Green Pesto Chicken Pasta

I am back! Here I have a simple yummy recipe for those nights when you just feel like giving up. On dinner. I totally winged it and didn't even copy this one from anywhere. So here you go, it is healthy and leaves some leftovers for lunch as well!


Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bag of fresh spinach
• 1/2 bag of frozen green bean & carrot mix
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1 tbsp margarine
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp herb and garlic cream cheese 
• 5 fresh kale leaves, torn into pieces

Directions:

1. Place a saucepan on the stove and put in the olive oil, turn heat on medium.
2. Mince the garlic, dice the chicken then add to saucepan.
3. While the chicken begins to cook, place a medium sized pot of water on the stove on high, for the pasta.
4. Add in spinach, green beans, and torn pieces of kale into the chicken garlic mixture.
5. Once the water has boiled in the pot, add in your favorite kind of pasta.
6. When the chicken is done cooking turn the burner off and place a lid on top until the pasta is finished.
7. Drain pasta, place back into the pot, then add margarine, garlic cream cheese and pesto.
8. Dump the chicken mixture into the pot of pasta, and mix well.
9. Serve hot with fresh grated parmesan!

These ingredients I had on hand, but you really can substitute any vegetables. Same with the pasta, you can use gluten free noodles or whole grain ones, it still tastes delicious! Today I felt like I didn't eat enough veggies so I made sure to add lots of greens to my dinner.


Hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Sourdough Starter (from Allrecipes)

Have you ever wondered where the heck do you buy sourdough starter? Or any "unusual" baking ingredients? A lot of these items you cannot buy in your regular grocery store. Many things you can make from scratch, right in your own kitchen. If you want to make your own sourdough at home, here is the most simple, handy recipe for you to use for sourdough starter. I will keep posting cheaper and healthier alternatives for baking ingredients for everyone, as much as I can. All credit for this recipe goes to Esther Nelson, here is the link : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sourdough-starter/


And here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

1. 1 pkg dry active yeast (.25 ounce)
2. 2 cups warm water
3. 2 cups all purpose flour

1. In large non-metallic bowl, mix together dry yeast, 2 cups warm water, and 2 cups all purpose flour and cover loosely.
2. Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4 to 8 days. Depending on temperature and humidity of kitchen, times may vary. Place on cookie sheet in case of overflow. Check on occasionally.
3. When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, THROW IT OUT! and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake.
4. When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of a flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir this back into the starter, the alcohol bakes off and that wonderful sourdough flavor remains! Sourdough starters improve with age, they used to be passed down generation to generation!

Overnight Apple Oatmeal

If you know you have a crazy busy morning ahead of you, this is great and super easy to prepare the night before. It saved me so many days that I almost ran late for work. I hope you enjoy this recipe, I didn't copy it off of anywhere,  I just guessed out the measurements at the time and it happened to turn out perfectly , which like, never happens. Anyways here you go!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dry oats
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup almond/soy milk
• 1 chopped apple
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Stir all of the above ingredients in a to go container, or in a decent sized breakfast bowl, and set in the fridge.
When you are ready to eat in the morning, pop it in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes , then stir until well mixed. Top with brown sugar or honey. Shovel into mouth. Yum.  Oh , don't forget your keys. Or phone. Have a good day!

Creamy Mango Protein Smoothie...With a kick!

When I work in the mornings, I usually get up at around 5:00 a.m. At that time, I never really feel like eating a big meal , and I find that protein smoothies will do the trick and curb my hunger until around 10:00-11:00 a.m. (Or I drink one at 5, and bring an extra, and drink another at work when it isn't busy!)

This is basically just a mish-mash of whatever I had on hand, and it blended quite well together, I really enjoyed it- it tastes sinful but is actually healthy! Enjoy, here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh cranberries (can use raspberries or blackberries too!)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• dash of cayenne pepper

Optional: 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp matcha



FuN fAcTs! :

The cinnamon in this smoothie will help stabilize your blood sugar throughout the morning, the protein will curb your hunger, the cayenne pepper is a great metabolism booster, along with the lemon which is very high in vitamin C, which helps you burn fat . Cranberries add a slight tartness to even out the sweet, and are also great for cleansing the urinary tract. The matcha is a great antioxidant, and pick-me-up! It is much more concentrated than steeped green tea, since it is actual green tea leaves ground up, no waste there! I subbed out real milk for the almond, because I am a "lactard". Haha. Also, it is a much lower calorie alternative to milk and is good for your skin and hair! The chia seeds (if you chose to add them) are very high in omega 3's, and dietary fiber.

Mediterranean Quinoa & Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh kale leaves, torn apart into small pieces
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 handful of jarred roasted red peppers
• 5 pitted kalamata olives, sliced 
• goat cheese or feta , crumbled (any amount! I like to put in about 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1 handful sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped
• 10 fresh grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 pinch garlic salt
• 1 tbsp balsamic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp greek seasoning

Directions:

 

In a bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Make sure the quinoa is still hot when you do this, so that all of the flavours can combine together. Set in the fridge for about an hour or two, then serve!

That was simple !

Spicy Peanut Tofu Stirfry

I was craving a mixture between a stir fry and Thai food one day and came up with this, and I think it is the most delicious thing I have created yet, without a plan. I am sharing you this secret recipe for the BEST peanut sauce in the world. It's gold I tell you.. GOLD!! Anyways, here are some dim pics I took with my phone, hopefully you find them helpful. Have a good one guys!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 zucchini diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1-2 cups broccoli florets
• 3 cups spinach
• 1/2 sweet onion diced
• 3 cloves russian garlic, minced
• 1 package of firm tofu

Sauce:

• 1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter
• 1 heaping tablespoon of hoisin sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon of  Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat up a tablespoon or two of olive oil and add onions, garlic and tofu.
2. Once the tofu looks crispy, then add in the soy sauce, peanut butter, hoisin and chili sauce.
3. Stir so that everything is coated evenly, you may need to add 1/4 cup of water to water down the sauce if it is too thick.
4. then add in the peppers, zucchini, broccoli and spinach and place a lid on top so that the veggies can steam.
5. Once the vegetables are steamed , mix everything thoroughly so that everything is coated with the peanut sauce.
6. Serve immediately with a drizzle of chili sauce on top!

Jo-Ann's Power Bars

All credit goes to: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jo-Anns-Power-Bars/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=low%20gi&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

OKAY! So these power bars are one of the best ones I have tried yet. I always make my own protein bars and shakes at home, I try not to buy the pre-made ones. These are good and solid and are great to pack in your bag for hiking. I love dried cranberries with a passion so I made sure to put loads of those in.

Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 
  
•  1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup Grape Nuts Cereal
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seed kernels
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped dried mixed fruit

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cereal, and cinnamon. Add the egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil. Mix well. Stir in the sunflower seeds, walnuts, and dried fruit. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool. Use the foil to lift from the pan. Cut into bars or squares, and store in the refrigerator.

Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread - Allrecipes

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cracked-Wheat-Sourdough-Bread/Detail.aspx?prop24=hn_slide1_Cracked-Wheat-Sourdough-Bread&evt19=1

This one looks wicked, it has great reviews so I will give this one a shot. Let me know if you end up making this one.

• 3/4 cup cracked wheat
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
  •       1/2 cup flax seed
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 1/2 cups sourdough starter
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
    
    

    Directions

    1. In a medium bowl place cracked wheat and pour hot water, (does not need be boiling), over wheat. Add melted margarine, molasses, honey, nonfat milk, flax seed and sunflower seeds and mix well. Cool to lukewarm and stir in the sourdough starter.
    2. With a large wooden spoon start stirring in the flours, 1 cup at a time, beginning with the whole wheat then the bread flour. When dough is stiff enough to work, turn out onto a floured surface and knead a good 10 to 12 minutes, working in as little of the remaining flour as necessary.
    3. When smooth and elastic, shape dough into a ball and put it into a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, place in a warm, draft-free spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours, punch down risen dough and set aside again to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
    4. When the second rising is complete, punch down the dough and shape into two loaves. Place dough in two well-greased 9x5 inch loaf pans, cover and let rise again until doubled in bulk, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans, about 1 hour. Brush tops with an egg wash, made by whisking one tablespoon water into one whole egg until well blended.
    5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree (190 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes, after 15 minutes rotate pans and spray with cold water, continue baking until the loaves test done by the hollow sound made when tapped on the top and bottom. Cool on racks in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the racks to cool completely.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread - The Healthy Chef

I hope mine turns out that way.

Here is another great looking recipe for bread, I hope you enjoy it , I know I will!!
Nutrition per serveProtein: 6.2 g
Total Fat: 15 g
Saturated: 1.6 g
Carbs: 3.4 g
Sugars: 2.9 g
Sodium: 21 mg
kilojoules: 740
Calories: 176


From:
http://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/07/paleo-pumpkin-bread-2/

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

• 450 g (15.8 oz/ 3 cups) grated raw pumpkin (winter squash)
• 4 whole organic or free-range eggs
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)) olive or macadamia nut or cold pressed coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking (you can also use (3/4  teaspoon baking soda + a tablespoon lemon juice)
• 3 cups (300g/ 10  1/2 oz) fine almond meal (fine almond flour, ground almonds)
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional )
• pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top  (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 150 – 160 C. Fan forced or 180 C if your oven has no fan.
• Combine the pumpkin, eggs, salt, nutmeg and oil into a bowl.
• Add the almond meal and baking powder and mix well.
• Line a loaf tin with baking paper at the base and the sides.The size I used was: 10 1/2 cm wide and 26 cm long.
• Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds.
• Bake for approximately 1  1/2 hours – check after 1 hour and test as times may vary depending on your oven and temperature.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 1 hour before removing from the tin.
Cool and enjoy slices with avocado or topped with my  macadamia nut butter.
Serves 16.

"Zero Carb Flax Bread" - from The EZ Whey

Yesterday I had a regular come in to my work and ask which bread had the lowest G.I. rating.. unfortunately I lack the knowledge to provide him the information that he needed- so I decided since I love to make my own bread at home and experiment with new recipes, I will start posting healthy, grainy , heavy breads with a low glycemic index - I think everyone can benefit from that :) Here is a recipe I found on the internet, from:
http://www.theezwhey.com/page1/page1.html

Zero Carb Flax Bread


Ingredients:

2 Cups flax seed
5 Egg whites
2 Whole eggs
5 TBSP flax oil, coconut oil, or olive oil
1 TBSP Baking powder
1 TSP Salt
1/2 Cup of water
3 packets of stevia (If you are against using artificial sweeteners, I suggest using real sugar. They both raise your blood sugar anyways.)



Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients then add the wet. Whisk together and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. This recipe can also be made into muffins: divide batter into muffin pans and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
Since developing this recipe, I have made many different flavor varieties. A sweet chocolate bread can be made by adding Capella Flavor Drops. Some other awesome additions are pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and protein powder flavor of choice. Great topped with almond or peanut butter!

Yummy Whole Wheat Veggie Wraps

Does anyone else get so excited over making healthy delicious food??

Hi everyone! I am back with a simple little recipe for healthy lunch wraps, these are so quick and easy to prepare, and you can easily pair this lovely lunch with a sweet fruit salad on the side. Yum! Hope you enjoy these as much as I will today on my break :)

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced round of red onion, then cut in half (easy to use strips)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 small avocado, sliced thinly
• 1 handful alfalfa sprouts
• 1/2 tomato sliced thinly
• 1/4 cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
• bold deli mustard
• 1 whole wheat tortilla 

Directions:

If your tortillas are frozen, leave them on a plate to defrost (they defrost quickly) while you start to prepare your vegetables.

Start to slice the vegetables and make sure they are cut into thin strips, otherwise all of your veggies will fall out of the wrap if chopped otherwise. (Story of my life, ha-ha.)

You will then want to start drizzling the deli mustard on your tortilla, and layer your veggies on. Then roll 'er up!

These are the brands that I used:

Alfalfa sprouts are SO good !!

Family favourite!

Note:
If you feel like you need some meat on this, I suggest sun dried tomato turkey or peppered turkey. 

Healthy Bison Meatloaf

I have never tried meatloaf in my life, and decided to make it since someone told me it is really good!
I didn't want to use regular ground beef, and I find bison tastes so much better and is only grass fed which makes it all the more healthier for us to consume!

So here is the recipe, and unfortunately I don't have pictures for this one, sorry guys!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground lean bison
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or crushed rice cakes
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic
• 1 tsp brown sugar 

1/2 cup mixed ketchup, mustard & brown sugar (as the glaze, to keep moist.)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a medium sized loaf pan and set aside.
2. Heat up a medium sauce pan on low to medium heat.
3. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper and cook until softened.
4. Pour in the worcestershire sauce, balsamic and brown sugar and stir together.
5. Take off the heat and set aside.
6. In a seperate bowl whisk together the two eggs, then add bison meat.
7. Pour in the fried veggies, and mix together with hands or stir with a spatula.
8. Then add the bread crumbs and mix until well combined.

Pour into loaf pan, then place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, then add the ketchup mustard mixture on top, then bake for another 35 minutes.

Once it is done let sit for 20 minutes, cut into slices and serve!

Spicy Veggie Spanish Rice

This recipe has been adapted from : http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spanish_rice/
Except mine has more veggies.. So it can be used as a main!

You will need:

• 1 sweet onion finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups brown rice
• 3 cups vegetarian "chicken" bouillon (I use the cubes and dissolve with water)
• 1/2 small can of tomato paste
• 1 large can of whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 10 small brown or white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 zucchini diced
• 1 jalapeno minced
• dash of chilli flakes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp mexican chilli powder
• dash of hot sauce

salt&pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Pour two cups brown rice into pot on medium heat and toast for 3-5 minutes.
2. Drizzle a little olive oil into pot then  add garlic, onions and jalapeno until softened.
3. Add green bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms.
4. next add dissolved chicken bouillon cubes in 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
5. Dump in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and spices.
6. Continue to let this boil for 3 minutes, then turn heat on "low" . Simmer for 50 minutes . (or until rice is tender).

Remove from heat, and fluff with a fork and spoon to get everything mixed.


Can be served alongside fresh grilled or pan fried chicken!


NOTE: Some brown rice brands are different and require more liquid. Add broth or water according to the directions on the back of your rice bag.

Budget Friendly Steak Stirfry

This is the extremely simple recipe for my steak stir fry. When you hear the word steak, you probably think of an expensive steak dinner at The Keg or any other steakhouse. Yet you can easily find a good tender steak for a great price in your local grocery store. All you have to do is compare prices, and pick a fairly good cut. Also tenderizing the steak will also help it become less tough if you bought a fatty cut. I recommend buying the "Family Pack" steaks, they are a great price and usually come in 4. You can freeze them and they are great for when you are short on cash and can't afford to go out for a dinner.

http://www.everydayweekender.com/picking-the-perfect-steak/

Here are the steak stir fry ingredients:

1 steak sliced thinly with extra fat trimmed off

1/2 sweet onion

2 bell peppers of any color

1 handful of green beans, ends clipped and strings pulled

1 cup of brown or white mushrooms

1/2 zucchini

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup canned baby corn

1 carrot thinly sliced

1 small tin of water chestnuts

and I know this is bad but.. 1 jar of teriyaki sauce (I use VH or kikkoman)

Step-by-Step:

Preheat your griddle or pan on medium/high heat .

Measure out 1 tbsp olive oil and place in the pan.

Add in the steak once pan is completely hot. Once you have added the steak immediately put in the onions and garlic and stir together. 

Pour in the rest of your veggies and place a lid over top so they can steam.

Once everything looks good and cooked drizzle on the teriyaki sauce and serve hot!

If you feel like you need some carbs this is also great served over white or brown rice.

Enjoy!

Dairy Free Eggnog Pancakes

In this recipe, to top your pancakes you can use either Pure Maple Butter OR

http://www.acadianmaple.com/products/maple-butter-330g

Pure Maple Syrup!

http://www.mackinawcitycanadastore.com/maple_products.php

What gave me the idea of having dairy free eggnog pancakes is, I love eggnog with a passion! The only thing is, dairy severely upsets my stomach, so I had to find a new alternative.. Guess what? So Nice Noel Nog is PERFECT!!!! I found it at Superstore and I keep coming back every winter to get it! It sells as quick as they can stock the shelves so be sure to get there early. 

There seems to be something so special about eggnog, it may be that it only comes around once a year, whatever it is, it certainly keeps the magic.

Here is the wicked recipe, hope you come back every year!

You will need:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (or a pinch)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups Noel Nog

1 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp melted margarine or butter

Any amount Maple Syrup or Maple butter to top.

Step-by-step:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (you can sift if you feel you need to).

Add the 2 eggs, and beat the mixture.

pour the vanilla in with the melted butter/margarine .

slowly pour in the Noel Nog.

slowly pour into the flour and egg mixture and fold together.

Heat a pan to medium-low heat and grease lightly with butter. (I use a papertowl and spread it on all over the pan)

Let sit for 5 minutes so that the baking soda and salt can work their magic and make the pancakes nice and fluffy.

Ladle the mixture into the pan and let sit until little bubbles start popping around the pancake surface. Flip over, let sit for 1-2 minutes then transfer to plate. 

Repeat until your pancakes are all done!

Top with whatever you please, I took a great liking to the pure maple syrup. It's like liquid gold. (So my dad says!)

Good eatin' to ya! 

"Lyndsay" Linzer Cookies

These cookies were meant to be for my uncle on Christmas, but I made so many and decided to eat a few on the side ;).

My dough didn't turn out exactly the way it was supposed to, it tended to stick to my linzer cookie cutter that I bought from Michaels Crafts Store. The flavour was still delicious as ever though! It was my first time making these, it sounded a little complicated but turned out to be simple. I found this recipe on Allrecipes and altered it a bit to my liking. I am not going to take full credit for this recipe since I didn't invent them!


Recipe:

• 1 1/4 cups softened, unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups ground almonds (I ground mine in a magic bullet)
• 2 lemons, zested
• 2 tbs vanilla extract

1 small jar of Raspberry Jam or whichever is your favourite (Raspberry truly is best for these)


Step-by-Step:

• Cream together the butter and white sugar until mixture is light.
• Add in the lemon zest & vanilla, keep mixing that dough!
• Beat in the flour little bits at a time, until it becomes stiff and everything has melded well.
• Let sit in the fridge for 1 hour minimum, although it is best to let it sit over night.

This part I copied and pasted from Allrecipes : 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the 1/2 of the dough into a sheet 1/8 inch thick. With a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles from the sheet as you can. Knead the leftover scraps of dough into a ball and roll it out again into a 1/8 inch sheet. Cut out more circles. You should now have about 12 circles.
3. Arrange them on an ungreased baking sheet leaving about and inch of space between them.
4. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the other half of the dough, but before placing the second batch on the baking sheet, cut out the center of each circle with a 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Bake both batches for 10 - 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool on cake rake for 20 minutes.
5. Spread tops of the solid circles with a thin coating of jam, lay a cutout cookie on top of each, pressing the two together so they make a sandwich. Spoon a dab of jam into the opening of each tart and sprinkle the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving. (I think they look pretty without the dusting on top)
6. NOTE: Keep dough as cold as possible for easier handling. You may have to chill it after rolling it out so that it will be easier to cut.

Mexican Quinoa Salad/Salsa!

Alright everyone I am back with a wicked recipe I tried and loved from the one and only: Katilette from the Shaytards on Youtube. (One of the most famous families on Youtube!)

Here it is:

Mexican Quinoa Salad with Organic Corn Tortilla Chips!

Ingredients:

-1 bag of Organic tortilla chips or Ol Del Paso chips

-1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled and side aside in a bowl.

-1 jalapeno diced

-1/3 medium sweet onion, diced

-1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

-1 green bell pepper diced

-1 can of black beans drained and rinsed

-1 can of corn (niblets) drained and rinsed

-2 large fresh tomatoes, diced

-1 red bell pepper, diced

-1 avocado sliced

-1 or 2 chorizo sausages, sliced thinly and fried lightly.

Zesty Sauce to pour on top:

- Juice of 2 limes

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1 tbsp ground cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste and whisk together!

The instructions are very straight forward, Make sure the quinoa is cooled so that the salad is ready to eat right away. You can also fry the chorizo while the quinoa is sitting on the stove. Have all of the vegetables chopped and ready to dump into a big bowl, along with the canned black beans and corn. Mix in the quinoa, and pour the delicious tangy sauce over top. Serve with a handful of tortilla chips in the bowl, and voila! A healthy, filling home made dinner made in under an hour!

Vegetarian Falafel Pita Pockets

As I am growing older I am starting to realize that the only way to be successful is to start with your health. I have always been interested in trying new things and having a spontaneous lifestyle. However, it can be a great struggle to try and stay healthy and fit, which is why I would love to create a blog for newbies with this kind of stuff- just like me! Over the past couple of years I have been looking into chef training as a career choice. (I will get there, eventually $.)  

So I would like to share my ideas with all of you out there and  am so excited to get started on this wonderful journey with all of you. I will share more about myself later, now I will get to the good stuff- FOOD. Food is probably my favourite thing in life. I will share all of the recipes I have discovered over the years, and ones that I haven't even tried yet but WOULD like to try.  I also have a recipe tin with lots of old recipes from my great grandma. Enjoy everyone!!

First thing is first: Vegetarian Falafel Pita Pockets . Level of difficulty: Easy.


So I haven't even made falafels before, but I love them so so much. Mediterranean food is one of my favourite ethnic food categories, and this recipe won my heart over, with creamy low fat tzatziki and fresh vegetables and spices. It's also super easy to pack for lunch to take to work,so if you work in a bakery like I do, no need to eat the unhealthy crap! Here is the recipe, and a picture I found on the internet. (Since I don't own a camera yet .)

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/10159/pita-pocket-with-falafel

That looks really good. I kind of want to eat it right now.

Fresh ingredients to top it with:

-1 half red bell pepper, sliced into strips

-1 green onion finely chopped

-2 leaves of romaine lettuce shredded

Falafel Ingredients:

-1 Can Chickpeas drained and rinsed

-1/4 cup chopped  flat leaf parsley & cilantro  

-2 Green onions

-2 cloves minced garlic

-1 tsp ground cumin

-2 tbsp flour (can use almond flour if GF)

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp or less of salt

-1 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine above ingredients in a food processor until a grainy texture, like bread crumbs. Form into small patties, can use a large spoon to help form a small patty. Set aside on a plate.

Tzatziki Ingredients:

-1/2 cucumber, grated

-1 pinch of salt

-1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt nonfat

-Juice of one lemon

-Fresh chopped mint leaves (if you wish to put mint in it!)

-2-3 garlic cloves roasted in the oven in tinfoil then you can squeeze em out after.

http://justaddfeta.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/tzatziki-yogurt-cucumber-dip/

Directions: Place the grated cucumber on a paper towel with the pinch of salt and let sit.

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice , garlic and mint leaves in a bowl and mix together.

Squeeze the grated cucumber in the paper towel over the sink to get all of the juices out, then dump into the yogurt mixture and stir it up! Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

Cooking your falafels:

Heat a medium skillet over medium to high heat and add the tbsp of oil.

Place patties in the pan, and cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy looking. When done with these, place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oils. 

To serve: Cut your pitas in half, slab on some of that chilled tzatziki sauce inside, Put fresh lettuce in, sliced red bell pepper and fresh green onions to top your falafels. If you don't have WW or regular pitas, you can make this as a salad as well, with romaine hearts and you can also break up the falafels and drizzle the tzatziki on top!

Yum!!! Hope you enjoy this recipe!!