Monday, December 8, 2014

Cheesy spaghetti squash casserole

This casserole is super easy and yummy. It has lots of cheese, so probably not something I will make every week. Or maybe I would make it with less cheese, and I bet it would still be good. Here's my version of the recipe:
spaghetti squash cooked (cut in half, scoop out seeds, put on a plate face down in microwave for 14 minutes. Drain in a colander while the rest is cooking.)
sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
coconut oil
ground turkey
1 jar clean pasta sauce
1 egg
half cup part skim ricotta
half cup grated mozzarella
half cup parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion and sauté with garlic and oil in large pan until translucent. Add ground turkey and brown. Add sauce and squash. Mix eggs and cheese (not parmesan), then add to turkey and squash mixture. Pour into large casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes. Add parmesan cheese to top then bake for about 12 minutes more until cheese melts and starts to brown.

This is adapted from http://againstallgrain.com/2014/03/11/cheesy-baked-spaghetti-squash/

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Pumpkin spice pancakes

I've been wanting to make these for a while, and this morning was the perfect opportunity. trevor wanted pancakes, and we are out of the Kodiak mix that is my usual "just add water" clean mix. I also didn't have the oat flour that the recipe called for, so I used almond flour instead. I was pretty happy with that decision. I admit that when I spooned the batter out onto the griddle I was nervous that this was going to be a disaster. But I waited a few minutes, flipped them, and perfection! Will certainly make these again:) Recipe

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Healthy blondie bars

This is another easy one where you can just toss all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend. I must admit that I enjoyed the cookie batter raw as much as cooked, and so did Trevor. We probably could have just eaten it all before even putting it in the oven! It's OK, because this recipe has no eggs, and the main ingredient is chick peas! At least we go in some good protein and fiber;)
recipe

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Banana oatmeal muffins

So many recipes out there for banana muffins! This one caught my eye because of the laziness factor; you can just toss everything into the food processor and blend. I had to mix in some chocolate chips leftover from my pumpkin bars since banana bread just doesn't seem right without them. I also added pecans to half of the muffins out of curiosity, plus I love nuts.
The recipe made 12 muffins, and I baked them for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Trevor will be excited about these when he wakes up from his nap if his dad and I don't eat them all by then;) They are kind of perfect, but next time I might add a dash of salt. recipe

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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Pistachio pesto

I just love how my health and fitness journey has been connecting me with old and new friends. People see that I am interested in finding clean and healthy recipes and love sharing them with me. This one comes from a log time friend from Spain, and it's a good one!
 http://mountainspigsandfood.tumblr.com/post/102296937044/9-5-gig-put-this-on-top-of-everything

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Southwest meatball skillet

I was surprised how tender and juicy these quick and easy meatballs were! I will serve them with quinoa or brown rice, and save some to bring in for lunch this week. They would also be good with a little avocado or some grated cheddar cheese as a garnish. Yum!
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/recipes/20-minutes-or-less/southwest-meatball-skillet/


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Fettuccine Alfredo

This sounds like such an indulgent dish. How could it be clean? Make it with the versatile and always amazing cauliflower! The sauce is super easy, yummy and totally guilt free. I used a chia spinach fettuccine from Whole Foods, so that was clean too. I added a few curls of parmesan cheese as a garnish, but it would be just as good without them. This went nicely with chicken apple sausage:)
http://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/20/cauli-power-fettuccine-alfredo-vegan/


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Blueberry French toast casserole

This is one of my go-to recipes when I am having company or if I have to bring something to a breakfast meeting. It's nice because you can vary your level of "clean and healthy" depending on your audience or consumers. For example when I made it this time I used part cream instead of all almond milk and also wiped the pan with butter instead of cooking spray because my mom was here, and I knew she would appreciate the extra creaminess and flavor. But I have also made it straight like the recipe, and it's still good:)
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-blueberry-french-toast-casserole/


Saturday, November 8, 2014

Oooey gooey chocolate chip pumpkin bars

It's a good thing I made these for my family who is coming to dinner tonight, because I could seriously eat the whole dish! Yum! I'm not always a huge fan of pumpkin, but this one's a keeper, probably because of the chocolate chips, but the whole bar is delicious. Idid folow the recipe, but left in in the oven for an extra 10 minutes and am happy with my decision. It just wasn't done after the suggested 30 minutes.

http://paleomg.com/ooey-gooey-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bars/

Friday, November 7, 2014

Humus baked chicken

One of the easiest and yummiest I've made in a while, this one is a keeper. I made it with white wine vinegar because I didn't have red, and used regular humus but added some parmesan cheese to it. Also cooked it for more like 40 minutes instead of the suggested 30. Everyone liked it, including my mom even said that she would make this one at home. That's kind of a big deal, because she's not the cook in the family. So far all of the recipes that I have tried from this site have been keepers:) http://www.slenderseven.com/meat



Sunday, November 2, 2014

Butternut squash souffle with leeks and gruyere

This recipe has been calling to me for a while, and today I finally had the chance to give it a try. It's a little more complicated than my usual. I've never made a souffle, but it sounded so good! Don't let it intimidate you; it was actually rather easy. The extra effort was worth it. This was the perfect side dish for my sweet and slow pork with apples and onions.
The only trouble is that I had planned on having leftovers later in the week, and there are none! Guess I'll have to find some other yummy vegetable recipes;)
Since it was new to me, I followed the recipe pretty closely. I only had two small ramekins, so I used a larger dish for the rest and cooked it for an extra 20 minutes. The small ramekin was the perfect size for Trevor's dinner.
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/recipes/butternut-squash-souffle-with-leeks-gruyere/


Saturday, November 1, 2014

Pumpkin spice pancakes (or waffles)

In keeping with the Halloween spirit but trying to get Trevor to eat something before he started in on his candy... a morning cooking project was necessary this morning. Although it's a recipe for pancakes, we decided to give them a try as waffles as well. That was a big success. I didn't have the oat flour, so I used whole wheat flour instead. Otherwise we followed the recipe. When it came time to eat, Trevor had the genius idea to put yogurt on his waffle, so we blended some honey into the plain Greek yogurt, and both enjoyed dipping into that. Yum!
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/10/pumpkin-spice-pancakes/


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Cauliflower risotto

I am so amazed at what can be made with cauliflower! This risotto was really delicious; both Bill and I went back for seconds. I served it with some apple chicken sausage, because even though the recipe says that it's a main meal dish, I wanted more protein. For once I really followed the recipe, except I used one large head of cauliflower instead of two. (My photo has leeks, but that was an accident. They are for something I'm gong to try later this weekend.) I considered using almond milk instead of cream, but decided to go for the full on cream experience. Maybe next time, and there will be a next time, I will try with the almond milk and maybe add some peas or shrimp. This is going to be a yummy lunch tomorrow:)
http://www.food.com/recipe/low-carb-cauliflower-risotto-191486


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Melt in your mouth chicken

This is my "go to" when I am in the mood for chicken parm, but don't have the time to do all that dipping! It's not chicken parm, but it is tangy and delicious. You can decide what kind of flavors you are in the mood for with the spices that you add to the yogurt. I like Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime. Everyone in the family likes this tender chicken, and it's good for lunch the next day with a spinach salad or in a wrap.



Monday, October 27, 2014

Kale walnut pesto



This is a nice pesto... And the best part is that it's made with kale! Of course I changed it up a bit. I didn't have enough kale, so I also used some baby spinach, and I didn't cook them. I just put them in the food processor and my spiderman helper blended them raw. I felt like it would be healthier, plus I was feeling kind of lazy. It was good, and I will be happy to bring it to school tomorrow since we are going on a hike all day. It's something that should last pretty well without refrigeration. 
http://www.realsimple.com/m/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pasta-kale-walnut-pesto


Halloween Survival Tips

Last year I began my health and fitness journey in a challenge group that started on October 28. I was super dedicated to the clean eating part of the challenge, not so much the workouts. Because of my strict adherence to my diet, I did not allow myself even one piece of Halloween candy. I can honestly say it was the first Halloween of my life that I didn't have any candy, and that's tough for a chocoholic like me!

However, I realize that this is not the norm, and most people will not be so strict and dedicated as I was. (Even I have already caved to the candy temptations this year.) So how do you survive this holiday without a major setback? How do you prevent yourself from falling into old traps and patterns? 
Here are my suggestions-

1. Do not buy your favorite candy for the Trick or Treaters. In fact, buy candy that you don't really enjoy and won't tempt you.

2. Once you have purchased the candy, don't open it! Again, why tempt the candy gods?

3. Once the candy is opened, keep it in a cabinet or closet up high and out of sight. If it's sitting there in a bowl calling your name every time you pass by, you will be so much more likely to indulge. Out of sight is out of mind.

4. Plan your cheat. If you know that you are going to partake in a few pieces, DECIDE in advance how many and set them aside for yourself. When they are gone, you are done. Don't let it happen by accident. Those little snack size candies pack a full size punch to your problem areas when you eat them mindlessly.

5. Get rid of the extras on November 1. Bring them to work, send them off with a spouse or donate them to nursing homes, shelters or even the troops. Everyone loves candy.

6. Keep a food journal. If you want to improve with something, it helps to track it. This is something that I have resisted all along. I hate the idea of tracking my food, however I have come up with a little compromise for myself. I am only going to write down and track my cheats. That way I will think twice before popping things into my mouth, and I will REALLY know how much I am helping/sabotaging myself.

7. Exercise. It's obvious, but during the holiday season it's even more important to make your workouts a priority and schedule them into your day. Treat it like an important appointment with your boss. You wouldn't cancel an appointment with your boss, right?

8. Find healthier alternatives. Everyone loves a sweet treat, but it doesn't have to come in a fun size package. Some of my favorites are on my recipe page.

9. If you mess up and go on a candy bender, move on. Pick yourself up out of your candy stupor, don't beat yourself up, get some exercise, and look forward to a new day:)

10. Join one of my Challenge Groups to help you with motivation and accountability. I have a new group starting every month. FB message me or email me for details at hbalshem@gmail.com.



Monday, October 20, 2014

Sweet and slow pork tenderloin

What's better than coming home to the smells of dinner already made? Yummy, healthy dinner already made! This pork crockpot recipe is super quick and easy; you probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen. The pork just fell apart when I poked it with the fork, so tender and juicy. I followed the recipe except for adding about a third cup of chicken stock in the morning. No one was going to be home, and I was worried that it might overcook or get dried out. It didn't;)
http://myfridgefood.com/recipes/entree-pork/sweet-slow-tenderloin/#gHMwTZBO8uI749XV.32
This time when I made it I added onions and apples and served it with butternut squash souffle. Yum! 

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Oatmeal cookie waffles

Trevor wanted waffles this morning, so we decided to go for it with a new cooking project. It was fun and easy to make. We didn't have any cashews, so we used peanuts instead. They were a different consistency than your usual waffle- more dense, not light and fluffy. Think oatmeal cookie waffle:)
http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/cashew-oat-waffles?ICID=TBB_BLOG_SOCIAL

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Sauteed shrimp spaghetti (squash)

This one is quick and easy once you take care of the shrimp. I loved it, especially because every bite was guilt free. Of course I changed the recipe by adding an onion and two pounds of shrimp instead of one. Everyone in my house loves shrimp, and one pound just didn't seem like enough. Next time I would drain the squash in a strainer before adding it to the shrimp.
http://www.slenderseven.com/seafood/