. 

      Start by making the avocado cream and mash a ripe avocado in a small bowl:


      Add Greek yogurt and a dash of your favorite hot sauce, garlic powder and salt:


      Mix it all together and put it on your toast:


      Poach your egg and put it on top:


      Enjoy!

      Tomatillo Verde Sauce

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      Talk about a versatility…this sauce is the epitome of it. You can put this on top of tacos, eggs, salads as your dressing, dip, you name it. 

      What you see above is the Verde Sauce on top of a salad I threw together with the various things I had in my refrigerator. I also had left over shredded pork from pork tacos the night before (which also had verde on it 😉) that you see on top. 

      The pork tacos were quasi tacos because I’m really trying to cut carbs and sugar from my diet. I used Boston Bib lettuce for the wrap but a mini romaine lettuce would also be perfect. The recipe for the pork is here. I topped everything with tomatoes, avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro, carrots, and a little extra salt and pepper to the pork. 

      As for the Verde Sauce itself…

      What you’ll need (and remember I make in bulk to freeze some for future so feel free to cut it in half):

      • 18 Tomatillos 
      • 2 jalapeños 
      • 4 cloves of garlic
      • Juice of one lime
      • fresh cilantro to taste
      • S & P

      What to do:

      1. Boil a pot of water that will hold tomatillos and jalapeños. 
      2. Remove the husks off the tomatillos and run them under water until clean.  Also, clean the jalapeños.
      3. Boil the tomatillos and jalapeños for 10 minutes and strain. 
      4. Place them in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. 
      5. Pulse until smooth. 

      Use it for whatever you want and enjoy!

        Prosciutto, Avocado, Spinach, & Heirloom Tomato Egg Scramble | Start The Day Off Right

        WhyILoveFood1 Comment

        Did you ever wake up on the weekend or your day off and think, “I’m going to make a killer breakfast”? However, you don’t have a clue what that killer breakfast will be or what you can throw together that’s in your fridge to make it “killer”. Well…here it is. 

        All you need is a somewhat salty meat (ham, bacon or in my case a slice of prosciutto that I had left over), a variety of veggies, eggs and a spicy sauce if you’re into that kinda thing. In my opinion, the spicy sauce is the killer part. It brings it all together. 

        Serves 2 people

        What you’ll need:

        • 4 eggs, whisked
        • 1 Tbls milk
        • 3/4 avocado, cubed
        • 1 slice prosciutto, finely chopped 
        • 5 grape size heirloom tomatoes, sliced in halve lengthwise 
        • 1 cup raw spinach, chopped 
        • 1/2 Tbls butter
        • Fresh ground black pepper 
        • Garlic powder
        • All season salt
        • 2 sprigs of parsley for garnish

        The spicy sauce:

        • 2 Tbls plain Greek yogurt
        • A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, depending on how spicy you like it
        • Garlic powder
        • S&P

        I also served breakfast with a lightly toasted bagel, cherries & mini yellow plums that I got from a local farm. They were delicious!

        What to do:

        1. Prep your ingredients and put a large sautée pan on medium heat. 
        2. Sautée the prosciutto for 2 minutes, add the avocado and tomatoes and sautée for another 2 minutes. 
        3. In the meantime wisk the eggs, milk, garlic powder, all season salt and pepper in a small bowl. 
        4. Clear a space in the center of the pan and melt the butter, mix everything together and add the eggs. Top with the spinach, cover and turn the heat down. Make sure the eggs evenly dispurse in the pan. 
        5. Cook on low for 3-4 minutes and gently take large sections of the egg and flip them. It’ll break apart don’t worry it’s ok. Just try to flip as big of a piece as possible. I did it in 4’s. 
        6. Fold over one large piece on top of another for one serving. Do the same for the second serving. Top with the sauce, parsley for presentation and serve with you favorite sides. 

        Enjoy!!

        Trottole Pasta Salad

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        I’m all about pasta this weekend! I used  Simply Balanced Organic Trottole Pasta for this recipe. It’s a fun shape and all the good stuff you add to a pasta salad incorporates well into it. You can pretty much use any type of pasta for this dish if you can’t find this type. Some good alternatives would be farfalle, penne or even multi colored radiatore! Remember to always salt your water when boiling pasta!!

        If you want to make this a vegan dish, use a vegan friendly pasta. 


        What you’ll need:

        • 16 oz Trottole pasta
        • 1 medium Eggplant, roasted and diced
        • 2 Carrots, chopped small (I used my Kitchen Aid Spiralizer if you have one)
        • 5 Kale leaves, chopped fine
        • 2 Green Onions, chopped into thin rings
        • 4 oz Tomatoes, grape or cherry, halved (optional)
        • Juice of 1 Lemon
        • 1 Tbls dried Thyme
        • 2 Tbls Garlic Powder
        • 1 small can of sliced black olives 
        • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
        • S & P

        What to do: 

        1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
        2. Begin to boil the water for the pasta. 
        3. Remove some of the skin on the eggplant with a peeler, dice and place on a sheet tray with olive oil and S & P. 
        4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until completely soft, remove and let cool. 
        5. Boil the pasta according to the instructions, drain and let cool. 
        6. Meanwhile, prepare the carrots, kale, onions, tomatoes and lemon juice and add all into a large bowl. 
        7. Add the eggplant, thyme, garlic powder, S & P to the mixture. Combine thoroughly. 
        8. Once the pasta has cooled, add it into the mixture with more olive oil and toss. Put in more or less oil and S & P to your taste. 

        Enjoy!!

            Breakfast Soft Taco

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            I have to be honest, this was a throw together meal at the drop of a hat but it was awesome! Breakfast is so versatile and I wish I had more time to put into it some mornings. 

            Here is what you’ll need:

            • 3 large eggs
            • cheddar or jack cheese, shredded (I used organic Monterey Jack)
            • Splash of milk
            • garlic powder
            • cumin
            • coriander, ground
            • S & P
            • butter
            • 4 taco shells

            For topping:

            • salsa verde
            • avocado
            • scallions

            Here’s what to do:

            1. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cheese, garlic powder, cumin, coriander and S & P. 
            2. lightly coat a small sautée pan with butter on medium heat. 
            3. add the egg mixture and stir continuously until eggs are cooked through completely.
            4. Heat the taco shells for 10 seconds in the microwave. 
            5. Add the eggs to the taco shells. 
            6. Top with the salsa, avocado and scallions. You can also use whatever other toppings you like to make it your own!

            Makes 4 tacos

            Enjoy!

              

              Spaghetti Squash “pasta” with sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms and spinach

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              Spaghetti squash is one of the easiest vegetables to make. It’s also versatile and can be used as the star of the meal, as a side by itself or mixed into any kind of dish. This dish is simple and easy but does take a bit of time. Well worth it though!

              A tip if you want to do it this way, prep the squash ahead of time and store it in the fridge until your ready to make the dish.

              What you’ll need:

              • 1 spaghetti squash
              • 1 medium onion, sliced
              • 2 sweet bell peppers, sliced
              • mushrooms, chopped
              • fresh spinach, about 2 generous handfuls
              • 2 cloves garlic, minced
              • 1 lb ground sausage
              • 1 cup beef broth
              • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
              • S & P
              • Olive oil
              • Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
              • Green or yellow squash, optional

              What to do:

              1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
              2. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Season with salt and pepper and lightly brush it with olive oil.
              3. Roast the squash for 1 hour until soft.
              4. Take the squash out of the oven, shred it with a fork out of the shell and set aside. It should look like spaghetti.
              5. While the squash is in the oven, in a cast iron skillet (or your choice of sauté pan), brown the sausage and set aside.  
              6. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom and heat on medium.
              7. Add the onions and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.  
              8. Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté another 2-3 minutes.
              9. Add the broth and red wine vinegar and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  
              10. Add the squash and sausage and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
              11. Add the spinach, stir to incorporate and simmer until spinach wilts.  
              12. Serve on a plate or a bowl topped with Parmesan cheese.

              Enjoy!!