Homemade Protein Bar

If you live in the Arlington area, you’ve probably heard of the new stop in restaurant called Protein Bar. The focus around Protein Bar is preparing fresh, healthy food that is not too high in carbs, but has plenty of protein.  Quinoa is a complete protein. It is high in fiber and minerals. Quinoa is not a grain, but a seed. Many of Protein Bar’s lunch options use quinoa as the base.  I’ve tried a few of the shakes and enjoy the fact that you can choose between almond, 2%, and soy milk. They also offer egg, soy, and whey protein. I haven’t had a shake in years because most smoothie joints still offer dairy as the only option. I recommend Protein Bar’s chili, spinach chicken pesto, and buffalo chicken bowls.  For shakes, The Blue Line, The Red Line, and their Winterberry season smoothie are your best bets. After eating at the Protein Bar for a week straight, I realized I could make most of the meals myself. Here’s a recipe that includes a ton os veggies, quinoa, and protein!

What You’ll Need:

Makes Four Servings

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup mixed vegetables
• 1 bag spinach
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Recipe:

In a pot with a fitted lid, place 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 cup diced onion. Saute for 2 minutes.  Add broth and rinsed quinoa and bring to a boil. Once boiling put burner on low and add vegetables. Stir and place lid on the pot for 15 minutes.  Do not touch or stir.  Once liquid is absorbed, add 1 bag of washed spinach leaves and place lid on pot until leaves are wilted (about 2 minutes). Stir and serve. Top with baked chicken breast, chicken sausage, or grilled tofu.

 

http://www.theproteinbar.com/

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito

Am I the only one that gets so excited when a random meal turns out to be amazing? I know that must sound weird to some, but the other night some magic happened right here in the heart of Baltimore.

I needed a burrito. Not just the typical Chipotle burrito, I wanted something a little lighter and healthier. I decided to challenge myself with food that I already had in my pantry. Sometimes, this is disastrous and I get mad at myself for not following recipes, but this time, it turned out right. The ingredients list is short, and so simple, but trust me. This burrito is so tasty, not to mention a great meatless monday idea!

Since I always have black beans, I knew this was a must. I needed protein and I asked myself, “what goes with black beans?” And I thought, Sweet potatoes, baby, SWEET POTATOES! So, I went to work. I decided that I wanted the black beans to be similar to refried beans so I cooked them at the same time as the sweet potatoes. This allowed them to become quite soft by the time the sweet potatoes were cooked all the way through. I added about 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil to 1/2 can of black beans and 2 small cubed sweet potatoes. I stirred these around until the sweet potatoes were soft. This took around 10-15 minutes.

Because I am completely obsessed with kale, I had to add some to my burrito, along with huge slices of avocado. I always add garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper to my food. It’s starting to become a habit which might not be a good thing but, so far so good! I also added 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and the flavoring was perfect.

I also found that by heating up the tortilla first, it allowed the burrito to be rolled much more easily. I lightly toasted each side of the whole wheat tortilla in a pan and placed everything inside of the burrito while still warm. Roll it tightly, cut the burrito in half, and enjoy.  Be sure to add about 1/4 of an avocado. This was one of my favorite parts of the burrito!

Delish! I ate my burrito with a small salad because I was starving. Mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and some balsamic dressing did just the trick.

In the burrito:

2 Small Sweet Potatoes

1/2 Can of Black Beans

1/2 Cup of Raw Kale (unfortunately this is all I could fit! If you can fit more, go for it!)

1/4 Sliced Avocado

1 Tbsp Balsamic Dressing

Sea Salt, Garlic Powder, and Pepper to taste

Super Veggie Spaghetti

When I was little, we had a rule in our house that we could not leave the table until everything on our plate was eaten. Still, to this day, I always eat everything on my plate. My mom never wanted to waste any food and I have turned out the same way. When I made spaghetti with meatballs over the weekend, I had a lot of cooked spaghetti left over. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had pasta! I normally don’t crave it and therefore don’t buy it. Because I don’t like to waste food, I was trying to figure out how to make a healthy meal while using the leftover spaghetti. I decided to just load the dish up with various vegetables and go from there. This meal was completely unplanned but it turned out really tasty! It’s very simple and doesn’t involve a lot of prep. I will definitely “plan” to make this one again!

What you’ll need:

-Whole wheat spaghetti or pasta of your choice

-Sliced Grilled Chicken

-Chopped Collard Greens, stems removed (about 2 1/2 – 3 cups)

-Sliced Cherry Tomatoes (a big handful)

-Diced 1/2 Yellow Onion

-Halved Green Beans (1/2 cup or more)

-1 tbsp Red Pepper Chili Flakes

-1 tbsp Dried Basil

-1 tbsp Garlic Powder

-1 tbsp Sea Salt

-a pinch of Crushed Black Pepper

1. To maximize time, put the collard greens in a pan and steam on a back burner.

2. In another pan, add the chopped onion and green beans with olive oil and sauté until soft.

3. Grill the chicken in olive oil and season with a pinch of sea salt, garlic powder, and pepper.

4. Once the chicken is cooked, take off of the stove and allow to cool.

5. Slice the cherry tomatoes and chicken and add to the steamed collard greens. Add the green beans to this pan along with the spaghetti.

6.  Sprinkle red pepper chili flakes, dried basil, more sea salt, and garlic powder to the dish. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with sliced avocado. Add more spices if desired.  *Because I didn’t plan to post this, I didn’t take exact measurements for the spices. Slowly add the spices and taste before adding a ton of everything. The red pepper chili flakes can be really spicy!

Multigrain Flaxseed Silver Dollar Pancakes

It’s been a while since I posted about my favorite meal of the day: Breakfast! Every weekend, I try to change up my regular routine of oatmeal. I eat it so much that sometimes I’m scared I’ll get sick of it…so far, so good! Yesterday, I had a request to make some pancakes. Pancakes and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the pancakes themselves, but I’m a HORRIBLE flipper. I get frustrated when they don’t look perfect, and being the control freak that I am, this normally ruins my breakfast. Hence why I normally choose the waffle route. As I was whipping up some batter, I thought, why not make them smaller so they’re easier to flip? An idea so simple, I don’t know why I hadn’t tried it before.

A few weeks ago, I bought some multigrain pancake mix from Trader Joe’s and I love it. It’s a much better alternative than the regular pancake mix I had as I was growing up. This mix makes fluffy, perfect pancakes. To increase the health factor, I decided to add some flaxseed into the pancakes as well. Last time I added Chia seeds to my waffles. This time, I was gently asked not to add them to these pancakes! I’m not sure what it is, but I find that men and chia seeds do not mix! The flax seed was accepted much more positively : )

Here’s what you’ll need:

-2 cups pancake mix

-1 cup almond milk or any milk of your choice

-1/2 cup olive oil

-2 eggs

-2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Warm a pan on the stove under medium heat and spray olive oil onto the pan. It definitely helps to wait until the pan is warm so that the mix doesn’t spread as far. Use a soup ladle to pour the pancake mix onto the pan! Serve warm with sliced fruit and pure maple syrup.

Not only were these pancakes easier to make, they were healthier, tastier, and more fun to eat! Enjoy!

Cutting Board Creations

Most of my meals start at the cutting board. I thought I’d take some pictures of my favorite cutting board creations recently. I love adding as many vegetables and fruits into a meal as I can. Since I normally have oatmeal for breakfast and a salad for lunch, I try to mix up the toppings from time to time. For breakfast, I always like to add an apple to my oatmeal but everything else varies. Below is what I have been doing for the past week and I still love it! Great flavor!

What’s in my oatmeal:

-a big handful of oats (around 1/2 cup)

-1 apple, diced

-Dried cranberries

-Frozen Blueberries

-Sliced Almonds

-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon *The other day my roommate put Cumin in her oatmeal my accident! Be careful when adding this! I always double check

-A splash of almond milk if dry

My salads change a lot more than my oatmeal does just because I get bored of having the same lunch every day. I always use a spring mix blend of mixed greens and a balsamic dressing. I’m going to start making my own dressing soon but for now I just use a balsamic dressing from work. Below was my favorite combination from last week!

-Ah yes, Chicken Sausage. What would I do without you? This flavor is Sweet Italian

-Sliced Avocado

-Halved Cherry Tomatoes

-Peeled Whole Carrot

-Chopped Hearts of Palm (SO good!)

-Grilled Green Beans

I should also note that I make my breakfast AND lunch the night before! I store them in glass tupperware containers and transfer to a reusable bag before I head out the door. One thing I hate is being rushed in the morning so this allows me to have spare time as I’m getting ready for the day. Preparation is key for me!

Quick and Easy Stir Fry

Want something fast and homemade for dinner? Why not whip up some stir fry? I came up with this recipe after reading Trader Joe’s most popular items of 2012. I wanted to incorporate their brown rice.

What You’ll Need: 

olive oil

1 package organic  free range chicken breasts or super firm tofu

1 cup snap peas

1 cup baby carrots

1/2 white onion sliced

1 cup broccoli

1 bottle low sodium teryaki sauce (check the sodium and sugar)

Trader Joe’s frozen organic brown rice (or bulgar, quinoa, etc…)

Directions

If using tofu, drain and press in paper towels between two plates for about 10 minutes to remove excess water. Cut tofu or chicken into strips. Turn a large skillet to medium-high and coat with a thin layer of olive oil. Place chicken or tofu in the pan, be sure to not add too much so it cooks evenly. After 4 minutes, turn over the protein. Remove from pan. Prepare rice or carbohydrate of choice accordingly. Add a little more oil and toss in vegetables. Place a lid over the sauce pan for 2 minutes.  Remove the lid and toss the vegetables continuously for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add protein back in and sprinkle on sauce. Stir for about one minute. Top 1/2 cup rice with 1 cup of vegetables and chicken stir fry. Add siracha for additional flavor.

Serve with a side of steamed edamame in the pod.

What So Proudly We Kale

Kale. One of my staple items every week at the grocery store.

When I did my post from Trader Joe’s a few week back, Elise asked me how I incorporated Kale into my diet. I eat Kale or mixed greens at least once a day, if not twice a day. Some people like raw kale, however, that is just not for me. I have tried a few “kale salads” with extremely tasty dressing, but I can’t get over the leaf-like consistency of uncooked kale. If you’re anything like me, but haven’t tried steamed kale, well get ready taste buds, because you’re in for a treat!

There are a few reasons why I love kale. The top reason is because it’s so good for you. Kale is rich in vitamins such as Vitamin K, and Vitamin A. Not to mention it’s high in Calcium, Potassium, and Manganese! Okay enough about the health benefits, just try it already.

Easy ways to prepare kale:

1. Put about a cup of kale in a microwave safe bowl, add about a tablespoon of water, and microwave, covered, for about 30 seconds. This creates steamed kale.

2. If you are creating a stir-fry with kale which is what I mostly do, I find a pan with a lid, place about 1-2 cups of cleaned, chopped kale (discard stems!) in the pan, and add about 1 tablespoon of water. Cover the pan with the lid and cook on medium/high heat for about 3 minutes. This also creates steamed kale. You can add anything you want after this, the possibilities are endless: cooked rice, quinoa, chicken, chicken sausage, beans, tomatoes, onions, you name it.

3. My mom told me about this way this weekend and I still have not tried it, however, as I have mentioned before, she is a wonderful cook, so I trust her. Lately, she has been tossing cleaned, chopped kale with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of tamari (organic soy sauce) and frying it until soft. I think I’m going to try it out tomorrow! I can only imagine how awesome the flavor is! I might also add some garlic powder. YUM!

Below are some recipe ideas that I have made recently that incorporate kale:

The above picture shows steamed kale, cooked brown rice, with pan seared chicken and asparagus. My favorite seasonings for a dish like this are simple: sea salt, garlic powder, and pepper.

Remember Chana Masala from my grocery store post? It’s so simple and so tasty. Here I added cooked Chana Masala, cherry tomatoes, a cooked sweet onion, steamed kale, and quinoa. The Chana Masala has so much flavor you don’t need to add any additional spices.

This is from my lentil and kale soup post! Here I just added raw kale to the soup while all ingredients were simmering. Very easy way to incorporate greens. This would also be great with spinach.

Steamed Kale + Chicken Sausage + Green beans + Cherry tomatoes = simple and healthy. I was definitely still hungry after this though. Try adding wild rice or barley to this!

I hope these simple recipes have inspired you to eat more kale! I like to buy my kale already cleaned and cut in a bag. Kale also comes in bunches. Another additional bonus is that it’s cheaper than lettuce! I buy one pack of mixed greens and one pack of chopped kale every week. This way, I am actually saving money when I choose a bag of kale over two bags of lettuce. Enjoy!

My Lazy Sunday Meal

I’m not sure why it has taken me this long to try acorn squash, but I finally did last night.

It all started with my weekly trip to Trader Joe’s. I was missing spaghetti squash since it’s no longer in season, and on a whim, I decided to pick up an acorn squash and put it in my cart.

When I got home, finished unpacking my groceries and doing other Sunday tasks, I was feeling tired. I knew I had to make dinner unless I wanted to keep snacking on hummus and triscuits, so I decided to look up how to roast an acorn squash. Little did I know, it’s exactly like roasting a spaghetti squash! Pre-heat the oven to 400 F, slice the squash in half, rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you’re good to go. I roasted my acorn squash for 45 minutes and it turned out perfectly.

I sliced half of the acorn squash into strips, peeled off the skin, and placed over a bed of steamed kale.

Please note, after about 20 minutes of reading directions on how to prepare acorn squash, not once did I see anyone mention taking the skin off before consuming. I had to call my mom and ask her if you ate the skin. Yes, I was about the eat the skin…moving on. While I was at Trader Joe’s, I also bought a jar of tomato sauce. I normally try to make my own, however, I was feeling lazy hence the title of this post. I definitely recommend this sauce. I loved it!

I heated up some of the tomato sauce, and poured it on top of my squash and kale. Voila! A quick, easy, vegetarian, not to mention healthy, lazy sunday meal. I used the other half of my acorn squash for today’s lunch. Talk about being productive! It’s going to be a good week, I can already tell.

Italian Chickpea Salad

Perfect as a dip with pita chips, on a salad, or in a wrap.

Recipe:

Serves 4

1 can rinsed garbanzo beans

1 tomato diced

1 avocado chopped

1/2 green pepper diced

1/8 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic minced

2 minced basil leaves

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

These frozen herb cubes are great for cooking! Pick them up at Trader Joe’s

Combine all ingredients, excluding avocado. Fold in avocado.  Will stay fresh for up to 5 days

Eggs with Sweet Potato Hash

I can honestly say that this past holiday might have been my unhealthiest to date. My self-control went completely out the window. By Christmas morning, I was eating gingerbread cookies for breakfast and liking it. I woke up yesterday morning feeling like a dehydrated sack of potatoes. I know it sounds harsh but it’s true! I had lost all self-control. A while back, Elise posted about falling off the wagon. Last week was definitely one of my worst, but Christmas is over. Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is my favorite holiday. It was lovely, but I am ready to start eating healthy again. To start off my healthy eating binge, I made eggs with collard greens and sweet potatoes for breakfast. It was exactly what I needed.

I started off with slicing and dicing half of a sweet potato into small cubes. I transferred the pieces into a glass bowl and microwaved them for 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, I rinsed 2 collard green leaves and cut them into ribbons. I transferred the ribbons into a pan and added 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

While the collard greens were sautéing, I chopped up 1/4 of a white onion and added it with the sweet potatoes into another pan to continue cooking.

After approximately 5 minutes, I created a circle in the middle of the pan of collard greens, sprayed olive oil and cracked 2 eggs into the circle. Allow the eggs to cook until slightly watery on top. Turn the oven to broil, and broil the eggs and collard greens until the eggs have achieved your desired level of runny-ness.

Take the pan out of the oven and transfer to a plate. Transfer the sweet potato hash to the plate as well. Garnish with salt and pepper or any other spices desired. I used a pinch of garlic salt, red pepper, and cumin.

Healthy, wholesome breakfast achieved!