Marble Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe needs little introduction. So here is Bethenny Frankels recipe for healthy marble pumpkin cheesecake! Though it was delicious Brooke and I agreed that it tasted more like pumpkin pie, but I'm not complaining!

Final results:)

It turned out beautiful for being so simple and easy to make

Yum Food

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 Cups of graham crackers-finely crushed
3 tbsp water
2 Tbsp melted butter (I used coconut oil)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and then press into a spring form 9" cake pan about an inch up the sides. Cook at 350 deg for 10 min.

Filling
2 8 oz red-fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup raw sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 Vanilla extract
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg (didn't have any so left it out)
1 can pumpkin (not pie filling, raw pumpkin!)
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar (I used regular vinegar)

With a hand mixer combine 1/2 cup sugar, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vinegar. REmove about a cup and set it aside. To the remaining mixture add pumpkin. Place pumpkin filling over the crust. Then place dobs of the set aside mixture on the filling and swirl with a knife to make a marble look. Bake at 350 deg for 60min. Take out and cool in fridge for 4 hours or more. Top with nuts, chocolate, ice cream, cool whip etc! Enjoy and share :)

Tofu salad ON Toast

ToFu
My food adventure this week included some firm tofu. Meat is super expensive and takes a lot of time to prepare, so I have been looking for alternative ways to get my protein.  I purchased Nasayo water packed firm tofu. It has about 5 servings worth in a pack for around 3 dollars, not bad! Tofu is kinda like a gold fish you win at a fair. You have to change its water everyday and it only last 5 days. (haha tofu jokes) Ok so I was a little weary to try this because of the texture. I really had to mentally talk myself through eating it, saying its just tofu its just tofu. It had a weird bland taste before I seasoned it, but once I found a good combo I was pleasantly surprised. I try to find meals that have simple ingredients and a short cook time, so here is my quick tofu salad on toast recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (2 servings)
6 oz of tofu (I cut the pack into 5 parts and used 1 section)
1/2 red bell pepper or green
1 tsp Spicy brown mustard or Dijon etc
1 tsp Helman's light mayo
Salt and pepper a few shakes of each or to taste
2 slices sprouted wheat bread or whole wheat
2oz red fat sharp cheddar cheese or what ever cheese you have.

Directions-mash tofu, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl with a fork. Cut the pepper into chunks and stir in to the well blended tofu mix. Toast bread. I slice my cheese real thin so that just 1 oz of cheese can cover the whole bread. I toast my bread in a pan because I don't have a toaster, which is nice because then I can melt the cheese on the bread. Once I do that I just scoop the tofu salad on the cheese bread and eat. This is a great protein meal, you should make one or two of your meals out of three a protein meal. It's easy to go carb crazy, but we need balance. If you feel this wont be enough for lunch have a side of fruit or even a salad.

The first step: Grocery shopping

So I understand healthy eating is overwhelming when your starting from scratch. What foods do I buy? How much does it cost? How much do I buy? These are all questions that you have asked yourself. Here I want to guide you into healthy eating by showing you what I purchase and how often, and what I always have on my shelf.
1. The grocery list:
- I separate my list into the different departments and have set some guidelines so that I don't over spend and get the best deals. This is not me telling you word for word what to buy just simply giving ideas and helping you customize your grocery list.

Vegetables:
2 Frozen (these can last several weeks)  broccoli and peas.
4-5 Fresh/cheap/ on sale: Carrots, potato, onion, green pepper, bagged lettuce, sweet potato,
2-3 splurge: Red pepper, mushrooms, squash, leeks, sugar snap peas, tomato, avocado.
(Some of these could be considered cheaper when on sale, but their typically more expensive)
*Bagged lettuce helps when your short for time
*I always have carrots, and sugar snap peas for snacking and packing.

Fruit:
7 Bananas (Cheap!)
4 Apples/ pears (summer opt for peaches and plums)
1 Orange or Grapefruit
1 Pack of any berry (expensive so I don't always get them)
Grapes (only get when on sale)
Lemon (use to flavor my water)
2 Frozen (I make smoothies once and awhile and they last long)
*You should have about two pieces of fruit a day, and eat with protein to avoid the spike in blood sugar.


Dairy: (Check dates to get the most out of what you buy)
16oz skim milk (Soy or almond: Size depending on how much you drink)
Cottage cheese (eat this with my grapes, great snack!)
Yogurt- I get a tub of plain Greek it last two weeks. If you like flavors get that.
Eggs- I buy a 6pk and a carton of egg whites each week
Cheese- cheese last a while if stored properly, I keep Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella part skim.

Sweets: (I buy two sweets at a time here are some ideas. I choose healthier foods but as long as you eat them in moderation you can get anything).
-Gelato ice cream
-Dark chocolate bar
-Clif dried fruit ropes
-Caramel rice cakes
-Craisins

Grains: (I don't buy these every week because they can be stored for months. This is what I keep in my cabinet.)
-2 kinds of whole wheat pasta
-Brown rice, basmati rice, arborio rice, wild rice.
-Quinoa
-Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted wheat bread (frozen last three weeks)
-Beans- Black, garbanzo
-Nuts- Almonds (good to eat with fruit)
-Chips/ Popcorn/ pretzels: Pick one every two weeks... and choose smart. Blue corn chips, soy chips, organic lightly salted popcorn. Look at the ingredients list, it should short and simple.

Meat:
Chicken: boneless skinless breast
White albacore tuna
Deli turkey meat
Tofu-firm
*I buy a pack of chicken divide it into 4 oz pieces and freeze it, last close to two months but I don't eat that much meat.
*I buy organic sliced turkey which isn't really the same as typical deli meat. It's super expensive and I rarely buy it, but turkey is a good meat to incorporate into your diet.

Beverage:
Stevia sweetener
Lemon (I said before)
POM juice
Tea
Function: Alternative energy drinks (my caffeine fix)
*For the most part I drink water with added flavors

Must have:
Peanut butter
Spices- Cinnamon, crushed red peppers, salt&pepper, vanilla extract (spices are a work in progress)
Olive oil
Baking supplies: oat flour, raw sugar, baking soda and powder, rolled oats, flaxseed
Vegetable broth
Instant oatmeal
Kashi cereal or what ever you prefer 1 box: last 2 weeks or more
Granola bars: I find coupons and sales for my favorites: Luna, Lara Bar, Cliff mojo.
Mustard
Lite Mayo (I hardly ever use this, only about a tsp in my tofu)
Syrup: Agave, maple or honey (I hate honey but a lot of people like it so I added it)
Vinegar
Caesar dressing (your favorite)
*I may have for got some things but this is a good start. You Obviously don't buy these items every week they are in your cabinet/ fridge for lengths of time.

Having these basics every week will make cooking meals, and putting together snacks super easy.

Quinoa Veggie Burger

Quinoa Veggie Burger

I'm super excited about this recipe, and surprised it turned out as good as it did. After spending a few hours on foodgawker.com I have been inspired by 4 or 5 recipes to make this creation. I've been dying to make a meal with the quinoa I purchased and I finally found my opportunity.

Sweet Potato

Chick Peas

Quinoa

Sweet potatoes have an amazing color and really sweeten the dish. Quinoa is the "mother of all grains" and great source of fiber/ carbs. My favorite beans and a staple in my pantry, chickpeas (garbanzo beans). These are my source of protein in this meal

I basically was pulling ingredients that seemed to fit as I went. I wanted to add some color so I included some chopped green onions, a handful of red onion, and crushed red peppers for a little zing.

This recipe has a lot of carbs so I only used one slice of sprouted grain bread.  You can play around with seasonings and sauces. I think there is enough flavor in the patties to not add anything extra, but I would have a lite salad on the side. Below is the recipe:)

wish I had a camera other than my two year old phone :(

(Makes three patties)

Ingredients:

1 Small Sweet Potato

1 Green onion

1 small hand full of red onion

1/2 can chick peas

1/4 cup Quinoa

1 tsp Crushed red peppers

Salt to taste

Directions:

Cook quinoa. Boil chickpeas, sweet potato, and onions together till soft (mashable). In a seperate bowl mash together all ingredients and let cool in the fridge. Shape into patties and fry in a pan with a little olive oil (til edges are brown and crisp). Dress with any additional seasoning, veggies, cheese, and bread. This is super simple to put together. Enjoy!

Fat Free Fake Out!

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to healthy eating is that people assume anything with the words "fat free" or "diet" are healthy. Then think that it's ok to eat way more of it because it says that. NO NO NO!

Americans in general are obsessed with the idea of dieting. We jump right into them and just as quickly fall right back out. Who could blame us!? We have the media practically shoving these ideas down our throats. Well personally I think diets are stupid.  Healthy eating is about self control, education, and making smart choices on a daily basis. So here is a little education of the myths of fat free foods.

1. "Fat free" should really be called "extra sugar and body damaging chemicals". Sugar and other chemicals are often added to supplement the change in taste.
2. People think "fat free" gives them the liberty to eat as much as they want. This leads me to fact number 3.
3. When we consume more food than we need our body stores the excess. Sugar is stored the same way as fat. What good are we doing by replacing fat with an excess amount of sugar.
4. OUR body needs fat! If your gonna cut out fat from the processed foods you buy then at least replace them with healthy fats. There are tons of different oils that have healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil etc. Also nuts, and avocados have fats that are good for us. However, fats should be used in moderation.
5. I would recommend buying your dairy products in reduced fat forms.

This isn't rocket science you just need to think a little. If you buy light dressing don't allow yourself to cover every inch of lettuce with it. Don't replace your lunch with a bag of fat- free candies...that's not healthy.  Do replace your cooking oils to a healthier option. Don't be scared of the word fat, but be conscience of the amout/type.

Here are two amazing links to guide you and further educate you on fats.
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=60

A Pop of Pesto

Another flavorful pasta dish without loads of carbs and oils. It took about 20min to make and if you make it in bulk you can store some for later in the week!
Directions (1 serving): saute 4 cut mushrooms, 1/4 cup green bell peppers, 1/4 cup onions, minced clove of garlic in a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook 2 oz of whole wheat angel hair pasta separately. After you drain the pasta mix in a tablespoon or less of pesto. Combine veggies and pasta or eat separate, salt and pepper to taste.
Big Meal of the Day advice:
1). My biggest piece of advice when making a meal would be to add loads of veggies. These high volume foods fill you up and give you so much nutrients.
2).Mentally keep track of your meals during the day did you have a cereal or pancakes for breakfast? Instead of eating a sandwich or a pasta dish have a chicken salad, tuna, or veggie/ bean soup for lunch. Keep a good balance of protein and carb meals throughout the day.
3). Fats are a necessary part of our diet, but don't drown your foods in olive oil, and dunk your bread in butter at every meal.
4). DON'T overeat. Be aware of what your eating and listen to your body when your satisfied. Use smaller dishes.  Large dishes make you feel as if you didn't eat enough.
5). Don't eat while your distracted. Turn off the tv, step away from the laptop, and simply enjoy your meal.
6). Don't eat while your cooking. This doesn't mean you can't test/taste your food. I say this because  many times we eat a whole meal worth of food before we even have our actual meal by snacking and cooking.
Hope you can apply some of these tips!

Chocolate Cookies

Decadence that doesn't Destroy

Lately I have been experimenting with cookies! I love moist chocolate desserts, but they're a real belly buster. I wanted to create a cookie that incorporates my favorite qualities without the expense. I stated with a basic oatmeal cookie recipe, so that I had correct proportions of flour,sugar, and fats. I made about three different variations of those cookies which all turned out amazing. Some I used mashed strawberries instead of banana, raisins instead of chocolate, no oats instead of oats, peanut butter instead of oil etc. Feel free to play around with all of these ingredients! Below I will give my recipe for one of my favorite combo (which will be the first ingredient listed) and then tell you some alternatives to each step so you can customize your healthy cookie!  They're so simple to make and take less than twenty min from start to finish, here we gOOO!

Ingredients (8 Medium cookies)
1/4 cup Turbinado sugar (48g)/ sugar in the raw/ cane sugar
3/4 cup Oat flour(90g)/ 100% whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp non-fat milk/soy milk/almond milk
1 small banana mashed/ strawberries/blueberries, blackberries, apple sauce etc (mix two use half and half)
.5 oz Green & Black 70% dark chocolate (chopped)/ nuts, semi-sweet chocochips, dried fruits, or mix&match
1 1/2 Tbsp Ghirardelli Unsweetened coco powder/ 2 tbs rolled oats/ 1 tablespoon of a protein powder
1 egg just whites/ tablespoon any canola oil/ olive oil (I usually leave out the egg, but I don't notice a difference)
1 Tbsp all natural peanut butter/ Almond butter/ chocolate almond butter/ double the egg or oil instead
(You can use butter if you want, but keep it under a tbsp. Personally I don't even keep butter in my kitchen.)

I don't actually measure anything except flour and sugar, but these are good guide lines. My favorite tool in the kitchen is my food scale. I zero out the scale with the mixing bowl on it and pour my ingredients right in to the gram amount (involves some simple math). I also don't separate dry and wet I just mix everything together at once. So... once you do that just use a spoon or whatever to portion out cookies on to a pan (note: make them the size/ shape you want them because they don't spread). I cook them for 6 min then rotate then another 6 min at 350. I take them out and put them in the fridge right away. Once they are cooled enough you can eat them! They are also a lot like a power bar or granola bar so they're great to pack for on the go and a lot cheaper than buying 2 dollar bars. If your a calorie counter there around a 100 calories a cookie depending on the ingredients, but I don't really believe in calorie counting but that's for another blog another day haha.

Skinny Italian

We all love Italian food, but we don't always love the carbs, fat, and overly filled feeling it gives us. I had no idea what to eat for dinner. I was debating between a grilled cheese sandwich with avocado, chicken caesar salad, and squash stir fry with mozzarella. My final decision...well, a combination of all of them. Here is just one way to get the flavors of Italian food without paying for it later.

 Pizza w/ Squash

Ingredients:
Squash stir fry: (4 servings)
Squash (yellow or zucchini or both) 4 small/ 2 large
Garlic (1 clove)
Onion (1/2 cup)
Crushed red peppers (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Directions: Just saute all the ingredients in a skillet, add olive oil if necessary.

Pizza (one serving) 
1 slice of Wholewheat/sprouted grain bread
1 oz (1/4 cup) Shredded Mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped tomato
Directions: Toast bread or cook on stove til crisp. Then sprinkle on the cheese and tomato.

Mac & Cheese deLITE!

Mac & Cheese deLITE!

My all time favorite food is Kraft macaroni and cheese. One year for my birthday we had mac & cheese and pineapple instead of pizza and ice cream! Obviously boxed mac and cheese is not the healthiest choice, but your in luck because I have come up with an alternative!  Here is an amazing recipe for zesty mac and cheese.

Ingredients (3 servings)
6oz whole wheat shell pasta
1/2 cup red-fat sharp cheddar
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack
1/2 cup frozen butternut squash (de-thawed)
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
optional: Garlic, Mushrooms, Onions: I put them in everything but its up to you!

Directions: Cook pasta. In a separate sauce pan melt cheese with milk and butternut squash.Add spices. Stir in noodles once the cheese is melted. Pour into baking pan and at 350 bake for 15-20 min. (add some cheese or bread crumbs on top before baking if desired)

Banana Berry Creme Pie

Banana Berry Creme Pie :P
Two of my favorite ingredients, Greek yogurt, and banana. The banana sweetens the protein rich-creamy yogurt, the blueberries give it a tang, and the almonds a crunchy texture. This is super simple, and would be a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert.

Healthiest dessert you'll ever eat!
Ingredients
1 Small Banana
1 - 6oz Fage 0% Greek Yogurt container
20 Blueberries (fresh)
5 Almonds
1/2  Quaker Caramel Rice Cake (I could do with out it doesn't need a crust)
70% Dark Chocolate- Shavings (optional)

Steps:

1. Mash banana

2. Fold banana in with yogurt

3. Mash blueberries in a separate bowl (or leave whole or exchange for blackberries etc)

4. Crush rice cake and lay in the bottom of the bowl (if wanted)

5.Layer the banana mixture and crushed berries (3layers of banana creme, 2 layers of berry or mix together)

6.Sprinkle crushed almonds, walnuts, or any other nut you like!

7.Add chocolate shavings if desired

Exploring Oatmeal

How to get the most out of your Oatmeal!

My morning steel!
Here are some of my favorite variations of Oatmeal!

Steel Cut Oatmeal-the healthiest kind!
Steel cut oats (1/4 cup)
Raisins (1 Tbsp)
Apple (1/2 medium diced)
Milk (1/4 cup)
Water (1/2 cup)
Brown sugar or Stevia (to taste)
Cinnamon (to taste)
Directions: Boil water and milk. Add oats and turn heat down so it's simmering. Stir every min or so for about 25 min or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and add apple, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Let it cool and enjoy!

Instant-Oat Revolution Oatmeal
If your running short on time in the mornings this is a great healthy brand of oatmeal to try out.  They have a bunch of flavors ranging from strawberry creme to maple brown sugar. Obviously the directions for this is on the package. Cook time 1.5 min.

Rolled Oats
The recipe is the same as steel cut oats but the cook time is about half. This is a good hearty breakfast with lots of fiber. As a side note you can add any type of dried fruits or whole fruits to your oatmeal or even different sweeteners, this is just my favorite combination :)

Health benefits

• Lowers Cholesterol
• Prevent Heart disease/failure
• Stabilize blood sugar
• Contain: Fiber, Manganese, Magnesium, Selenium, Phosphorus 
• Enhance Immune response

Ditch the crash diet

It's easy to stray off your path of healthy eating, and I do it all the time. The idea of eating healthy is to change key foods that you eat day to day. Bread is a good example of this. Buy sprouted wheat bread or 100% whole wheat instead of white.  Change the flour and sugar you bake with to raw sugar and oat flour.  Use healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, "nut butters"etc. These little changes have big rewards. I also think it's important to keep the spark alive between you and your food. Each week when you shop buy something you've never tried. Whether its a different spice, fruit, vegetable, grain doesn't matter.  My latest finds: crushed red pepper, starfruit, leeks, various extract flavors, and fresh grated Parmesan. If you slowly make new changes you won't need to stress out about dieting. (dirty word)

Foods to try!
Fruits: Pomegranate, starfruit, blood orange, grapefruit, papaya, mango, blackberries, pummelo.

Vegetables: patty pan squash, different color peppers, spaghetti squash, leeks, mushrooms, bok choy, different onions, fresh garlic, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, eggplant, arugula.

Grains: Whole wheat pasta (different shapes), wild rice, brown basmati rice, quinoa, arborio rice, purple rice, jasmine rice, sprouted wheat grains, spinach pasta, steel cut oats, rolled oats.

Meats: I'm not the meat expert but I eat mostly turkey, chicken, and tuna.

Other: chickpeas, cottage cheese, different milks (soy, almond, skim), greek yogurt, black beans, hard/soft cheeses, flaxseed, dark chocolate, lara bar, dried fruits(eat in moderation). Go to the spice section and buy the smaller size spices that you haven't tried.

These list could go on forever!

Green Lemon Zest Rice

Green Lemon Zest Rice

Ingredients:

Avocado (1/2)

Frozen Peas (1 cup)

Arborio Rice (1/4 cup dry)

Fresh squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

Salt 

Pepper 

Garlic

Directions: Cook your rice according to the instructions on the package. Any rice works well I just happen to use arborio.  Dice up your avocado, and microwave your peas. Squeeze the lemon over the avocado and over the rice (to taste). When the rice is cooked add garlic, salt, pepper, peas, and avocado to the sauce pan. cook on low for a few min, and then serve. This recipe makes two servings.

Sweedish fish

Sweet Tuna & Chickpeas 

I hate fish, but for some reason I  love white albacore tuna. This is probably one of the best tuna combinations I have made yet.

Ingredients:

Chick peas (1/3 cup)

Sweet potato (1/2 large)

Cinnamon (1 tsp)

Olive oil (2 tsp)

Stevia (1 packet)

White Albacore Tuna (1 can)

Salt (a dash)

Directions: Basically I took my left over sweet fries (directions are on my blog) and mashed them on a plate, I drained the can of tuna and made a layer over the sweet potatoes. Then sprinkled some salted chickpeas over top of the tuna. The tuna and peas are dry/bland, but with the potatoes it's perfect and full of protein.

Cookies part 1

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies <3

These are super easy to make and taste great! Each cookie is only 90 calories, 2g fat, and 2g of protein.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups Oat or 100% whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Raw sugar (looks like brown crystals)

3/4 cup Rolled Oats

1 Large Banana

2 Tbsp Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (or more :))

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1tsp Vanilla extract

1/3 cup Skim/ Soy milk

1tsp olive oil/canola oil

Directions: Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet in another (mash banana).  Then combine both dry and wet together. Use a spoon to evenly distribute the cookie dough onto a pan and flatten to desired shape (they do not flatten when baked). This batch should be able to make 18 cookies. At 375 bake for 6min then rotate for another 6 min. Place on cooling rack and enjoy!

Sweet Potatos

Sweet Fingers!

This snack/side is healthy and super easy to make! I had some sweet potatoes chillin' in my fridge so this is what I came up with.  Just slice some sweet potatoes into fry shaped pieces.  Drizzle on about a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with some cinnamon and a packet of stevia, then pop them in the oven. I mixed them in a bowl before I put them on a pan, but it really doesn't matter. I also don't know how long to cook them because my stove is kinda hood and it took an hour. If you just check them every 15-20min they should be fine.

Egg Pancakes

Bethenny Frankels Faux Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 Egg
3 Tbsp Egg white
1/2 scoop Vanilla whey protein
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon light agave (top)
Fresh Fruit

Recipe:

Combine one large egg and two eggs worth of whites (I buy all natural pure egg whites in a carton for convenience)in a bowl. Add a tsp of vanilla extract.  If you want a change you could use banana or strawberry extract. Mix ingredients in a bowl and pour into a small non-stick pan (so it covers the bottom). Cook on medium heat pushing the cooked egg to the center so the remaining liquid egg gets cooked. Do this till most of the liquid is gone from the top. Loosen edges with the spatula and then flip it. Once the eggs are cooked slide the "pancake" onto a plate and drizzle with a tablespoon of syrup (maple, honey, agave nectar) and your favorite fruit.

This is a great way to incorporate proten into your diet, and fulfill your sweet tooth (with out the carbs, other than the fruit)!

Peanut butter toast

For those of you just waking up here is a quick but tasty breakfast idea!

Peanut butter cinnamon toast!

Toast some sprouted wheat bread.  Then spread a tablespoon of all natural organic peanut butter, and finish off with a dash of cinnamon.

Spicy Vegetable Pasta

Dinner Special!

           This recipe turned out great! It has tons of veggies, a light olive oil sauce, and when sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese it makes for the perfect dinner.            

Pepper and Mushroom Pasta

Garlic (1 clove diced)

Olive Oil (1-2 tbsp)

Onion (1/4 cup)

Bell peppers (2 any color, sliced)

Mushrooms (large package)

Spinach (1 cup fresh)

Pasta (Any type works- 8oz)

Salt (1 tsp)

Crushed red pepper (1 tsp)

Pepper (1 tsp)

Parmesan cheese (fresh shredded-organic)

Instructioins: 

       In a large pot combine garlic, olive oil, onion, bell peppers, salt, pepper(s), and mushrooms. At the same time boil off your pasta. Cook veggie mixture over medium heat until the peppers are tender, and the mushrooms are cooked down. Add the spinach towards the end, because it take less time to cook.  Combine pasta with veggies, sprinkle with cheese and enjoy!

                 

Citrus Season

It's citrus fruit season so skip the high sugar orange juices and indulge in a fresh piece of citrus fruit! 

           Most citrus fruits are known for their vitamin C, but what we don't hear about are all the other essential nutrients they contain. Citrus fruits contain folate, calcium, potassium, niacin etc. They also contain no sodium or fat, and have a low average energy value (take less calories to burn). Citrus fruits also help prevent cancer, and lower risk for diseases such as cataracts, kidney stones, asthma, and anemia. These are all just a few examples of this amazing fruits ability.  Check out this site for more info... http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2650T/x2650t03.htm

Luna on the GO!!

Today is a busy day! Thought I'd share with you my on the go lunch!
Luna Bars!!!
Keep in mind that protein/energy bars should never completely replace whole foods, but they are great for days when you need a meal on the go.
I love these bars for multiple reasons. First off they have over 30% calcium which is important because I hate milk. Secondly they contain 30% iron and a sufficient amount of folic acid, which are essentials in a woman's diet. Lastly they have some amazing flavors, protein, and fiber for days!
My favorite flavors (in order)
Cookies and Cream
Caramel Nut Brownie
Peppermint Stick

Chocolaty Dipped Coconut                            
S' mores
Nutz Over Chocolate
Peanut Butter Cookie
Chocolate Chunk
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut
Oatmeal Raisin
Blueberry Bliss
Lemon Zest
AND MANY MORE!

Go Greek

In a previous blog I talked about Greek yogurt, and thought I would share with you a yummy snack.

Organic blueberries, Extra ripe banana, Plain Greek yogurt (Fage 0%)

In an normal cereal bowl I mashed the banana. I spread a layer of the Greek yogurt over the banana mush, and sprinkled a layer of blueberries. Real simple. I prefer to get a little of each ingredient in every bite!

Soup Section

Today's Dinner adventure!
Cauliflower leek soup
I got this recipe from the one and only Bethenny Frankel! This is a delicious and healthy soup that will keep you full for hours.  Here is the recipe, hope you get a chance to make it! (This recipe serves twelve, but since I'm the only one eating it I divided it by 3 and tweaked it to my liking.)

• 1 tsp vegetable oil                                                        
• 2 tsps garlic, minced
• 2 ½ cups leeks, white part only
• 1 ½ cups potatoes, peeled an diced
• 6 cups cauliflower, cored and trimmed
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Preparation

1. Add vegetable oil to a heated stockpot.  Sauté garlic and leeks for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Be sure to stir frequently.
2. Add potatoes and cauliflower and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.
4. In a blender, add potato/cauliflower mixture and puree.  Alternatively, you may use an immersion blender.
5. Add more water if the consistency is too thick.  Stir in salt and pepper.  
6. Cook another 5 minutes and adjust seasonings and serve.

Organic Hookup

If buying organic food was cheap we would all be doing it.  Well I have some good news, many fruits and vegetables have thick outer skins that aren't effected by the harmful pesticides. Here are some non-organic foods that are safe to buy, so you don't pay an arm and a leg for food.  I also included a list of foods that are essential to buy organic. (as a side note my chemistry professor, Gloria Freschl, would be very up set with the term organic. Why you ask? Well everything is organic! Obviously when I say organic I'm referring to the use of pesticides or lack of.)

Buy Organic                               Don't Buy Organic         

·         Apples                                         Onions

·         Celery                                          Sweet Corn

·         Strawberries                                 Pineapple

·         Peaches                                       Avocado

·         Spinach                                       Asparagus

     Nectarine                                     Sweet peas

·         Peppers                                      Mangoes

·         Potatoes                                      Eggplant

·         Blueberries                                  Cantaloupe

·         Lettuce, collard greens                 Kiwi

·         Fatty meats                                  Cabbage

·         Chocolate/coffee                          Watermelon

·         Wine                                            Sweet Potatoes

·         Milk                                             Grapefruit 

                                                    Mushrooms

                                                    Bananas

Say NO to SOda

Soda Alternatives
I don't care if your soda is diet, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU!
1.BONE LOSS: phosphoric acid
2.WEIGHT GAIN: artificial sweeteners
3.TOOTH ENAMEL DAMAGE: phosphoric acid
4.KIDNEY DAMAGE!!!!!: artificial sweeteners
Check out these articles for all the details!
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/4-health-side-effects-of-diet-soda.html
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dangers-of-diet-soda.html?page=1

Here is My favorite juice/soda alternative...

POM (1/4 cup)

+ Truvia (1 packet)

+ Water 20oz