Whole Wheat Mediterranean Pasta Salad

We've been grilling it up over here quite a bit lately.  We received a really nice BBQ as a house warming present when we moved into our new casa last September, and I'm embarrassed to say that we just started using it recently.  You guys, where have I been?!?  It's so convenient to grill up chicken, steak, and even veggies with virtually no clean up afterwards - count me in as a BBQ convert!

Now that the weather is starting to warm up for most of you, I thought I'd share this delicious, and healthy whole wheat Mediterranean pasta salad that I threw together over the weekend.  Unlike most pasta salads, you won't find any fattening mayo in this salad.  What I did use was an abundance of fresh & healthy ingredients; whole wheat noodles, baby spinach + arugula {I love the spiciness in arugula!}, sun dried tomatoes {you could always sub these out for grape tomatoes if desired}, artichokes, capers, olive oil & balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil to name a few.  The result was SO good!  This makes the perfect side dish to accompany grilled chicken, but also has enough flavor to serve on it's own.

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients


3 cups dry uncooked whole wheat pasta noodles {I used fusilli noodles}
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar**
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cup arugula
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced into bite size chunks {if using sun tomatoes in oil, be sure to blot off excess oil with a paper towel}
2 tbsp. capers, drained
3/4 cup quartered artichokes, chopped
1/4 cup olives, sliced {any kind of olives you prefer}
1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese {I used a potato peeler to thinly shave off slices of the cheese}
Freshly torn basil for garnish



**  I've made this pasta salad twice, the first time with white balsamic vinegar & the second time {as photographed} with regular balsamic vinegar.  The white balsamic vinegar is is a little lighter, and if you choose to use this I would suggest adding the juice of 1/2 a lemon into the pasta salad as well to brighten it up a little more. **



Directions


Prepare pasta noodles according to manufacturers suggestions.  

Once your pasta is cooked & drained transfer to a large bowl.  Add in the olive oil, vinegar, and salt & pepper to taste and stir well to combine.

Next, fold in the spinach, arugula, tomatoes, capers, artichokes, and olives.  Gently toss.

Just before serving, finish with the Parmesan cheese & fresh basil for garnish.

I hope you have a great weekend!  xx

Easy Side Dish: Pan Fried Spicy Sweet Potato

Since we always seem to have sweet potatoes on hand, I find myself cooking them more often than not.  Besides being a great source of complex carbohydrates, the sweet potato is loaded with dietary fiber, vitamins, and many other micronutrients + it tastes pretty amazing {much better than a regular ol' potato if you ask me!}.  Baking sweet potatoes in the oven gets real old, real fast & this recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook them up.  It's fast, easy, and has great flavor that rivals any sweet potato french fry!  This makes the perfect healthy side dish for your morning eggs, or for grilled chicken/fish in the evening. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed, peeled, and chopped into 1" to 2" chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
generous pinch of chilli powder


Directions

Heat olive oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat.  Once heated, place sweet potato in pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, season with salt & pepper, tossing to ensure potatoes are coated with seasoning.  Place lid on pan and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Don't be afraid to let your potatoes brown up a bit on the bottom, it adds extra flavor!

After cooking for 10 minutes, your potatoes should be soft enough to pierce with a fork, but still slightly hard on the inside.  At this point, add in onions, garlic, and chilli powder.  Lower heat slightly to medium-low, and place the lid back on.  Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.

*This recipe makes 2 servings, but can be easily doubled*

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.  xx

Strawberry Vanilla Greek Yogurt Pops

These scrumptious summer pops are the perfect healthy treat to help you keep cool on those scorcher type of days.  The ingredients that I use are super simple; greek yogurt, vanilla almond milk, strawberries, honey, and a vanilla bean.  That's it.  Super simple yet damn delicious {and guilt free!}.

I don't have kids, but if I did I imagine that these would be a big hit in our house.  Our furbabies are the next best thing, and they LOVE these!  Since greek yogurt is really good for dogs digestion, I make smaller ice cube tray versions of these and give them as pup treats.  :)

Feel free to play around with this recipe, substituting the strawberries for blueberries, or even some fresh peaches.  The variations are endless with this recipe - get creative!  The greek yogurt is a bit tart, but the honey cuts down on that and can be increased to suit your taste preference.

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
2 tbsp + 1/4 tsp honey
1 vanilla bean, de-seeded & scraped
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry puree {recipe below}


Directions

To make the strawberry puree, combine about a half of a cup of sliced strawberries with 1/4 tsp of honey in a food processor or blender.  Puree until you reach a liquid consistency with a bit of pulp.  Set aside

Next in a medium bowl, combine greek yogurt, almond milk, 2 tbsp honey, and vanilla bean seeds.  Taste at this point and add more honey if needed.  Stir in strawberry puree.

Take your popsicle molds, and layer a few strawberries at the bottom of the molds.  Pour in about half of the yogurt mixture, and layer more sliced strawberries.  Pour in the rest of the yogurt, and finish with the rest of the berries, gently pressing the strawberries down so that they are submerged in the mixture.

Place molds in the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 3 hours.

I purchased my popsicle mold from Amazon.  I wanted a mold where I could insert the old fashioned wooden sticks {I think it just adds a bit of nostalgia}.  It was under $20 and you can purchase it here.

Have a great day! xx

Avocado Toast: My Way

Leave it to Instagram to take a good thing and make it ultra trendy {i.e peonies, macarons, and anything Starbucks!}.  I LOVE avocados and could honestly eat them all day long.  I've been making avocado toast for years + years and while it is a little saddening to see it suddenly all over the internet, I can deal with it because it's seriously one of my favorite things ever.

This is my favorite way to make avocado toast; simple ingredients with great flavor.

Ingredients

1 large, ripe avocado
1/2 lemon
Sea salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
Bread of your choice {I love Alvarado St. Bakery 'Sprouted Multi-Grain Bread' from Whole Foods in the frozen section}


Directions

Cut avocado in half and remove the pit.  Scoop the avocado out of the skin, and place in a small bowl.  

Squeeze the lemon juice on top of the avocado and mash together with a fork {I like to leave mine a bit lumpy}.

Sprinkle in fresh ground sea salt, and red pepper flakes to suit your taste.

Spread on top of toast, top with one last sprinkle of salt and enjoy!

Makes 2 pieces of heaven avocado toast. 

Healthy Cherry Crumble

Hello, weekend.  I am so excited to see your arrival.  I hope you guys had a great week, and have loads of exciting plans for the weekend.  Life just gets better on the weekend, especially when summer comes into play.  Wouldn't you agree? 

Cherries have always been one of my favorite summer treats to snack on.  When I was a little girl, I used to climb the large cherry tree in my grandmothers backyard and eat all the cherries until I made myself sick.  We all know that cherries have natural, ahem, "cleansing" properties. :)

This recipe is one of my new favorite clean eating ways to indulge in juicy, ripe cherries; in a crumble that's about as guilt free as they come!  My healthy version is vegan and gluten free & the all natural flavors really enhance the tart cherries.  It's the perfect light dessert to indulge in without derailing your whole diet.  I like to serve mine with a dollop of almond milk ice cream on top!

For this recipe, you will need to pit your cherries and I've found that a cherry pitting tool is the easiest way to do so.  I found mine at Williams & Sonoma for $13 {view it here}.
 
Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 1/2 cups pitted cherries (around 2 bags of cherries before pitting)
2/3 cup white rice flour flour (or any other gluten free flour)
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp sugar substitute
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 Tsp salt
5 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tsp + 1/4 Tsp almond extract
1/2 cup pecans
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
Almond milk ice cream for topping  *optional*


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Lightly spray the bottom and sides of an 8" square baking dish with non stick spray.
 
In a food processor, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt.  Pulse until combined.  Add in the coconut oil, honey, and 1/4 tsp almond extract and continue pulsing until the mixture is completely combined. 

Next, add the pecans and pulse until the nuts are chopped and fully incorporated but the mixture is still chunky, taking care not to over mix.  Last, add the oatmeal to the mixture and pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate.  Place the topping in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes.
 
To prepare the cherry filling, gently toss the cherries with the cornstarch, sugar substitute, lemon juice + zest, and 1 tsp almond extract in a large bowl.

To assemble, distribute the cherry filling evenly throughout the prepared pan.  Next, evenly scatter the chilled topping on top of the filling.  Place in oven, and bake until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 35-40 minutes. 

Check after about 20 minutes, and if the top is starting to brown too quickly, lightly tent with foil and continue baking until the filling is bubbling. 

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.  Serve immediately with ice cream if desired.

original recipe source

Have an amazing weekend!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  xx

Ginger Pad Thai With Chicken & Veggies

I just love Thai food.  Well, let's be honest here - I love all food lol!  But in all seriousness, I really do love Thai cuisine.  I was thrilled when I saw a recipe on Pinterest a couple months ago for light chicken pad thai as I tend to favor light & fresh Thai cuisine over other heavier sauce laden dishes.  

Besides making the occasional stir fry, I really have no experience whatsoever in preparing Asian cuisine at home so the idea of this recipe was a little daunting at first.  Boy was I wrong!  This couldn't have been any easier to whip up in my kitchen.  I've made this dish several times since, and have adjusted the recipe to make the nutritional content a little bit healthier.  

This dish is so good - like there will be no leftovers good.  The light flavors all blend together so perfectly; fresh ginger & cilantro, savory shiitake mushrooms, crunchy carrots, and just a hint of spicy red pepper blended together with lean chicken & healthy brown rice noodles.  If you really like a bit of a kick, serve it with a little drizzle of sriracha sauce on top!  So, so scrumptious! 

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into slices 1/4-1/3-inch thick
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. tamari (I used Braggs liquid aminos)
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp. sweet red chili sauce {found in the Asian section of most grocery stores}
3 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. rice vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. brown rice Pad Thai noodles
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 shallot; thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 1/2 cups savoy or napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed & sliced
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
4 large green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro



Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken with 1 tbsp of the ginger, 2 tsp of the tamari, 1 tsp of the sesame oil, 2 tsp of the sweet red chili sauce and 1 tsp of the rice vinegar.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, and set aside.
 
Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water, stirring frequently, until just tender {about 5 minutes}.  Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water, and drain again.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, and gently toss to coat.

In a 12-inch wok or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the coconut oil.  Add the remaining 1 tbsp ginger, the shallots & red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken and stir until no longer raw on the outside, about 2 minutes.  Add in the carrots, cabbage and mushrooms and continuously stir until the chicken is cooked throughout and the cabbage is wilted, about 3-4 more minutes.  

Next, add the noodles, the chicken broth, green onions, remaining 1 tbsp tamari, 1 tbsp sweet red chili sauce & 1 tbsp vinegar.  Using tongs, toss until the noodles are thoroughly heated and ingredients are well blended, about 1-2 minutes. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

 

original recipe source



Happy Monday! xx

P.S. I added a couple new items to the 'Shop' section of my blog, and will be adding more throughout the week! 

Food Journal - Volume I

I've had several requests for this post, so I finally decided to document {with pictures!} every single morsel that touched my lips in a 24 hour time frame.  Here we go....


Breakfast - 8:30am

4 egg whites with Cholula hot sauce + half an avocado.

Snack #1 - 11:00am

1/4 cup of hummus with a handful of carrot sticks.

Snack #2 - 1:20pm

I was out grocery shopping and was starving so I scooped up one of these new Think Thin Lean bars.  They're only 150 calories {compared to the regular ones which have over 200}, with a good protein to carb ratio....and yes, I ate it while in line to check out.  I have no shame ;)

Lunch - 2:30pm

Small container of Italian White Bean Soup {also from Whole Foods} with an unsweetened iced tea. I always try to look for the soups that have no added dairy - the ingredients in this are white beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onions, herbs and water. 

Dinner - 8:20pm

I typically don't eat dinner this late, but Adam worked late on this particular night and I always try to wait for him.  This is half a baked chicken breast, coated in a homemade gluten free matzo meal {a Jewish unleavened cracker}, served with sauteed asparagus & carrots.  I also had 1 glass of sauvignon blanc while I was cooking dinner :)

A Few Quick Notes:

•  I always, always have try to have healthy snacks on hand like hummus, sliced veggies, hard boiled eggs, and Think Thin bars.  Also, most of the time I have a Think Thin bar in my purse for just in case purposes :)  

•  I'm not a big breakfast person, so breakfast for me is always usually either egg whites {which I have to coat in hot sauce in order to eat} or an Isagenix protein shake.

•  I LOVE food and could never be one of those people who don't eat carbs or dessert.  When I was watching my carb intake in March before our trip, I was miserable!  For me, it's all about balance.  If I'm out to dinner and I really want dessert, I'll try to forgo the bread basket and share a dessert with my husband.  Most of the time, I choose wine over everything else so I'll skip the bread & dessert and have a couple glasses of vino.  I also have those days where I eat the damn bread, dessert, and wine!  You just need to listen to your body, try to make healthy choices 90% of the time but also allow yourself those indulgences.  Balance is key.

Leave any questions and feedback in the comment section & also let me know how you liked this.  Want to see more of it?

Kale & Quinoa Salad With A Lemon, Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Yayyy for Friday!  This has felt like the longest week in history, and I'm looking forward to a couple of nice, relaxing days at home with my husband this weekend.  :)

This salad is one that I found on Pinterest a while back, and tweaked the ingredients to suit our taste preference.  Adam & I love it so much that we make it about once a week, and since it keeps so well in the fridge, we'll snack on it all week long.

This is the perfect salad on it's own for a light lunch, or as a side dish to chicken or fish.  It's also a nice, healthy alternative to bring to a Summer BBQ or get together.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients

3 bunches of Dino Kale; washed, dried well, and trimmed into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cup cooked & cooled quinoa
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. sugar substitute
3 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp rough chopped pecans
3 tbsp dried cranberries
1 avocado, diced
Fresh ground salt & pepper

Directions

Prepare quinoa according to manufacturers directions.  Set aside & allow to cool.

Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and massage into the kale to really coat every piece.

Add in sugar substitute, and a heavy pinch of salt & pepper.  Toss to combine and allow to sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.

Next add in the cooled quinoa, red onion, pecans & cranberries and lightly toss.  

Finish by plating the salad, and topping with desired amount of diced avocado.

*This salad can be easily stored in the refrigerator for a few days*

original recipe can be found here.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you all have a beautiful weekend! xx

Grilled Chicken & Creamy Avocado Lettuce Wraps

Am I alone in feeling like the few days leading up to a vacation is the most stressful & hectic time frame ever??  Between squeezing in last minute workouts, trying to anticipate everything that our dogsitter/housesitter might need while we're away, tackling my never ending 'to do' list, packing, and oh yeah, some idiot hit my car last week so now I'm dealing with insurance companies & the body shop......sigh.

I had every intention on putting up this post on Monday but it didn't happen, same deal with yesterday.  I put out a little teaser photo of this on insta last week, and then totally left you guys hanging.  Sowwy ladies!

Lets get down to business here.  This healthy recipe's loaded with veggies and is big on flavor; jalapeno for heat, fresh lime & cilantro for citrus flavors, and mango chunks for a nice sweet contrast.  I've been watching my carb intake lately, so I opted for lettuce wraps as opposed to whole wheat {or brown rice} tortillas but this recipe would work {and would be equally as delicious} if paired with either form of tortilla! 

Enjoy!!

Ingredients

1 boneless chicken breast 
1½ avocado, pitted and cut into bite sized chunks
1 heaping cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium sized jalapeno, de-seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 medium sized cucumber, quartered and cut into small chunks
1½ cup mango, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime freshly squeezed
salt & fresh ground pepper
cayenne pepper
romaine lettuce {larger leaves selected}, washed and blotted dry with paper towel 



Directions

Season your chicken breast with seasonings of your choice {I used just basic s&p} and grill over medium heat until fully cooked.  Set aside to cool.

In a medium sized bowl combine avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cucumber, and cilantro.  Toss to combine.

Add in lime juice, salt & pepper to taste {I used about ½ teaspoon of each}, and a heavy dash of cayenne pepper and give it a good toss again.  Fold in mango chunks and set aside.

By this point your chicken should be cooled enough.  Cut chicken into 2-3" strips and gently mix into avocado mixture.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of mixture into lettuce leaves {or tortillas if you are using}, garnish with extra cilantro and serve immediately.

You can refrigerate leftovers for around 2 days.  I used the mixture the next day with a salad - so yummy! xx

Clean and Healthy Peanut Butter Granola

Homemade granola is the perfect quick & nutritious snack, but most of the store bought versions actually quite unhealthy.  Often loaded with high amounts of sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, they're a nightmare for your body that is labeled as "healthy".

Making your own granola at home is not only super easy, it also allows you to control exactly what you're putting into your body.  In this recipe we're swapping out nasty & unhealthy vegetable oil for coconut oil which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids + adds a really nice light flavor to the granola.  We're also substituting refined white sugar for raw organic honey which is an excellent source of antioxidants + B vitamins.  What we're adding in is peanut butter, unsweetened shredded coconut, crunchy peanuts, and plump raisins - yummmmmy!

This granola recipe is out of this world good!  While it's perfect as a snack on its own, give it a try on top of greek yogurt, or as your morning cereal with almond milk!

**I have to mention that today's recipe comes from one of Adams friends, Shimmy.  He stayed at our house a few weeks ago and him & I bonded over our love of fitness and all things peanut butter.  He was kind enough to share his recipe for clean PB granola with me - so thanks, Shimmy!!**

 

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats {not instant}
1 cup roasted peanuts; halved
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup raw organic honey
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter {I used an organic variety where the only ingredient was peanuts}
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins


Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Lightly spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray {I use a coconut oil version}.

In a large bowl combine oats, peanuts, coconut, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine coconut oil, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla extract.  Stir constantly until the mixture is creamy & completely combined.  Do not allow to simmer.

Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with your dry ingredients, and mix well to incorporate.

Spread granola into your prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until firm and golden brown.  Allow granola to cool in pan, then break it into chunks.

Transfer to an airtight container; add in raisins, and mix until combined.

To extend freshness, store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Tomato Soup

Is there anything better than tomato soup in the Fall?  For me, the combo of tomato soup + grilled cheese embodies Fall comfort food.

This recipe is adapted from one of my absolute favorite celebrity chefs ever, Ina Garten.  Seriously, she's amazing.  I remember being in my first apartment that I had on my own {so sparsely decorated!} and watching her on the Food Network.  I thought she was so perfect; always in that chambray shirt, in her shabby chic Hampton's home, whipping up amazing food while I dined on ramen noodles every.single.day :)  Her cookbook was the first that I ever bought myself, and in that tiny shoebox of a kitchen, my passion for cooking really started to take off......anyways, I'm drifting off topic.  Back to the soup.

This soup is beyond delicious.  Fresh oven roasted tomatoes, mixed with a heavy dose of onions, garlic, and basil.  I always have tons of leftovers {since its just Adam + myself eating} so I like to freeze the leftovers and save for a rainy day when I'm craving comfort food :)

Enjoy!

Ingredients

3lbs tomatoes {any variety}; quartered
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 c. chopped yellow onion
6 garlic cloves; minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can {28 oz} plum tomatoes w/ their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves; packed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt + pepper. Spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 45 about minutes or until they are slightly browned.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. 

Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken/vegetable stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.   Liquid should reduce by about half.

After liquid has been reduced, scoop out 1-2 cups at a time and pass through a food processor pulsing until all large chunks has been reduced {I like to leave mine still a bit lumpy & not completely pureed but this is entirely up to your preference}.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve immediately and top with a few sliced basil leaves for garnish if desired.

Original recipe here

Aren't these soup bowls perfect for tomato soup?  I picked up these adorable Imiso bowls from West Elm last week.  They were on serious sale {$4.99!} but unfortunately are no longer available online :(  If you have your heart set on this particular bowl, you could maybe try popping into your local store and see if they still have them.  Another option that I'm loving are {these} bowls also found at West Elm for only $3!!  

I also picked up the pretty gold flatware as shown in the above pictures {here also on sale!} which I intend on using for Thanksgiving dinner this year - so elegant!  I finished off my table setting with the Cross Stitch cloth napkins in "iron" {here}.

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