Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I bet chopped basil would be good too)
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)
Directions:
Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place cut-side down in a baking dish that has 1/2 inch of water. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Using a fork, pull squash into strands (this is really cool). Stir together with broth, olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Yummy Burritos
This is a recipe that I amended slightly from Jon over at SwiCycloRun. I basically spiced it up a little - changed to brown rice, used whole wheat tortillas, added cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne, and garlic powder, used tomatoes with green chilies. Other than that, I completely and unabashedly copied this recipe from his blog post. If you don't like it spicy, you may want to go without my additions. Thanks Jon for always having such great recipes!
Jon's Burritos, With A Mandy Twist
Ingredients:
Can black beans
Can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup of short grain brown rice
1 can corn
1 1/2 tsp of cumin (this all depends on taste you might want to use less)
1 tsp each of oregano, chili powder, & garlic powder
pinch of cayenne (OK I used a lot of it, like 1/2 tsp - but I like it hot)
cheddar cheese
large whole-wheat tortilla shells
Cook the rice - I used short-grained brown because I love it. You could use any kind of rice though. While rice is simmering, combine black beans, tomatoes, and spices in a pot bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until liquid reduces. Combine rice and bean mixture.
Take 1 cup of the mixture and put in on a tortilla, cover with 1oz cheese.
Wrap, foil, and freeze. YES you can freeze these! Yeah. It makes about 5-6. Make sure you take one out of the freezer a bit before you plan on eating them, or else it will take a bit longer to heat up.
Jon's Burritos, With A Mandy Twist
Ingredients:
Can black beans
Can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup of short grain brown rice
1 can corn
1 1/2 tsp of cumin (this all depends on taste you might want to use less)
1 tsp each of oregano, chili powder, & garlic powder
pinch of cayenne (OK I used a lot of it, like 1/2 tsp - but I like it hot)
cheddar cheese
large whole-wheat tortilla shells
Cook the rice - I used short-grained brown because I love it. You could use any kind of rice though. While rice is simmering, combine black beans, tomatoes, and spices in a pot bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until liquid reduces. Combine rice and bean mixture.
Take 1 cup of the mixture and put in on a tortilla, cover with 1oz cheese.
Wrap, foil, and freeze. YES you can freeze these! Yeah. It makes about 5-6. Make sure you take one out of the freezer a bit before you plan on eating them, or else it will take a bit longer to heat up.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Apple Flax Muffins
Yummy Muffins!
I can't go long without talking about food. Now that I am trying to stay in shape, I think about what I eat much more often...So I have these yummy muffins I make so when I don't have time to take time to make something healthy, I just grab one of these babies!
Flax and Apple Muffins
1/4 cup milled flax seed
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (I find they get kind of heavy otherwise)
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1-1/2 cups chopped apples (or any fruit works)
3 tbsp pumpkin, apple sauce, flax seed meal, or cranberry sauce (can use veg oil instead, but I try to cut on fat)
1/2 cup milk (soy milk OK)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend the dry ingredients in one bowl. Blend egg, pumpkin (whatever you used in that step), and milk. Add dry ingredients until just blended. Fold in apples and nuts (batter will be thick). Fill well-greased (I used Pam) muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Yield 12 muffins.
I can't go long without talking about food. Now that I am trying to stay in shape, I think about what I eat much more often...So I have these yummy muffins I make so when I don't have time to take time to make something healthy, I just grab one of these babies!
Flax and Apple Muffins
1/4 cup milled flax seed
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (I find they get kind of heavy otherwise)
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1-1/2 cups chopped apples (or any fruit works)
3 tbsp pumpkin, apple sauce, flax seed meal, or cranberry sauce (can use veg oil instead, but I try to cut on fat)
1/2 cup milk (soy milk OK)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend the dry ingredients in one bowl. Blend egg, pumpkin (whatever you used in that step), and milk. Add dry ingredients until just blended. Fold in apples and nuts (batter will be thick). Fill well-greased (I used Pam) muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Yield 12 muffins.
Quinoa Salad Anyone?
My man John looked at me funny the first time I made quinoa. "What's that stuff?" he asks poking at it tentatively, not sure what these alien grains were. I encouraged him by telling him it is like rice, just a little different. "Huh" he says and takes a tiny bite. Immediately, his head shoots up, "That's good stuff."
Yeah, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is pretty darn good stuff. It was one of the most important foods to the Inca's. Recently it has become more popular and thus more readily available in most supermarkets. I always made it in place of rice. I never thought of making a quinoa salad until I visited my friend Tam. She made this quinoa salad that had for dinner one night while camping. It was awesome - what a great idea for summer barbecue instead of pasta or potato salad. And it is a total protein, all good stuff there.
Cooking Quinoa
Heat water or broth to boiling, add quinoa. Let boil for 5 minutes, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Done. No kidding, it works.
Quinoa Salad
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 red bell pepper
1 tbs minced red onion
1 small cucumber diced
1 can of black beans, washed and drained
1/2-3/4 cup fresh cilantro (you can use parsley also, but I love the refreshing taste cilantro gives to this)
1/4 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing (or make your own, I didn't have time)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper (to taste)
Mix everything together. Yeah, really, just like that. Add more dressing if you want, I like mine lightly dressed. Eat. Yum!
Yeah, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is pretty darn good stuff. It was one of the most important foods to the Inca's. Recently it has become more popular and thus more readily available in most supermarkets. I always made it in place of rice. I never thought of making a quinoa salad until I visited my friend Tam. She made this quinoa salad that had for dinner one night while camping. It was awesome - what a great idea for summer barbecue instead of pasta or potato salad. And it is a total protein, all good stuff there.
Cooking Quinoa
Heat water or broth to boiling, add quinoa. Let boil for 5 minutes, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Done. No kidding, it works.
Quinoa Salad
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 red bell pepper
1 tbs minced red onion
1 small cucumber diced
1 can of black beans, washed and drained
1/2-3/4 cup fresh cilantro (you can use parsley also, but I love the refreshing taste cilantro gives to this)
1/4 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing (or make your own, I didn't have time)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper (to taste)
Mix everything together. Yeah, really, just like that. Add more dressing if you want, I like mine lightly dressed. Eat. Yum!
Breakfast
Breakfast is always a challenge for me. The easy thing to do is grab a breakfast sandwich from some general store...or McDonald's - depending on which way I am heading. Of course, that leads to my butt growing by unbelievable proportions...that, and I am really making an effort to eat non-processed stuff without synthetic crap in it....Which, by the way is not easy, because processed food with high fructose corn syrup and unpronouceables is so darn easy and convenient....So, what to do? My friend Tam came up with this awesome breakfast that is so yummy. You can mix and match this one around and add nuts, fresh or dried fruit (I always use organic when I can find it, living in Caratunk makes that no small feat).
Oats and Nuts ~ Trust me guys, it is better than it sounds...
I never measure, but I will try...Now the oats - I keep a batch of roasted oats on hand in a Ball Jar, but also use the raw ones once in a while...either is really yummy. Next time I roast them I will post on it and take a pictures..(it is easy, throw the oats on a cookie sheet, mix with maple syrup, bake at 350 until golden...20 minutes or so)
But, here is my favorite breakfast (right now)
1/2 cup oats (raw or toasted)
1/2 cup...I use nuts, seeds, dry fruit, chopped apple or pear, banana...but mix and match as you see fit.
~ I add a few shakes of cinnamon, and some flax seeds
Vanilla soy milk, or regular milk
Throw the oats in the bowl, throw the fruit/nuts on top, add cinnamon/flax seed if you wish, and then add milk. Eat...yummm
Heathlier Breakfast Sandwich ~ to Go!
So I also love breakfast sandwiches, but they are like a 500 calorie bomb that heads straight to my butt. How do you lighten it up? WELL, this is quick and easy, and you can be out the door quickly.
Whole Wheat English Muffin
Spray oil
2 eggs (1 whole egg, one egg white)
Sliced low-fat cheese (you pick the flavor)
I like it meatless, but you can add turkey bacon, turkey sausage, or Canadian bacon to this
Aluminum foil
Pull a small piece of aluminum foil (like 6-8 inches), tear and set aside. Put English Muffin in the toaster. Crack and separate eggs (get rid of one yolk), then beat them. Spray a small bowl with spray oil, put eggs in and put in microwave (covered with a paper towel). Cook for 1 minute, check to see if it is done, cook another 30 seconds until done. If you are using meat, put it on the cooked egg, then cheese on top. Take one half of the toasted English on top, holding it, turn the bowl over and remove, then put the other half of the English muffin on top to make a sandwich. Wrap in foil, and run out the door...Eat...yummmm
Oats and Nuts ~ Trust me guys, it is better than it sounds...
I never measure, but I will try...Now the oats - I keep a batch of roasted oats on hand in a Ball Jar, but also use the raw ones once in a while...either is really yummy. Next time I roast them I will post on it and take a pictures..(it is easy, throw the oats on a cookie sheet, mix with maple syrup, bake at 350 until golden...20 minutes or so)
But, here is my favorite breakfast (right now)
1/2 cup oats (raw or toasted)
1/2 cup...I use nuts, seeds, dry fruit, chopped apple or pear, banana...but mix and match as you see fit.
~ I add a few shakes of cinnamon, and some flax seeds
Vanilla soy milk, or regular milk
Throw the oats in the bowl, throw the fruit/nuts on top, add cinnamon/flax seed if you wish, and then add milk. Eat...yummm
Heathlier Breakfast Sandwich ~ to Go!
So I also love breakfast sandwiches, but they are like a 500 calorie bomb that heads straight to my butt. How do you lighten it up? WELL, this is quick and easy, and you can be out the door quickly.
Whole Wheat English Muffin
Spray oil
2 eggs (1 whole egg, one egg white)
Sliced low-fat cheese (you pick the flavor)
I like it meatless, but you can add turkey bacon, turkey sausage, or Canadian bacon to this
Aluminum foil
Pull a small piece of aluminum foil (like 6-8 inches), tear and set aside. Put English Muffin in the toaster. Crack and separate eggs (get rid of one yolk), then beat them. Spray a small bowl with spray oil, put eggs in and put in microwave (covered with a paper towel). Cook for 1 minute, check to see if it is done, cook another 30 seconds until done. If you are using meat, put it on the cooked egg, then cheese on top. Take one half of the toasted English on top, holding it, turn the bowl over and remove, then put the other half of the English muffin on top to make a sandwich. Wrap in foil, and run out the door...Eat...yummmm
Nut Butter Banana Smoothie - Bliss
Nut Butter Banana Smoothie
1 tbs nut butter (I like almond, but any nut butter works)
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (Use what you like, greek yogurt makes this really yummy)
1 cup milk (soy or almond milk OK)
1 banana cut into large chunks (OHH yeah, even better, frozen banana...seriously)
Cinnamon to taste
Blend all ingredients together. Eat. Yum.
I have an immersion blender that I love, just make sure you unplug it before you clean it out with your finger...
Pumpkin Ginger Spice Muffins
I love Pumpkin, I love ginger. How can you go wrong with these? I modified a recipe I found on the back of a Canola Oil bottle I found at my mom's house. This makes about 1 1/2 dozen muffins, although I think you could stretch this to get 2 dozen. Here it is:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
1 cup flax seed meal (this replaces the oil)
1 15oz can pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour (I think you could substitute whole wheat here, or a mix of whole wheat, oats and all purpose...yeah, that is my plan for next time)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 T ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup crystallized ginger, diced
Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or line with liners.
Mix eggs, sugar, flax, and pumpkin. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Fold in crystallized ginger. Divide batter between 18 muffin cups. Well, do as many as you can get from the batter, I got 18. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yum.
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
1 cup flax seed meal (this replaces the oil)
1 15oz can pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour (I think you could substitute whole wheat here, or a mix of whole wheat, oats and all purpose...yeah, that is my plan for next time)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 T ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup crystallized ginger, diced
Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or line with liners.
Mix eggs, sugar, flax, and pumpkin. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Fold in crystallized ginger. Divide batter between 18 muffin cups. Well, do as many as you can get from the batter, I got 18. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yum.
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