Panzanella

Panzanella is one of my favorite Italian dishes! Super easy to make, plus it's fresh, light, and healthy! Heirloom tomatoes add color to the dish, the croutons add crunch, and the cheese ties everything together! You've got to try this, it's the perfect summer dish!

Ingredients:
Crusty bread
Olive oil
Garlic Powder
Salt & pepper
Heirloom tomatoes (they come in all varieties of shapes and colors!)
Fresh mozzerella
Fresh basil

For the croutons, start by preheating your oven to 350. On a sheet pan, break the bread into pieces (about a half inch for each piece). Lay them on the pan in an even layer. Drizzle bread with olive oil, dust with garlic powder, and sprinkle on desired amount of salt. Bake in the over for about 10 minutes until lightly bown and crispy. In a large bowl, dice up all different colored heirloom tomatoes (same size as bread, about a half inch thick). Then dice the cheese the same way and add it in with the tomatoes. Finely chop the basil and add that in, along with some olive oil, salt, & pepper. Toss to combine all the flavors. Finally, add in the croutons and toss together well. Serve & enjoy!



Spaghettini Con Fungi

I'm not usually a "fancy" cook, but the mushrooms from the farmer's market looked WAY too good to pass up! I just love the combo of wild mushrooms with the delicate shallots all brought together by the wine. You will deffinately impress your family and friends with this delicious pasta!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti
mixed wild mushrooms
Garlic
Shallots
Olive oil
White wine (I used an Italian Pinot Grigio, but any mild white wine would work)
Salt
Chili flakes
Parmisean cheese

In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions. In a sautee pan, heat olive oil on medium to medium high. Add the chopped garlic, sliced shallots, and mushrooms. Sautee until mushrooms are tender and oil is absorbed by the mushrooms. Add white wine. The wine will deglase the pan and create a fabulous sauce. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt and chili flakes. Combine well and continue to cook until most of the wine sauce is absorbed. Serve imediately topped with parmisean cheese. Enjoy!



Spring Herb Salad

I'm all about eating what's in season! I'm so glad we're finally in Spring, so I can go from eating heavy, hearty foods to light and fresh foods! This salad is a gorgeous, simple salad! It doesn't get much fresher than this! It's great as a side dish and it's absolutely perfect for this wonderful weather!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
White wine vinigar
Honey
Olive oil

Salad:
Spring mixed greens
Fresh mint
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Fresh pasley
Fresh majoram
Grapes (I used Muscat, because they are in season and very sweet!)

For the dressing, just combine equil amounts of the 3 ingredients in a dish and whisk until combined. Set aside. In a salad bowl, combine the mixed greens and all the herbs (chopped). Top with sliced grapes. Spoon on the dressing, toss, and enjoy!



Chilaquiles Fritatta



Chilaquiles is probably one of my FAVORITE Mexican dishes of all time! If you've never had it, you're missing out! Basically, it's a mix of "scrap foods" fried up in a pan with some leftover tortillas. One day, I was thinking about something yummy to make for breakfast, but I was also craving Mexican food. Then, I had the genious idea to make a Mexican Fritatta, Chilaquiles style! This version is MUCH healthier too by the way!!!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

Black beans

Tomatoes

Frozen corn

Corn tortillas

Shredded cheddar cheese

Egg whites

Your favorite brand of hot sauce

Guacamole (topping)

Very soft avocado

Jalapeno peppers

Salt

For the guacamole, just blend the avocado, peppers, and desired amount of salt in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 375. Add the rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, cheese and egg whites into a mixing bowl and mix together until all the ingredients are combined. Spray a casserol dish with cooking spray, then pour the mixture in. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at the set tempurature. Then, change the oven setting to broil and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until the top gets crispy and slightly brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with guacamole, then enjoy!

Ponzu Lettuce Wraps

 

When you think of mock ground beef, you probably don't think about pleasant things. But you might be suprised at how similar the morning star brand is to the taste and texture of real beef! Make it for your friends and family, but don't tell them it's made out of soy, see if they even notice! I bet they wont!

Ingredients:
Head of lettuce
Mock ground beef
Olive oil
soy sauce
lemon juice
Ginger powder
Chili paste (optional)
Carrots
Mushrooms
Onions
Cashews
Water chestnuts

When prepping, dice all your veggies very small. Heat a pan on Medium. Add olive oil and all the veggies. Sautee the veggies for about 3 minutes, then add the mock beef. Combine by stirring. Then add the soy sauce, lemon juice, chili paste, and ginger powder. Stir for about a minute longer. Then turn off heat and remove from the burner. Set aside until it cools slightly. Break off pieces of lettuce to use as serving cups. Serve some of the filling into each lettuce cup, and enjoy!



Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms

I never understand people who don't like mushrooms. They are BY FAR one of my favorite veggies! This is a simple Italian recipe that will make even mushroom haters into mushroom lovers! Great as an appetizer, snack, or lunch! It's a must-try recipe!

Ingredients:

Small portabello mushrooms
Fontina cheese
Parmisean cheese
Scallions
Bread crumbs
Dry Italian herbs
Olive oil
Cooking spray
Marinara

Preheat your oven to 375. Carefuly remove the stems from the mushrooms, leaving a perfect little hole in the middle of the mushrooms for stuffing. Place each mushroom on a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine shredded fontina, diced scallions, and a dash of olive oil. Stuff the mushrooms as full as you can with the stuffing. Top with bread crumbs, parmisean, and Italian herbs. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and the top is crispy. Serve with a side of marinara for dipping and enjoy!



Vegetarian Sub Sandwich

I've been attemping to take my own dinner to work lately, instead of just ordering all the food I normally get with enough calories in it to kill a cow! This is one of my favorite! Bring a sandwich to work reminds me of being in school again! All the other kids always ask me about it with curiousity! This sandwich is amazing! And so simple!

Ingredients:
Whole wheat sub style bread/ hot dog bun
Light mayo
Dijon mustard
Avocado
Tomato
Swiss cheese
Cucumbers
Alphalfa sprouts



Detox Shot

Did you eat too much food late at night last night? Drink too much with your friends? Feeling lethargic and/or unmotivated? Well this shot is for you! This shot is great for cleaning your system and giving you energy. I just found out about this, and it's already changed my life! The best way to start taking these is to take one every night before bed for about a week. After that, you can switch to once per week! This post is going to be slightly different. I'm going to list the ingredients below, and next to each ingredient, I will explain why it is important to your helath. Making it is easy, just combine all the ingredients in a shot glass, or regular glass and stir well!

Ingredients:

Freshly squeezed lemon juice- Lemon juice is acidic, and this helps to clean the tissues and organs of the body.

Dried cayenne pepper- Removed toxins from the body and the heat helps speed up metabolism.

Extra virgin olive oil- The oil has natural anti-inflamitory properties. It is also an excellent lubricant to aid digestion.

Apple cider vinigar- Helps break down food in your stomach and cleans you're digestive tract.

honey- Adds taste to this shot so it's barable to drink. Also contains cleaning and healing properties.

Veggie Fajitas with Corn & Avocado Salsa



Best. Fajitas. I've. Ever. Had. No restaurant that I've ever been to can come close to how good these are!!! The story behind these is: I was really craving fajitas... So I went to the store and got all the stuff I thought I needed. I cooked up the onions, peppers, and mushrooms, but it seemed so boring. Something was missing. I went through my pantry, refrigerator, freezer... Found anything I could that would spice them up a bit. Thus, Corn and avocado salsa was born!

Ingredients:

Fajitas-

Flour tortillas (I used sun dried tomato, but there are many other kinds that you can choose from!)

Olive oil

Yellow Onion (julienned)

Red Peppers (julienned)

Shitaki mushrooms (julienned)

Shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Salsa-

Avocado (soft!)

Canned corn

Tomato

Jalapeno

Salt

Salsa-

Dice avocado into a bowl. Add the corn, diced tomatoes, and desired amount of diced jalapeno. Mix well. Add salt to taste.

Fajitas-

Get a pan hot on medium high heat. Add olive oil. Add onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Sautee until veggies are soft. Add salt & pepper if desired. Remove from heat when finished. For your tortillas, all you have to do is warm them up in a kumal or pan just before serving. Add the filling to the tortillas, top with corn & avocado salsa and cheese, and enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Potato Soup

Yummm!!! I love a good soup, where each bite you take, you can taste each delicious ingredient working together to satisfy your taste buds!!! And boy, will it make your house smell good when you're cooking it!!! This is my healthy version of baked potato soup. I use red potatoes with the skins on instead of white potatos with the skin peeled off. It's a little on the heavy side, therefore I prefer to make this as a full meal, rather than an appetizer.

Ingredients:
Red Potatoes (quartered)
Yellow onion (quartered and seperated)
Garlic
Carrots
Roasemary
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Milk
Cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Preheat your oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil. Add the potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic, & rosemary evenly across the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Add desired amount of salt & pepper. Roast veggies in the oven for about 15-25 minutes (until carrots can easily be cut in half with a fork). Remove the sheet from the oven. Add the veggies to a blender and add milk. Blend until smooth. Tranfer soup to a large pot. Cook on medium heat. Fold in cheddar cheese and sour cream. Add a dollop of sour cream with fresh rosemary just before serving. Enjoy!



Vegetarian Encheladas & Mexican Rice

Okay, so I actually just attempted to make homemade encheladas for the FIRST time! I was not expecting them to come out as amazing as they did!!! I make the rice all the time, but the combination of encheladas with the rice was especially great!

Encheladas:
-Corn tortillas
-Frozen cream of spinach (thawed)
-Corn (frozen- not thawed!)
-Black beans
-Enchelada sauce (Trader Joe's sauce is amazing!)
-Water
-Cheddar cheese (shredded)
-Green onions (sliced small)

Get your kumal or pan nice and hot. Also, preheat your oven to 375. While your waiting, mix your filling: Cream of spinach, corn, and black beans. Cook the tortillas on both sides until bubbles form on the top. Spoon some of the filling ineach tortilla. Wrap it up tightly and arrange them in a deep baking pan.When they are all folded and arranged in a single layer, add enchelada sauce. Don't be afraid to go heavy on the sauce! They should be completely covered! Also, add about 1/4- 1/2 cup of water right on top of it. it will keep the encheladas from drying out in the oven and the tortillas will absorb it all anyway! Sprinkle cheddar cheese on to. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving, because serving to early can cause them to fall apart. Sprinkle on the green onions and enjoy!

Mexican Rice:
-White rice
-oil (I used olive oil for everything!)
-Red tomatoes
-yellow onion
-Water
-Vegetable boullion cube
-Frozen veggies (such as peas, carrots & corn)

Heat some oil in a pan. Add the rice and stir constantly until rice gets toasted a light brown color. In a blender, combine tomatoes, water, and onion. Blend until liquified. Add to the pan of rice and bring to a boil. The ratio is 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. I rarely ever measure, but you might like to. I just add water when I see it start to get low. Add the boullion cube. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until water is completely absorbed and rice is cooked all the way through. I put the veggies in about 5 minutes before the rice is done.

Simple Caprese salad



This is probably my all time favorite salad... Seriously! Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best! Everything is so fresh and bright. It goes great with some crusty bread too! If you are not familiar with heirloom tomatoes, you should get aquainted!!! Everyone knows how good red tomatoes are for you, but the other colors add a mix of anti-oxidents and vitamins that you can't get from regular tomatoes alone. I got these tomatoes at Trader Joes, they are small cherry heirloom tomatoes. But regular ones work too, you just have to dice them up a little bit more.

Ingredients:

Mixed Heirloom tomatoes

Fresh mozzerella

Kalamata olives

Basil

Olive oil

Balsamic vinigar

Sea salt & pepper

Three Bean Pasta Salad

Looking for a recipe that's healthy, light, AND yummy?! Well look no farther! This dish is FULL of protein, anti-oxidents, fiber, taste, etc! And it super easy to make! Great for a potluck, picnic, lunch, or whatever! You've gotta try it!!!

Ingredients:

Romain lettuce
Rotini pasta
Canned kidney beans (drained)
Canned green beans (drained)
Canned garbanzo beans (drained)
Peppperoncinis
Olive oil
White wine vinigar
Salt & pepper

Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool while you prep your other ingredients. Tear the lettuce and put into your serving bowl. Add desired amount of each kind of bean and pepperoncinis. Once the pasta is cool, add it into the bowl. Top off with desired amount of vinigar, oil, salt and pepper. Toss it all together well. Enjoy!!!



Baked Chips with Spicy Salsa

Authentic Mexican salsa is easier to make at home than you might think! I love fresh and spicy salsa! I've been pretty close with Mexican families over the years, and I've learned how to make a lot of delicious Mexican food and techniques. And I like my chips baked rather than fried, cause then i'm allowed to eat more of them and not feel as guilty! =]

Ingredients (chips):
Corn tortillas (cut into triangles)
Cooking spray
Sea salt

Ingredients (salsa):
Ripe tomatoes - 4
Red Jalapenos - 2-4 (depending on how spicy you like it)
Yellow onion - one quarter of an onion
water
Sea salt

Salsa:
I start by washing the peppers and tomatoes and charring them on a hot griddle or kumal to give it that roasted flavor. Cut up all the ingredients into chunks and add to a blender. Salt as desired. Add about a quarter of a cup of water to the blender so that there's enough liquid to blend. Blend until all the ingredients are well combined. Add the salsa to a pot and cook on medium heat until most of the water is evaporated. Let cool before serving.

Chips:
Preheat oven to 350. Place tortilla triangles on a baking sheet coated in cooking spray. Spread them evenly, you don't want them overlapping. Add some more cooking spray on top and sprinkle on the sea salt. Put them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, watching them closely so that they do not burn.



Mock Sushi Rolls with chili sauce



If you are a vegetarian, then you probably know what it's like to feel left out when you're dining with your meat-eating friends. Sushi is deffinately one of those times when I feel left out! But then, I had an idea... Why not invite your friends over to have vegetable sushi with you?! It's better than it sounds, trust me! And there are many different variations you can make! You also can use egg omlet, sweet potato, avocado, cucumber, carrots, brocoli, etc. And you can feel free to mix and match any of those fillings!

Ingredients (for the sushi):

Sushi rice or sticky rice

Nori/ roasted seaweed sheets

Avocado

Carrots

Cucumber

sesame seeds

Water

Ingredients (for the sauce):

Soy sauce

Chili paste

Sesame seeds

You can make your own sushi rice if you'd like, but I prefer the microwavable sticky rice! Whichever meathod you prefer, have your rice ready and a sheet of seaweed on your bamboo mat. To one half of the seaweed, evernly spread out the sticky rice. Toward the top, add your desired amount of veggie filling. Turn the top toward you. With your fingers, add a small amount of water at the dry end of the seaweed to help it stick at the end. Start rolling the bamboo mat and tucking in the edge of the seaweed as needed. Roll until the whole sushi roll is wrapped up tight. Then you can cut up your rolls into sushi pieces, however big or small you like! In a seperate dish, combine desired amount of soy sauce, sesame seeds, and chili paste. Mix, and enjoy!

Heart-Healthy Beet Salad

Okay, this is my new obsession! I never knew I loved beets so much until I found this salad! It's so yummy! And very good for you, and your figure! Instead of eating a big dinner late at night, I've been trying to eat a salad at night instead. So this is deffinately a salad I make a lot!

Ingredients:

Red beets

Golden Beets

Jicima

Green apples

Watercress

Champagne vinigar

Olive oil

All you do is cut up all the fruits and add the champagne vinigar and olive oil for the dressing at the end and toss it all together! Easy!!!

Chili with Tortilla Chips



Man, it has been so cold lately! In fact... It's been... CHILI! Okay, that was CORNy... Sorry... Anyway, it's the season for hearty soups and stews, and in my opinion, chili is king of stews! And my version is super good for you! And much lower in sodium than buying canned chili from the grocery store! Although it takes a while to make, it couldn't get much easier to prepare. Your family willl love it, I know mine do!

Ingredients (chili):

Canned black beans (drained)

Canned pinto beans (drained)

Canned kidney beans (drained)

Crushed roasted tomatoes (1 can)
Tomato paste (2 Tablesoons)

olive oil

Garlic (crushed)

Onion (diced)

Corn (frozen)

Jalapeno

Ingredients (chips):

Corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Sea salt

Start by heating the pot you are going to cook the chili in on medium low. Pour a teaspoon of olive oil in and sutee the onion and garlic together. Add the crushed tomatoes and beans. Take a jalapeno and polke holes into it with a knife and drop in with the chili. This is the best way of getting the flavor and spiciness of the jalapeno into the chili! Turn on low and cover. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occationally. Add the corn, stir, and cover for another 20 minutes. The corn will actually thicken up the chili. After adding the corn would be a good time to start the chips. Preheat over to 350. Cut corn tortillas into strips and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Arrange the chips so that they are not overlapping. Spray another quick coat of cooking spray on top of the chips and sprinkle on salt. Bake for 6-10 minutes until the tortillas become nice and crisy. Remove and let cool until the chili is ready!

Rainbow Tacos

Mexican food is one of my FAVORITES! Although i'm pretty sure Mexican vegetarians are extremely rare, there are still ways to make delicious Mexican meals without the meat! I call these "rainbow" tacos because they are filled with lots of anti-oxident rich ingrediets of all colors!

Ingredients:
Corn tortillas
Sweet potato puree
Canned black beans (drained)
Diced tomatoes (I use half red and half yellow)
Diced yellow onion
Diced avocado
Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese)
Jalapeno or serrano peppers (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Get your comal (or large pan if you don't have a comal) nice a hot. Cook the tortillas on each side until bubbles start to form on the top. After removing the tortillas from the heat, put them inside a towel or in a tortilla warmer until ready to use. To make the filling for the tacos, just dice up the desired amount of tomatoes, onion, peppers, and avocado and mix with beans. Toss together well. Put some of the sweet potato puree on the tortilla first. Then scoop some of the filling on top of that. Lastly, add desired amount of cheese and cilantro. Enjoy!



The Greatest Green Juice

Remember when you were a kid and you watched Popeye eating his spinach and instantly becoming a "super" human? Well, that's exactly what this drink is all about! I got this recipe from Dr. Oz on the Oprah show a couple years ago. And I was hooked ever since! Don't be scared off the green color of this juice. It's actually sprisingly sweet and refreshing! It has more than your daily reccomendation of fruits and veggies. This drink is prooven to help aid weight loss, give you energy, raise your antioxident levels, and prevent illness. Note: You must have a juicer to make this. If you don't have one, ask around, I'm sure someone you know has one you might be able to borrow! =]

Ingredients (for 2 glasses):

1 Cucumber

2 heaping handfulls of spinach

4 apples

4 stalks of celery

1 inch piece of fresh ginger

A sprig of fresh parsley

Fresh lime juice

Use the juicer to juice all the ingredients (except the lime). Mix together well. Add the fresh lime juice at the end just before drinking.



Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese! This is my favorite way to make it! A little spicy, super yummy, and added veggies for energy and health! Yum!

Ingredients:
100% whole wheat bread
Cooking spray
Pepper jack cheese
Avocado (sliced)
Tomato (sliced)
Canned sliced jalapenos (optional)

To make sure the cheese gets nice and melted, I put it in the microwave on top of the bread first for about 30 seconds. Don't sandwich the cheese/bread together yet, heat up the pan and cook the 2 slices of bread seperately. At the last minute, add the all vegies to one side of the bread. Put the other piece of bread on top, and enjoy! Cut in half if desired.