Oat Breaded Chicken & Broccoli

Even though I love my rice, pasta, and breads, it's not good to have carbs at every meal. I try to have at least one protein focused meal throughout the day. Sometimes we don't realize how many carbs we consume a day. Most fruits, carrots, potatoes, peas, grains, candy etc all contain carbohydrates. Don't get me wrong they are extremely important to our diet! But like anything moderation and balance is key. So tonight I'm sharing with you an excellent protein meal.

Get up and Personal haha

Since I still had some oat flour from my banana bread muffins, it was the perfect opportunity to bread some chicken! Plus I haven't been using my mozzarella and broccoli + cheese = amazing :) Whala my dinner was complete.

Simple & Savory

Ingredients:
4 oz chicken
1/4 cup Oat flour (only will use a bit to coat the chicken)
Olive oil
Frozen Broccoli (what you think you will eat)
1 oz Mozzarella
Milk
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Lightly coat chicken with olive oil. Pour a bit of milk in a bowl and in another bowl put in oat flour. Dip chicken in milk then toss in oat flour until fully coated. Place on a pan and bake till chicken is done about 30min (350 deg). Microwave some broccoli and top with some shredded mozzarella or any type of cheese you enjoy. I seasoned with a little salt and pepper then ate!

Banana Bread Muffins

My roomate, Brooke, noticed that all my banana's were going bad, and suggested I make banana bread...naturally. However, one banana was unusable and the other two were really small. I would not have enough to make a whole loaf. So...I took a banana bread recipe and tweeked it, a lot, and made healthy banana bread muffins.

yum
yum
yum

 Based on Brooke's reaction and my own personal opinion they were a hit! Super sweet, moist, and of course healthy :) Sorry the measurements are kinda random BUT thats what happens when you wing a recipe. Even if you don't ever make them I thought you all should see them.

U can sEE the moistness!

Ingredients:

2 Small overripe banana

6 Tbsp Raw sugar (turbinado)

1 Tbsp Light Agave Nectar

3/4 Cup Oat Flour *I blended some rolled oats in my magic bullet

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 scoop of Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

Coconut oil-grease pan (I don't have butter or pam)

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Heat oven to 350 deg. Grease muffin pan with coconut oil. Pour batter into muffin pan about a cm from the top. Bake for about 15-20. I like mine partially uncooked because its more moist. Take out of oven and tip pan upside down and shake out muffins onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Penne Pasta

Nothing like whole wheat penne pasta, homeade tomato sauce, and spicy baked chicken together! This is a healthy spin on spaghetti/ Noodles & Co penne rosa dish.

Perfection

You won't need to run to the store to pick up some crazy spices or fancy ingredients. This dish is simple, and can be modified to your taste buds! I really enjoyed this dish, infact I drank the left over sauce from the bowl like cereal milk :)

A closer lOOk

Ingredients: 

(one serving- multiply for more people)

1 Roma tomato

1 White part of green onion

1 Garlic clove

3-4 oz Chicken breast

1.5 oz Whole wheat pasta

Parmesan

Salt

Pepper

Crushed red peppers: If you like it SpICy!

Directions:

Sauce: Blend tomato, garlic, onion, salt, pepper(s)

Pasta: Cook according to package

Chicken: Lightly coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper (s).

                Either pan fry or bake at 350 til cooked through

FInish- mix all together top with some paremsan cheese, and Enjoy!

Brown Basmati Rice

Brown Basmati Rice Dinner!

Must TRY!

I was rearranging the pantry and found a zip lock bag full of brown basmati rice! I totally forgot I bought it, but quickly knew it was going to be part of my dinner. I also had some mushrooms and green onion. I knew they would go bad if I didn't use them so I thought I would incorporate them into the dish. I've been getting lazy when it comes to cooking meat and have a ton of chicken in the freezer! SOoo one thing lead to another and chicken made its way into my dinner.

Healthy and filling!

Like most of my dishes it contains few ingredients, and simple seasoning. However, this was a bit of a time consuming meal, but to me it was worth it! Here are the directions :)

Ingredients: (1-2 servings)
1/4 cup Dry Brown Basmati Rice
1 Green onion chopped
4 Mushrooms chopped
1 Garlic clove chopped
3 oz Chicken breast
Salt & Pepper to taste

(From bottom to top)
Garlic
Onion
Mushroom
Chicken

Directions:
1. Cook rice: Here is a link for Cooking Brown Basmati Rice http://chowtimes.com/2009/05/06/how-to-cook-basmati-brown-rice/ (60 min total)
2. Bake Chicken: Season chicken with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set oven to 350, and cook til chicken is cooked all the way. My oven is really old so it takes a lot longer than mine so I don't wanna give you a time and have you burn your chicken.
3. Cook Veggies: Add a tsp of olive oil to a small pan and cook veggies till soft and mushrooms are cooked down.
4. Mix Together! add salt and pepper to taste

Perfected muffin

Ok after a few days I believe I have perfected the Min Microwave Muffin! I would consider it more of a banana bread muffin though. The original muffin contained about 300 calories, and was super dry. I now have it down to 200 calories a muffin and it's extremely moist.
Ingredients
Banana- 1/2 mashed
Flaxseed meal- 3-4 Tablespoon
Baking powder-1 tsp
Cinnamon-2 tsp
Egg white- 1 large egg
Stevia-1 packet
Light Agave nectar- for topping

Directions: Mix everything in a mug. Microwave for 50 sec. Flip mug over on to a plate until the muffin falls out.

Skin foods

If there's one thing I know a lot about, it's bad skin. I have had pretty bad acne since I can remember and It's still something I deal with everyday. Changing my diet has really helped manage my skin, and reduce my breakouts. Here I want to share with you some of the best foods to eat when dealing with troubled skin. Even if you you have great skin these are good ways to maintain healthy glowing skin!

This is good compared to before!

mostly scarring left.

1. Avocado- I LOVE avocados! They have a very unique texture, and taste great with so many different foods. Whether it's topping a veggie burger, sandwich, rice dish, or making guacamole, avocados just        make every meal special and tasty. They contain essential oils, and B-complex vitamins, which protect your skin from UV rays, and wrinkles. Avocados contain a sufficient amount of niacin (vitamin B3), which reduces redness, and soothes the skin. The vitamin E in avocados protects the cell membranes of the skin from everyday harm. Also, avocados are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our skin from free radicals that our body produce from oxidation. However, one thing to keep in mind when eating avocados is that they are high in fat (monosaturated= healthy fat). I like to view avocados like I do olive oil, it's good to have, but in small amounts. Don't go scarfing down a bowl of guacamole, instead add three thin slices to your sandwich. Avocados can also be applied to the face! http://www.drgranny.com/2011/04/05/avocado-face-mask/. Try out some of these easy at home avocado face masks!

2. Mangoes-This fruit is rich in vitamin A! Vitamin A repairs skin cells, and if you don't get enough you'll notice your skin begin to get really dry. Like vitamin E, Vitamin A is an antioxidant and fights against skin damaging free radicals. Mangoes are relatively low in calories and can easily be incorporated into any diet. I have a recipe to come that has mango, dried cranberries, blueberries, and quinoa!

3. Water- I can't stress this enough! If there's one thing that helps my skin the most it would be drinking     water. When I wake up in the morning my eyes are extremely puffy and my face looks swollen. So the first   thing I do is drink 8oz or more of water. I hate water, I know weird, but I force my self to drink at least 48 fl oz a day. I like to add a little lemon juice or POM juice just so It's not unbearable. My skin stays hydrated even when I'm applying harsh prescription medication twice a day. It also has cleared my skin so much! I went from waking up with 5 new pimples on my face to about 1. So drink up!

4. Almonds, eggs, spinach- Like avocados they contain Vitamin E, which protects our cell membranes of the skin. Not only that, but they keep you full and contain essential healthy fats. I always keep a bag of almonds around either for breakfast, toppings, or a snack on the go!

5.Cottage cheese- We all know dairy products are good for your skin, but cottage cheese also contains selenium. Selenium helps protect against free radicals when it's paired with vitamin E. It also fights dandruff, and prevents skin cancer. I love non-fat cottage cheese mixed with sweet fruits such as , red grapes, banana, red delicious apple, and any in season berry.

6. Zinc rich roods- Zinc affects sebum production. A deficiency seems to increase acne. Here are some zinc rich foods in order: oysters, wheat germ, veil liver, sesame seeds, low fat roast beef, pumpkin/squash seeds, dark chocolate/cocoa powder, lamb, and more check this article out! http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/zinc.php
7.Berries- The richer and darker the color the more antioxidants it has! As I said before, antioxidants protect your skin from harmful free radicals produced by cell oxidation.
8.Flaxseed- It's an anti-inflammatory because of it's omega-3 fatty acids, which helps reduce redness in acne.
9.Salmon- Also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
10. Oranges, tomatos, melons- vitamin C rich foods, help protect your skin from scarring.
Foods to Avoid!!- High in IOdine (salt), "White foods (breads, fries, etc)"
Sources:
http://www.avocado.org.au/resources/articles/articles.aspx?articleID=5
http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/psoriasis/tips/feed_your_face_10_foods_for_better_skin.aspx?gclid=CI2tqJzS664CFQIBQAodWxx2IA&trans=1&du=1&ef_id=d%40dNgRcPwCYAAIWh%3a20120316143649%3as

Microwave Minute Muffin

I'm always keeping my eyes open for quick, and tasty recipes (healthy of course). I was just channel surfing and Dr. Oz was on. I have never watched it, but  noticed they were cooking. Turns out I just found an amazingly unique and healthy recipe. All these ingredients are easy to get, cheap, and have multiple health benefits. So here it is...Jorge Cruise's Microwave Minute Muffing

I'm excited to experiment with this recipe and add fruit and nuts and different protein powders! Do the same!

Here's a picture of mine now:)

Ingredients
1/4 cup Flaxseed meal
1 Egg
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp coconut oil (or whatever you have but this is the healthiest)
1 packet of stevia
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (my little touch)
Agave nectar-to put on top

Mix all ingredients in a mug. Microwave for 50sec. Remove and shake out muffin on to a plate. Drizzle on some agave nectar or maple syrup. Eat! Yum!

Quinoa & Peppers

Well in honor of this beautiful spring day, I thought I would make a fresh quinoa and pepper stir fry! I love mixing colors in my food, makes it taste better. hehe

I also wanted to share this because I don't think as many people have had quinoa before.  It's pretty much the healthiest grain out there, and has a unique shape/texture. The first time I had it I didn't like it. I think It's because I went into it expecting something more like rice.  I have been experimenting with this grain a bit, and now that I found its perfect match, bell peppers, I can't believe I ever doubted quinoa! I know I gave some facts about quinoa in a previous blog, but here it is again for those who missed it! Everything you need to know about "mother of all grains".

1. Protein-contains all 9 essential amino acids. Our bodies don't produce these, hence the name essential, and are key to the building blocks of muscles.

2. Magnesium: Relaxes blood vessels, which helps reduce migraines, and regulates blood pressure. Quinoa also reduces migraines because of the Riboflavin (vit B12).

3. Fiber- promotes colon health, and helps with digestion. 

4. Mangenese & Copper- Act as antioxidants that rid the body of harmful, cancerous substances

These are just a few of there benefits here are some articles that go more indepth!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice 

http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php 

As usual this is a quick, tasty, and healthy meal any one can make. I had a two hour break between classes today so I took some of that time to make this beauty! Enjoy :)

Looks good, Right!?

Ingredients (one serving)
Bell peppers 1 cup chopped
White onion 1/2 cup chopped
Quinoa 2 tbsp dry (1/8 cup)
Salt to taste
Pepper 1/4 teaspoon
Crushed red peppers to taste
Fresh squeezed Lemon to taste
Parmesan -pinch
Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions (15-20min). Set quinoa aside and stir fry peppers, onion, and seasoning (no oil needed). I cooked them about (5-10min) so that they still had a crunch. Mix together quinoa and veggies and sprinkle on some Parmesan and extra salt if needed.

Simple Soups

I hardly ever follow a recipe to a tee. I replace things with healthier ingredients, take out spices I know I don't like, and add things I have laying around. Every week I make a soup with ingredients that I have in my fridge/cabinet. I love having soup around for days when I need a quick, filling, healthy meal. I thought I would share with you two soup recipes that I have made over the past two weeks (one per week).

These soups are super easy to make and only use a few ingredients. I hate finding recipes with a list of ingredients and spices longer than a roll of toilet paper. The whole purpose of these soups is to use what you ALREADY have!!! It's a good way to use vegetables you haven't used that week, and/or beans you still have in your cabinet. Here is my process!

Thank you Mike for my camera!

Here's a third soup I just made today for week three!
Wild Rice Mushroom soup-with out the heavy creams!
Mushrooms-small package sliced
Milk- 1 cup skim
Carrots-3 large peeled and cut
Vegetable broth-4cups
Wild Rice- 1/4 -1/2 cup pre cooked (I bought it precooked and frozen)
Onion-1/2 cup (use whatever kind, I mixed green and yellow onion)
Garlic- 2 cloves
I sauted the mushrooms in a tsp of olive oil, with the garlic and onions till cooked. Then added the vegetable broth, milk, and carrots. Cook on high til it boils then reduce heat and simmer til the carrots are soft. I added salt and pepper as I went, to taste. Warm, filling, and tasty!


Soup #1
Zucchini Broccoli Soup
Frozen Broccoli (half bag)- one of my weekly frozen veggies I buy
Zucchini- (two small chopped)- my splurge vegetable that week
Chick peas (1/3 can ish)- always have them!
Frozen butternut squash- left over from Mac & cheese delite http://yumfoodrachel.blogspot.com/2012/02/mac-cheese-delite-my-all-time-favorite.html
Yellow onion- (half chopped) cheap veggie
Garlic-(two cloves) always have it!
Salt, pepper, crushed red peppers to taste- favorite seasonings
Squeezed lemon juice (half lemon)- use in my water so I added it
Vegetable broth- (so it just covers the vegetables in a large pan)- I had it left over but water works too

I pureed it!

Directions: Throw all the ingredients in a large pot and cook on medium heat for 5 min then on low until the vegetables are soft. Cool for an hour then puree in a blender. Store in the fridge. I sprinkle with a little cheese when I eat it:)

Soup #2
Carrot Leek Soup
Carrots-2-3 cups chopped carrots
Leek- 1 chopped bulb and lower leaf
White onion- 1/2 cups
Chickpeas-half can
Potato 1 medium peeled and chopped
garlic 2 cloves
salt, pepper, crushed red peppers to taste
Vegetable broth/water til it covered the veggies in a large pot
Directions: Same as the first soup only this one I did not puree!

TAsty!

It's a Toss up

Out all day?  Tired when you get home? Short on time? Need a protein meal? Salads are your answer. They are easy to pack when your out and about and super quick to make. You can get all the flavors of a typical meal, feel full, and spend half the calories. There are so many ways to dress a salad and make it unique.  Here is my salad making technique!

This is a romaine red cabbage mix of greens. I added chickpeas, cranberries, and garbanzo beans. For the dressing I used Caesar, lemon, salt and pepper.

Yummmmm!

Bagged Greens:(I buy bagged lettuce and use about half the bag per salad if I'm really hungry I use the whole bag.)
Arugala
Romaine
Spring Mix
Spinach
Cabbage mix
(Not iceberg! There is no nutritional value in iceberg if you need the crunch add cabbage or eat the center of romaine. The darker the green the better it is for you. I also switch it up between different greens so I don't get bored.)

Protein:
Any Bean: garbanzo, kidney, blackbeans, etc
Meat: chicken, turkey, tuna (I normally don't add meat unless I have the time to make it)
Nuts: almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts etc
(I prefer shredded and smaller nuts for salads)

Cheese:
Any shredded cheese my favorite is parmesan!
only use about a tablespoon

Dried fruits
apricots, cranberries, raisins etc
Sprinkle on a few (high in sugar) for a sweet taste

Dressing:
I always add a few shakes of salt and pepper and squeeze a bit of lemon juice over my salad before any dressing. This adds flavor so that you don't over do the dressing.
I buy 365 brand organic caesar dressing and use about a tablespoon (use the dressing you like)
If you don't want dressing use olive  oil and vinegar to taste.

Here are just a few ideas but the possibilities are endless.