Healthy Recipes

Steak Fajitas any time of the week

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I love Mexican foods and drinks, and with Cinco de Mayo this past week, I could not have picked a better time to experiment in the kitchen to make something other than the taco seasoning I always seem to fall back to.

I was actually in the mood for fajitas the other night, steak fajitas, so that was what we had with a little help from google and my spice rack, the seasoning came out perfect and this will be another recipe taped to my spice cabinet!

It takes less than 5 minutes to mix together and you have enough for a steak, chicken, or whatever you choose to spice up for this time around and the next time!

Ingredients-

1/4 cup Chili Powder

2 Tablespoons Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons Paprika

1 Tablespoon Onion powder

1 Tablespoon Garlic powder

1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper (I added a little more just because I like things spicy)

1 Tablespoon Cumin powder

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Mix altogether and store in an airtight container or jar

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Rub  the seasoning on the steak and cook the way you desire- we grilled ours for ten minutes.  While meat is cooking, sauté onions and peppers with a little EVOO until soft. Mix meat with veggies and scoop some onto a fajita wrap and enjoy.

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You can top with salsa, plain greek yogurt (alternative to sour cream), and/or  homemade guacamole.

Enjoy~

Making your own seasonings is beneficial to the body.  You are consuming no additives and less sodium and for that your body will thank you!

Holy Guacamole!

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With yesterday being Cinco de Mayo, I decided to make my go-to Guacamole recipe to include with our dinner and to snack on while dinner was cooking.  Guacamole is a favorite snack of mine, which could have to do with it being made out of avocados- MY FAVORITE!

It is so simple to make, and tastes great, and a perfect plus- it can be added to many different meals, or just be made to have as a snack, or a dip to bring to any summertime BBQ or picnic.

Ingredients-

2 Clove Garlic- minced

2 Avocados- scooped out, but save pits

Half onion- diced

1 Tomato- deseeded and diced

1 Jalapeño pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

*1 teaspoon cumin powder

*1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 lemon

* Optional- Personal preference for spicy foods

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Mash avocado and garlic in bowl.

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Add onion, tomato, and jalapeño pepper. Mix until all combined.

Add salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Squeeze lemon juice on top and mix together.

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Add pits from avocados to help keep from guacamole from browning, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve!  Enjoy~

When you make your own foods you will know exactly what you are putting in your body.  It is so easy and simple to make this that you will never need to buy the store bought, sodium filled, made with ingredients you can not pronounce ever again!

Non- Chicken Noodle Soup

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IMG_6453 It is officially cold and flu season.  I am pretty sure it started a few months ago, but as someone who rarely gets sick, I wasn’t phased by it.  I felt badly for those who have been suffering, but considered myself lucky for the past few years for not catching any sort of sickness.  Whether it is luck, my diet, or something else, I can not complain.  Well, that was until this past Friday, where I found myself bed ridden with a bad sore throat and a stuffy nose.  

I am not a complainer, but the fact that I couldn’t take anything for this because of my pregnancy made it even worse.  Sore, dry throat in a dry condo is no fun!  At all.  So it was liquids all day.

Because I was starving, and I could barely swallow, I decided to experiment in the kitchen and make myself some non-chicken noodle soup!  It was beyond delicious, and it only took about 45 minutes, start to finish, to make!  Winning on a day you feel like dying!

Ingredients

8 cups of water

6 organic chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes (up to 8- depends on how you want it to taste)

5 long carrots- peeled and diced

4 Pieces of celery- diced

1 onion- diced

2 cups No Yolks Egg White Noodles- whole grain

1 table spoon coconut oil or butter

1.5 tablespoons Thyme

1 table spoon black pepper

Over medium-high heat, boil water with bouillon cubes in stock pot or large saucepan.  Allow cubes to dissolve.  Stir occasionally.

While bouillon cubes are boiling in water- over medium heat, add coconut oil to pan and sauté carrots.  Once tender, add to the broth. Follow with celery and onions.  Start with the carrots because those take the longest.

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Add into the broth turn heat down and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes.

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Add noodles for last 5-10 minutes, or until tender.

Pour some into a bowl and enjoy!

Enjoy this on a cold day, like the ones we have been experiencing lately, or on a day when you are so sick and eating solid foods makes you feel like the world is ending!

I was craving soup, and obviously my body needed it.  Two days later, I am feeling so much better.  I have been eating this at least one time a day since Friday. Not saying this is what made me feel better, I have also been sipping on hot water with lemon and honey, but the soup definitely is a plus to getting better faster!

When you cook your own foods, it may take longer, but you know exactly what you are eating and putting in your body, and for that you will recover faster and feel better in no time!

Enjoy!

Oatmeal chocolate chip smoothie

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Since being pregnant, my body has encountered quite a few changes, including a developing sweet tooth I have never had before! The worst part about it- I do not just want sweets at the end of the day, I want then ALL day! So instead of indulging in candy, ice cream (which happens to be my favorite!), or other not-so-great choices, I made a delicious smoothie that is good as a healthy breakfast, a great pre-workout smoothie, or a sweet snack/dessert. It is loaded with the good-for-you, complex carbs, protein, and fiber, which will help you feel fuller longer and keep you going all day!

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Smoothie–

All ingredients are organic

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¼ cup rolled oats

1 Frozen banana– or not frozen, just add handful of ice

1 cup Almond Milk

2 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips- I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, which are soy free, dairy free, and nut free

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

1 Tablespoon flax seeds

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Blend together until smooth.

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Pour in a glass, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and enjoy!

You should never deprive yourself of something your body is telling you it wants. Find healthy alternatives, or eat what you want in moderation. When you satisfy your cravings, even the sweet ones, your body will thank you.

Guilt free and allergy friendly Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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I had way too many bananas this week in the house, and before I knew it, they were over-ripe and I was not going to use them.  You know the one’s I am talking about.  Too mushy to eat, too old to freeze, yet you’re not ready to toss them yet!  Perfect thing for bananas that fall into this category?  Banana bread!  I absolutely love it!

It is a bread that is healthy enough for breakfast- by itself, or toasted with butter/peanut butter, and it is sweet enough for all those dessert loving people, like myself.

It is easy to make, not a lot of ingredients, and takes about an hour to prepare and bake!

You can enjoy this guilt free as it is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and the chocolate chips are allergy friendly being that they are dairy free, soy free and nut free!

Ingredients-
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3-4 over ripe bananas
**1/3 Cup Organic Coconut Oil- melted
**3/4 Cup Organic Coconut Sugar
3 Tablespoons Organic Applesauce- make sure to always read ingredients when choosing an applesauce because many brands add ingredients you do not want to put in your body!
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Organic Vanilla
1.5 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
*.5-1 Cup Enjoy Life allergy friendly chocolate chips
*.5 Cup walnuts

*Optional

**If you can not use

-coconut oil replace it with Applesauce or Earth Balance Vegan friendly buttery spread

– coconut sugar, you can use organic Agave, Local Honey, or other sweetener of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil into mashed bananas with a wooden spoon. Add in sugar, applesauce, vanilla. Mix until blended. Add baking soda and continue mixing. Slowly, add flour. Mix until everything is blended together. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts if using. Pour into 4×8 loaf pan and bake for 30-45 minutes- Stick tooth pick in at around 30 minutes to see if baked through. If not, continue baking for additional 10-15 minutes- or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool and enjoy!

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When you take the time to make your own foods, you know exactly what is going in your body, and for that your body will thank you!! Remember to always eat for you body!

Stay warm and healthy!

Fall in Love with this Autumn Salad!

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This time of year happens to be my favorite. The crisp air, the color change of the trees, and most of all the vegetables and fruits we can get! Summer was all about tomatoes and fresh lettuces of different sorts, now it is time for the kale, the sweet potatoes, and the beets. You can also get different types of squash this time of year and be guaranteed they are super fresh because now is the time for them to be harvested.

Kale is the superfood people are going crazy for, but many people do not know all the benefits Kale has to offer. It is a bitter green, that yes- is good for your bones- it actually has more calcium than milk! It is also good for cardiovascular health, is low in fat, high in fiber, high in iron, and has zero fat! Beets have an earthy flavor, and may not be a top choice for everyone- but they happen to be a favorite of mine! They are good source of betaine and trytophan that can help improve your mental health. They are also loaded with fiber and can help lower blood pressure.

Red peppers will help absorb iron- so goes great with the Kale. If you are iron deficient, when you combine the red pepper with any iron source it will help your body absorb the iron needed. They contain almost 300 percent of your daily vitamin C intake for the day. They are also low in calories- one cup contains about 40-45 calories!

Sweet potatoes contain vitamin E to help protect against heart disease, Potassium to help with muscles, bone health, and to regulate blood pressure. It has more potassium than a banana. Sweet potatoes also assist in producing collagen that helps the muscles stay healthy and help keep the skin firm!

Can’t BEET this salad!

Autumn salad

Bunch of Kale- ripped up into pieces

2 Beets- roasted, peeled, diced (you can buy roasted or roast yourself)*

**1 Large sweet potato- diced and roasted (peeling is optional)

1 small red onion- diced

1 red pepper- diced

Handful of feta cheese

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 tablespoon Thyme

* To roast beets- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beets in foil with oil covering them fully. Wrap tight and let cook for 30-45 minutes- until you can insert fork smoothly.

** You can substitute butternut squash for the sweet potato. It will just have to roast a longer than the sweet potato- 30-40 minutes.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. After dicing up sweet potato- add to a bowl and mix with EVOO and Thyme. Place on cooking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

Rip up kale, and place in a bowl. Add diced beets, red pepper, and onion. Once sweet potatoes are done, let cool and add to salad. Top with feta cheese and enjoy with favorite dressing- or add some balsamic vinegar with EVOO and enjoy!

Eating with the seasons has never gotten better, and your body will always thank you for eating good foods that are growing right now!

Fueling up post-workout

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I love to workout. It’s my form of meditation and it keeps me fit. It’s also what keeps me and my lifestyle healthy. A healthy lifestyle is not just what you are eating- it is what you are doing to stay physically active as well. After a workout though, it is VERY important to eat something, or drink a smoothie, to help rebuild those muscles you just pounded on, as well as replenish the electrolytes you just used during your workout. The best time to eat something is right after the workout- up until an hour after. I know- many people aren’t starving after coming back from the gym, a run, or whatever it is you do, but your body will thank you in the long run for it. You need to get certain nutrients in your body to help your body after working out.

Proteins help your muscles rebuild and recover from a workout.  Your muscles do not receive the full benefits of growing if you are not eating proteins 20-60 minutes after any sort of workout, and you have a higher chance of pulling, ripping, or tearing a muscle when not consuming enough protein afterwards.  Proteins that are good include- Eggs; Cheese; Fish- Tuna, Salmon, Halibet; Chicken/Turkey breast; Greek Yogurt; Nuts and nut butters.

Potassium helps restore electrolytes in the brain- which regulate our nerve and muscle functions.  Potassium also helps regulate the heartbeat after raising it, as well as helps the body retain calcium, which is necessary for the bones to remain healthy and not break.  Potassium products that are good choices include- Bananas; Avocados; Fish- Salmon; Dark leafy greens- Kale, Spinach, Collards; Coconut water- which has a natural source of electrolytes and is better than any sports drink to consume after a heavy workout.

It is necessary for your body to consume these nutrients to fully benefit any workout you have just done.  Because I know how it feels not to be hungry for a full on meal after hitting the gym or class, I have posted my favorite post-workout smoothie below.  Not only will give you the nutrients your body needs, it will refresh you after being physically active and it tastes DELICIOUS!

Pina-Kale-Ada Smoothie

Makes enough for 2, or for one big smoothie that will keep you full for hours!

1 Banana

1 Cup Pineapple

1/2 Cup Coconut Water

1/2 Cup Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt- Plain or Vanilla for some added sweetness

1/2 Avocado- For the smoothie to be extra smooth

1 Tablespoon Flax Seeds

Handful of Ice

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Blend together in high speed blender.  Start on a low and add speed.  Blend until fully smooth.

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ENJOY!

Sweet Potatoes Fries!!

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I love, love, love potatoes- especially french fries.  I use to get them as a side every time we went out for dinner.  However, I do know how they really are not the healthiest of choices considering potatoes do not contain the best nutrients for our bodies.  In fact, they are a starch which, when consumed, turns into glucose and triggers an insulin response in our bodies.  In other words- potatoes are a simple carbohydrate (sugar); or, as most people would understand, the bad carbs most try to avoid.  So, next time you want that potato, reach for the sweet potatoes instead.  They are more beneficial to the body, and they are super delish!

Loaded with vitamins- High in B6- which can help prevent heart attacks; good source of Vitamin C- which helps ward of cold and flu viruses, as well as produces collagen to help maintain your skin’s youthful elasticity, and Vitamin D- which is primarily found in sunlight- so during those winter months when people tend to be sunlight deficient, load up on some sweet potatoes to help with energy levels and moodiness.

Sweet potatoes also have good sources of minerals such as Iron; Magnesium- which can help you de-stress and relax; and Potassium.

Last night when I really wanted to have french fries, I made these baked sweet potato fries instead, and they satisfied every taste bud on my tongue!  Try them next time you are craving those plain, old, boring french fries!

Recipe-

1 Large Sweet Potato- Peeled if you want- I like the skin, so I did not peel- sliced into fry shaped pieces

1.5 Tablespoons EVOO

.5 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon, or a little less depending on how much spice you like, Ground Cumin

Dash of salt and pepper

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      photo 2With seasoning and ready to be baked!

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Add oil and spices to big ziplock bag or bowl.  Mix oil and spices, then add potatoes pieces and cover evenly.  Let sit in mixture for a few minutes.  Add to baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Flip over and bake for another 10-15 minutes.  Broil for extra crispiness for last 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy~

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Making your own foods is easy and not always time consuming.  Try it tonight- you may be surprised and continue cooking on a weekly basis!

Remember to always eat for your body~ it will thank you!

 

Greek Night!

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I absolutely love my CSA, but lately we have been getting way more than we can eat.  It upsets me when I throw away veggies that we just could not use before it went bad, so this week I told myself we would try to use all of it so I do not waste more food.  Yesterday we had gotten three big cucumbers and I really did not want to just cut them all up and add them to a salad in hopes we would eat it every night, so I decided to make a Greek Tzatziki sauce and make chicken and tofu gyros for something different for dinner!  The recipe is so easy and so delicious that it will definitely be made again.

Ingredients-

1 big cucumber- peeled (or partially peeled), deseeded, and diced- I had about 2 cups

2 cups plain greek yogurt

3 garlic cloves- minced

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped

**Dash of salt and pepper to taste- If you like a little spice add 1/8 (or more) Cayenne pepper

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Mix greek yogurt with cucumbers and garlic.

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Add dill and lemon juice and mix altogether.  Add salt and pepper to liking.

Refrigerate 1+ hours before using.

~Enjoy

~When you make your own foods you know exactly what you are eating, and for that your body will thank you. Remember to always eat for your body~

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

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I had a lot of Zucchini from out CSA this past week, and after shredding it earlier this week to make quesadillas with it, I decided to use the rest for zucchini muffins.  I wanted something that was sweet enough to eat for dessert, because that is something I do tend to eat every night, yet healthy enough to have for breakfast- or my mid morning snack.  These are what I came up with!

Ingredients-

 

1 cup whole wheat flour- or flour of choice if trying to keep gluten free

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash of salt

1/2 cup unsweetened 100% raw cocoa powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey, although I used a little less due to the chocolate

1.5 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 cup coconut oil in liquid form

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips- I used Enjoy Life Mini Chips which are non dairy, non nuts, non soy

Directions-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter muffin tin, or use muffin wrappers.

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In large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.  Add chocolate chips and mix until everything is combined.

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In another large bow whisk eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until all mixed.  Add zucchini and continue mixing until all zucchini is covered.

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Add the powder mixture and stir until all powder is covered in liquid mixture.  Do not over mix.

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Fill up muffin tins- 1/4-1/2 depending on the size you want.  Put in oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out smooth.

**These are pretty chocolate-ly- if you do not want too much chocolate, I would skip out on the extra chocolate chips.

When you take the time to make your own foods, you know exactly what is being put into your body- and for that, your body will thank you!  Remember to always eat for your body!

~Enjoy