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21
Feb
2013
 Baked Eggplant Sandwiches



Yummy in my tummy!

baked eggplant sandwiches

Mr. Cyclist tried to recreate these eggplant sandwiches from Food Wishes. I bought the ingredients, and he cooked them up.

They tasted so sinfully delicious! They did have a thin slice of salami and some cheese inside, but they were baked and not fried. And at least you get to eat a vegetable. OK, enough. I made it seem as healthy as I could. But, I would classify these as neither healthy or unhealthy–maybe neutral.

Below you will find the Food Wishes video on how to make these eggplant bites.

Don’t worry, we didn’t use too much oil or butter. He suggests to eat them room temp, but I loved eating them still warm. And we did cook ours much longer than 20 minutes. However, I love eggplant no matter what, except maybe completely raw. So, I am easy to please when it comes to eggplant.

You could make a variation on these sandwiches, too! Perhaps using mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomato! Or, turkey instead of salami. But, we only used a tiny thin slice of salami on eat sandwich. So, it was an easy way to portion control.

Well, I have been super busy this week! How about you? I just need some time to get a good relaxation. Maybe go take a bubble bath!

relaxation

17
Feb
2013
 Eats this Week: Oat Creations and Spaghetti Squash



This past week i made homemade granola, so I had a small bowl with bananas and almond milk:

granola with almond milk

Up next, I made this antioxidant-rich oatmeal with mixed berries and walnuts:

berry oatmeal with nuts

I added some cinnamon and 1 packet of stevia to even out the bitterness from the berries.

For a snack, I had my favorite ants on a log snack since I had some peanut butter in the house (I usually only have almond butter around).

ants on a log healthy

The night before Valentine’s Day, Mr. Cyclist whipped up some homemade green curry. Again. Yes, once again!

homemade green curry

Served with black rice, avocado, and basil garnish! YUM. We have decided that we are a little tired of those flavors… for now.

I made the same type of spaghetti squash as I did last week because I enjoyed the flavor combinations so much.

healthy spaghetti squash

If I haven’t posted this recipe yet, I will because so far this is my favorite way to cook it. Sun-dried tomatoes and onions! A perfect combination in the squash. I served it with some low fat ricotta for protein.

What did everyone do on Valentine’s Day? I dressed up in red for work that day:

Valentine's Day outfit

For dinner, we made salad with shrimp and avocado:

shrimp and avocado salad

One of my favorite salads!

For a sweet treat, I brought Mr. Cyclist some mats to make s’mores!

healthy s'mores ingredients

Did you know that most all graham crackers contain trans fat? YES, terrible. So, I got these Mi-del graham crackers that are much healthier. The marshmallows are still full of corn syrup, but what can you do?

s'mores healthier

They are pretty fun to make in a toaster oven. No, I do not have a fireplace.

Yesterday morning, Mr. Cyclist walks in the bathroom as I am just rolling out of bed, and says, “I made huevos rancheros”. Haha.

healthy huevos rancheros

Eggs with tomato, onion, spices, avocado on top, and a brown rice wrap!

By the way, I got a new phone, so I now have Instagram. Hence, the reason for some pictures with silly filters. I don’t care if people don’t like it because it is just a fun thing to do! You can find me on Instagram here.

12
Feb
2013
 Avoid Sugary Granola by Making Homemade Granola



I really love granola, but I know it can be quite sugary if you buy it packaged from the store. So, I just make it at home with the right ingredients and less sugar! I think it tastes better from home anyways.

Did you know 1/4 cup serving of granola can be over 200 calories?! A lot of that comes from the oils and sugars.

healthy granola

Simple and Healthy Granola

Makes about 9-10 servings. One serving= about 1/4-1/3 cup= 160 calories, 7 g fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 6-7 g sugar, 3 g protein.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2-3 cups oats
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • pinch of ground nutmeg and ground cloves
  • 4 packets stevia or stevia/xylitol blend
  • 3- 3.5 Tbsp. real honey
  • 1-2 tsp. molasses
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil (or coconut oil for those of you who prefer that)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients, then stir in the wet ingredients. Stir for 1-2 minutes until the oats are well coated.
  3. Empty the contents onto a baking sheet. Spread out evenly. Bake for 18-20 minutes, and stir half-way through.
  4. Let cool, and then store in an air-tight container.

Simple as that!

lower sugar homemade granola

If you have ground flax seed, toss some in. It creates a nice nutty flavor. Or, you can always add some nuts, seeds, or dried fruit!

I prefer to make mine simple so that I can eat it in the morning with some almond milk and fresh fruit.

By the way, I discovered this new almond milk:

so delicious protein almond milk

Here are the ingredients: ALMOND MILK (WATER, ALMONDS), PEA PROTEIN, RICE PROTEIN, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL FLAVOR, LOCUST BEAN GUM, KOSHER SEA SALT, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN D-2, L-SELENOMETHIONINE (SELENIUM), ZINC OXIDE, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B-12.

It’s only 40 calories per cup, but has 5 grams of protein total. This comes from pea and rice proteins. 5 grams is better than zero or one gram if you are looking to add more vegetable-based proteins to your diet.

The only negative is that the protein almond milk contains carrageenan which many say has negative effects on the body. For now, I am not going to worry about it. There are many other things I look to avoid, and this is not going to be one of my battles.

Overall, I enjoy the flavor of this unsweetened almond milk better than other unsweetened milks! I don’t usually buy almond milk.

10
Feb
2013
 Weekend Eats: Thai & Painting Inspiratation



More curry this weekend!

green curry

I ordered green curry with shrimp, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was loaded with julienned vegetables, had a nice thick sauce, and seemed pretty light for a curry dish.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cyclist was out at another restaurant with some friends eating green curry! Hah! I guess we really love curry.

This is the Thai restaurant I went to North of Atlanta called Lime Juice. It has been under new management for about half a year now, and the food seems to be much better. And everyone is so nice there. It is tucked in a shopping plaza hidden away so you wouldn’t know about it. I highly recommend it for anyone in the Atlanta area.

Afterwards, we went to a wine and painting class. My Dad chatted it up with the wine man, and my sister and I had eagle eye focus on our paintings.

My Dad has this unique painting style. It’s like he’s wanting to paint a Kinkade style house, but ends up with something more pop art style.

dad painting

My painting came out pretty good. I still could have used more extreme lights and darks for better shadows.

diy tuscan painting

Anyway, it was a bunch of fun to see what everyone came up with in the end!

Now, on to food.

Here are some of my meal planning ideas for next week:

28
Jan
2013
 The Mexican Meatball



This is not any type of authentic recipe, but it is fun and delicious! And easy for a weeknight meal.

Mexican Meatballs

I got the recipe from Clean Eating Magazine HERE.

The only thing I did differently was add onion, and red and green peppers for extra vegetables and flavor. I also added garlic and some chipotle pepper for flavor and spice in the skillet. I ground up some coriander, cumin, and chopped chipotle peppers to add inside the meatball.

But, other than that, just follow the Clean Eating recipe, add some extra vegetable or maybe have a side salad. I ate mine with extra sour cream…. mmm.

southwest meatball

And hopefully yours turns out something like this!

Thoughts for the week:

be extraordinary

27
Jan
2013
 How is that Spelt?



I picked up some fresh spelt pasta from the farmer’s market last weekend. It was the first time I had spelt in a pasta before. Mr Cyclist was wondering what spelt is…

Well, I can tell you I turned it into this:

spelt pasta

Spelt is a form of wheat. Many might categorize it in the “ancient grain” category, therefore it has been less processed than the modern wheat plant we find in most everything these days. The outer layer of spelt is also more tough, so it is said to hold in nutrients better.

An interesting fact: Those who do not tolerate wheat products say that they can eat spelt-based foods and feel fine. If you have Celiac’s disease, it is NOT recommended to eat spelt because it DOES contain gluten. However, those with mild food sensitivities do well choosing spelt over traditional wheat.

The end result is a slighter healthier grain than your traditional whole wheat pasta. Plus, this one was fresh made! Yum.

healthy spelt pasta

I cooked some shallots and garlic, then sauteed a lot of fresh spinach. I added some pesto chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s and some sun-dried tomatoes.

23
Jan
2013
 Juicer Muffins



Huh? What?

Yes, juicer muffins! The perfect use for leftover juicer pulp:

juicer pulp

Look at all that shredded carrot pulp just waiting to be eaten.

I got a new and FREE juicer from NutriPro (more on that later), and now have all this excess plant material. I don’t want to be wasteful, so I whipped up this concoction:

carrot muffins

These “muffins” definitely seem like “health food” upon closer inspection and taste. But, they passed the Mr Cyclist taste test.

Ingredients (*I am not completely sure on this as I just threw ingredients in a bowl!):

  • 24 oz. (3 cups) carrot pulp leftover from juicing (mine had traces of celery and ginger in it)
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1  Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 12 packets stevia (about 3 Tbsp.)
  • 1-2 tsp molasses
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk (may need to add a little more until moist)
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Mix all together and bake in greased muffin tins at 375 F for about 20-23 minutes (or until the tops become a little more crisp).

juicer muffins

There is A LOT of carrot in these muffins. That is where they get the deep orange color from. Plenty of vitamin A!

22
Jan
2013
 Leftover Broccoli Stems? Don’t Throw Them Out!



Many of us only use the florets of the broccoli plant. But, what about the poor little broccoli stems? I used to throw them out, but Mr. Cyclist had a genius idea for cooking them.

chile broccoli stems

He sliced the stems on the julienne setting on the mandolin. Then, sauteed in oil, chili oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce. Topped with black sesame seeds. It was absolutely delicious, but super spicy. I could only eat a few bites at a time.

asian kale salad

We had a cute little salad with it, and some miso soup!

ginger kale salad

Yesterday, I also went to the farmer’s market to load up on fruits, vegetables, and spices. It was a mad house. I finally made it out of there alive, and loaded up my fridge.

fridge with veggies

You can’t really tell from this picture, but there are loads of oranges, clementines, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, herbs, apples, some dried fruit, eggplant, brussels sprouts, and more…

I also picked up these spices for $0.40-$2 each!!

cheap bulk spices

What a steal! This week, I will have plenty of healthy recipe ideas ready to go. It definitely helps to do this shopping ahead of time.

20
Jan
2013
 Quinoa Guacamole Salad



I call this “guacamole quinoa” because that is what it tastes like: guacamole mixed with quinoa.

guacamole quinoa

This recipe is filling, tasty, and contains all the nutrients you need: Healthy fats, complete proteins, vegetables, fruit, high fiber, and a healthy carbohydrate.

I am not sure where I originally got this recipe idea from, but I know it was first adapted from Oh She Glows. I modified it to make it fit the ingredients I had at home, so here you go:

Quinoa Guacamole Saladavocado quinoa

Cooking time: About 30 minutes     Serves: About 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa (Mr Cyclist doubled this because he thought it wasn’t enough, but agrees that it should’ve been 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cups water with large pinch of salt or reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 small can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1/2  a pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach or about 3/4-1 cup frozen and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1/2 a bunch of fresh cilantro (or you could use a tube of puree cilantro herb to season)

    Dressing (from the Diva Dish):
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook quinoa according to package. Meanwhile, mix all your dressing ingredients together and prepare the rest of your ingredients.
  2. When the quinoa is near done, you can stir in your spinach and cilantro, and continue to heat until they are cooked in.
  3. Add the chickpeas, onions, garlic, and seasonings to quinoa.
  4. Add your dressing, then cool the quinoa. You can put it in the fridge for a little while or over a bowl of ice.
  5. Add in the tomatoes and avocado. Stir to combine until it is creamier. Put back in the fridge for another 5 minutes or so.

Serve with a cilantro garnish! You can also add some crushed red pepper for spice or a little chipotle chili powder.

quinoa avocado salad

Mr Cyclist says this wasn’t his favorite dish, and doesn’t want to make anymore cold quinoa dishes. He says he prefers it warm. So, if you like, try the dish warm and see if you like it better. I think it is good either way. I loved how easy it was to take to work for lunches. It is a complete meal all-in-one.

 

13
Jan
2013
 Chicken Sausage, Peppers, and Onions



When I was a kid, we always used to have sausage and peppers, but I never made it again as an adult. Mostly, I just thought it wasn’t very healthy. But, you can make it packed with vitamins and minerals! The peppers add loads of vitamin C, and the onions add some antioxidants. Believe it or not! Then, I get a chicken sausage to make it as healthy as possible.

And this is what you get:

healthier sausage and peppers

By the way, I really need to get a new camera. If you noticed, all my pictures are crooked because my camera screen is broken. I can’t see what the heck I am doing!

Anyway…

Healthier Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

  • 1 large yellow onion (or 2 medium-small), thinly sliced
  • 3 peppers, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
  • 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
  • 1 lb. chicken sausage links
  • 1 1/2 cups good tomato sauce (I had some leftover that was homemade)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parsley for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and heat on medium. Next, add your onions, and cook for about 5 minutes on medium.
  2. Add your peppers, and cook another 5 minutes. Add your garlic, and seasonings. Cook on medium/low until your vegetables have softened.
  3. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, and add your sausage in the middle. Turn every few minutes to brown the sides.
  4. Add your tomato sauce, and cover for another 5-8 minutes.

To serve, you can serve by itself, or over top brown rice or pasta, or a whole grain bread. We loved the taste of the peppers and onions, and wish we made more! Next time, I might double the amount of peppers and onions, or use a little less sausage.

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