Salmon Zucchini Cakes

I came up with this recipe when I was trying to figure out a creative way to make my ever famous salmon patties which my mother adores yet my father just likes. My goal is to always make a hit- something that will leave my customers wanting more of whatever it was that I served. So when I thought about adding the zucchini into - it seemed perfect. It adds a little more taste to it and it is super (!!) healthy. And for those of you that don't like zucchini you can either just put less in or skip it...But I think yo should try it.


Salmon Zucchini Cakes

2 6 oz. canned salmon
1/2 cup of shredded zucchini
1/8 tsp. of onion powder
1/8 tsp. of salt
1/8 tsp. of dry mustard
2 eggs
1/2 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tbsp. of low fat mayo

1. shred the zucchini
2. drain and mash the canned salmon and then add in the zucchini, onion powder, salt, dry mustard and mayo and mix well.
3. add in 2 eggs and the bread crumbs
4. spray a pan with Pam cooking oil and allow it to heat for 2 minutes
5. form the paste into mini pancakes and place on pan and cook for on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side- flipping it periodically
6. serve with ketchup, mustard, sour cream or whatever your heart's desire!

Fresh Baked Salmon with Lemon Sauce and Salad

This was a huge hit at my house and I know it will be the same at yours!

Fresh Baked Salmon with Lemon Sauce and Salad

4 oz. salmon fillets
4 tbsp. of lemon juice
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic salt powder
1/2 tbsp. of olive oil
1 c. seasoned bread crumbs

1. mix the lemon juice, black pepper, olive oil and garlic salt powder together
2. drizzle over the salmon and coat well- Allow it to marinate over night
3. preheat oven to 350
4.  coat the salmon in egg and then place into a baking dish
5. pour bread crumbs over salmon making sure it is fully covered
6. bake for 30 minutes
7. pour your favorite Fresh Express salad mixture into bowl along with your favorite dressing - serve with baked fish on the side..Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie

I know what you're thinking when you saw this post..healthy? Well like I said my whole angel is taking everyday recipes we all love and are used to and making them healthy. So while this recipe does have sugar in it and fat it is done in a healthy way to leave you feeling guilt free.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
1/2 cup of unsalted I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
1 cup of sugar in the raw
1 tsp. of vanilla
1/2 cups of 100% whole wheat flour
2 organic large eggs
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cups of Hershey Chocolate coco

Cheesecake Filling
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened (low fat)
1/2 cup Splenda
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 ts. salt

Frosting
3 tbsp. of Hershey Coco
1/4 c. water
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

1. mix all the dry ingredients together fro the brownie mixture: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, Coco,
2 mix the eggs and butter and then add in the dry mixture - mix well
3. pour half into a greased pan
4. with an electric mixture mix the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla together
5. pour into brownie mixture and then pour the rest of the brownie mixture on top
6. bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 25 minutes
7. allow it to cool for 20 minutes
8. mix the Coco, water and powdered sugar together until creamy - frost the brownies.
9. leave to harden for a few hours

Serve and Enjoy! 

Thanksgiving 101

So this post is very important to me because it speaks about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all that we are blessed with and to a time to give back to those who are not as fortunate as we are. It is also a time to spend with loved ones- family and friends and share in those delicious traditional foods. Thanksgiving is also a time when a lot of us eat more than we should. Did you know that on average a person consumes more 3,000 calories? How is that possible you ask? Well you have the appetizers which normally consist of nuts, poppy kock, mushroom puffs, olives and so forth- easy 400 calories right there. Then you have the turkey with cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, string beans, rolls, butter, and all your other traditional family recipes and then you have dessert...So when I say 3,000 or more I stress the more. But it is Thanksgiving so why not eat as much as you want, right? WRONG! Thanksgiving is not a time to over do it- it is a time to indulge a little but you need to be careful how you indulge and where you indulge. In this post I will share a few recipes that you should all have. It will leave you feeling much better at the end of the day- both mentally and physically.

Appetizers
Serve: honey roasted peanuts, salted cashews, and mini clementine cuties

Main Meal
Serve turkey with homemade cranberry sauce (2 pints cranberries, water and sugar in the raw- heat up the cranberries add the water and 1/4 cup of sugar)

Spiced String Beans (3 lbs of fresh string beans with 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup of water- mix together and cook uncovered for 30 minutes


Mashed Potatoes (peel potatoes leaving some skin, boil them and then mash them - add 2 tbsp. of diced onions, 1 tbsp. of unsalted butter, dash of salt

Candied Sweet Potatoes (6 sweet potatoes -peeled and baked for 1 hour. cut them into cubes and pour over 1 cup of orange juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 c. bourbon- bake for another 45 minutes (stirring occasional)

Spinach Salad- 2 cups of fresh spinach, 1 8 oz. can of mandarin oranges, sprinkle some sunflower seeds, sliced strawberries and honey mustard dressing (light) mixed in.

Butternut Squash Muffins (skip the roles and use these instead)

Stuffing- 8 cups of whole wheat bread cubes, 1/4 cup of chopped celery, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, 2 cups of mushrooms, 2 cups of chicken broth, dash of salt and pepper, 1/4 tsp. onion/garlic mixture, 1/4 tbsp. fresh parsley- Bake in oven for 1 hour











Dessert
Peanut Butter Balls (14 oz of 100% natural peanut butter, 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 3 cups confectionery sugar AND 14 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips, boiling water and 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter) - mix peanut butter, vanilla, melted butter and confectionery sugar together and the roll them into 3 inch balls. place in fridge for at least 2 hours. Then in a double broiled melt the chocolate with the butter. Dip the firm peanut butter balls into the choc mixture covering half way. Place down on parchment paper and place back in fridge over night or until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Choc Chip Cookies 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened, 1 cup of 100% pure pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, tsp. vanilla. Follow these steps:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Crust Free Apple Pie (4 green apples peeled and slice, place into a baking dish, sprinkle with lemon juice, then mix 2/3 cups of veg. oil, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of sugar and 4 eggs. Mix together and pour over the apples. Preheat oven to 350 bake for 1 hour and then mix 1 tsp. of cinnamon with 2 tbsp. sugar and sprinkle over while hot. Serve cold or warm- but must let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Fresh Fruit/Nuts

And you can also search my blog for other favorites such as:
Baked Squash
Real Carrot Cookies
Moroccan Carrots
Nutella Balls
Apple Cranberry Crisp

Italian Baked Flounder and Spring Mix Salad

First off- I need say how sorry I am for not posting in a while. I've been busy outside the kitchen..but now it is time to get busy inside the kitchen. This recipe I am going to share is very easy and very (very) healthy.
A few simple ingrediants we all have plus 1 special one. And I promise when you are doing you will wish you had made more.

Italian Baked Flounder and Spring Mix Salad 

3 pounds of fresh or frozen flounder- If it is frozen make sure you deforst it. It takes about 8 hours to defrost
1 tsp. of oregano
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 bag of Fresh Express 50/50 Spring Mix

1. preheat your oven to 350
2. clean the frozen and then drizzle 2 tbsp. of olive oil over it and 1 tsp. of dried oregano
3. bake in oven for 15-20 minutes
4. pour the reminaing 2 tbsp. of olive oil and red wine vinegar over the salad and then add the salt - serve it with the flounder on the side.

Yummy!!

                                                       

Oatmeal Bake Casserole

This recipe is probably a favorite because once you get the idea of how to make it you can change it up every time. You won't need to remember exact measurements or specific ingredients, it's more of move as you feel type of thing. I chose the ingredients I use because they're the healthiest and lowest in calories. For example, a banana is high in potassium and has lots of fiber but also has 110 calories in just one medium banana! So I chose berries instead - which each cup has only 80 calories. (1 cup of bananas has about 200 calories) So that is more than double. But if you like bananas use them- after all it's a fruit- it isn't like you are choosing a donut or cookie!

You can make this for almost any occasion. I think it is best for breakfast, snack of if you're hosting a brunch party- maybe for a shower or on Christmas morning. Something new and difference is always nice.

Oatmeal Bake Casserole

3 cups of quick oats
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 tsp. of honey
1/4 cup of mixed slithered almonds, raisins, cranberries
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries and blueberries
2 eggs
1/2 cup of soy vanilla milk

Preheat oven to 350
1. mix all your dry ingredients together except for the fresh fruit and honey
2. pour into a pan and spread evenly
3. add the honey and the fruit evenly across the oatmeal mixture
4. bean the eggs and mix with the milk
5. pour it over the mixture
6. bake at 350 for 35 minutes

Serve Warm!
It's so good!
Calories- less than 200 per slice.

Note- you can always add chocolate chips if you want to go "unhealthy"

Baked Squash with Brown Sugar

Okay this recipe might be the easiest one yet. And I know I say that all the time but this time I mean it. It is healthy, light and full of so much nutrition for you and your family. I love making this for my family in the fall. Squash is always ripe in the fall and is a very popular vegetable.

Baked Squash with Brown Sugar 
1 squash - peeled and cubed
2 tbsp. olive oil
dash of salt
4 tbsp. of light brown sugar
dash of cinnamon

1. preheat oven to 375
2. peel the squash and cubed it and evenly place accross a large bakign dish
3. melted the butter and then slowly add the brown sugar and stir until pasty
4. pour over the squash and then sprinle with cinnamon
5. bake for 1 hour



Serve!

Note- you can add this to your stuffing for Thanksgiving. It's a little different and it will add some extra color to your stuffing. If you do chose to add the squash- use 16oz of canned mushroom pieces, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, 1/2 cup raisins, 2 stalks of celery, 2 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 onion, 1/8 tsp. of garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 loaf of chopped whole grain gluten free bread

Baked Apple Cobbler

With the Jewish New Year approaching I decided to share a very tasty and very healthy apple dessert. This recipe is so good and will leave you satisfied and ready to take on the new year. A year that I hope is a fulfilling both spirtiually, socially, financially and in all areas of your life.

Baked Apple Cobbler

3 green apples - peeled and sliced and then cut in half
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. honey
2 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
2 tbsp. of shortening

1. preheat your ovento 350
2. cut the apple and arrange in a dish
3. spinkle with cinnamon
4. heat the shortening and add the oats, brown sugar and honey until the oat mixture is brown
5. pour ontop of your apples and bake for 45 minutes
6. drizzle some more cinnamon ontop before servving (if you'd like)

Enjoy! Happy New Year 

Hawaii Tropical Chicken

This recipe is always (and I stress ALWAYS) a hit in my home. The first I made it was a summer day in July and we were having company over. So of course I made extra because no one ever wants to take the last piece but often times people want seconds or even thirds. Well someone took the last piece, yes it was that good!! So I then made it again and again it was a huge hit! This recipe you may have heard of before but my version is healthy not like many of the others. My recipe won't leave you feeling guilty even if you have 2 (or even 3) pieces. Promise!

 Hawaii Tropical Chicken
8 piece of chicken thigh or 8 boneless white chicken breast
20oz of canned pineapple in juice (NOT SYRUP)
3/4 cup of no high fructose corn syrup ketchup
3/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup of packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp. of fresh ginger OR 1/4 tsp. of powdered ginger
1/2 tsp garlic 


1. drain the pineapple juice into a bowl
2. put the pineapple slices/chunks aside
3. add in the no high fructose corn syrup, light brown sugar, low sodium soy sauce with the pineapple juice and mix
4. add in the ginger and garlic and mix and set aside
5. clean the chicken well and place into a large freezer bag
6. pour the pineapple juice mixture into the bag and make sure the juice gets everywhere- under the skins and just everywhere.
7. Place the freezer bag into a bowl- add in 1/2 the can of the pineapple chunks and allow to marinate for 3-4 hours.
8. Preheat oven to 350 and pour the chicken into a baking dish and then pour the left over mixture juice on top- If you used dark chicken thighs- bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes if you used to boneless chicken breast bake for 30 minutes
9. Before you serve garnish the serving plate with the rest of the pineapple chunks that have not yet been cooked.

(This chicken is great the next day and excellent served cold!)

Eat up!!

Salmon Kabobs (4th of July Post 4)

Okay so on the 4th of July, you will have people that chose not to eat meat so you need to have an alternate options- these grilled salmon kabobs are sure to please them (and everyone else at the party!) They're healthy, low calories, low in fat and absolutely guilt free!!

Salmon Kabobs
16 oz. (1 lb) of salmon fillet
2 cups of pineapple cut into cubes
2 cups of any getable

Salmon Marinate 
2 tbsp. of fresh parsley
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbsp. Heinz no high fructose corn syrup ketchup
2 tbsp. of brown sugar
1 tsp. of salt
1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper

Pineapple Marinate
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup of soy sauce

1. combine all all ingredients together (not the vegetable of your choice, pineapple and salmon)
2. clean the salmon and then add in to the marinate and make sure the marinate covers all the salmon fillets - then place in resealable freezer bag and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour or two)
3. preheat the oven to 450* and cook salmon for 5 minutes- then take out and allow it to cool
4. while the salmon is cooking, boil some water and steam the vegetable until firm but tender (about 5 minutes)
5.enough to touch (15 minutes) cut the salmon into cubes and
6. while the salmon is cooling - cut the pineapple into chunks and coat them in the pineapple marinate
then carefully place them on the skewers alternating it with the pineapple chunks and the vegetable chunks
6. return to oven (bring the oven temperate down to 325* and cook for 15 additional minutes
7. take out and allow it cool for 5 minutes or 45 minutes- it can be made that much before but it taste best if served sooner.

Place them on a plate and serve up!

Yummy!

All American Turkey Veggie Burgers (4th of July Post 3)

So most people like to eat burgers on the 4th of July and if you don't like to eat burgers well...don't take this the wrong way but you're weird. (Just kidding!) Burgers are a staple and with all the other food you're eating that day you need to try to cut calories where it can be done and what can be made healthy needs to be. So instead of reaching for the ground beef burger that is loaded with fat (not the good kind!) reach for a turkey veggie burger. Yes I know what you're thinking, "that sounds too healthy" well it is healthy but it is also so yummy, you'll never want a regular burger again! I promise!!!

Turkey Veggie Burgers (makes 6)

1 1 /2 pounds of 100% lean white ground turkey

1/2 onion chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup of quick oats
1 1/2 cup of canned mushrooms chopped
handful of fresh chopped spinach
1/2 cup of red pepper chopped 
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1. chop the onions, mushrooms, spinach and red pepper
2. mash the ground turkey meat
3. then mix the vegetables and turkey together
4. add in the garlic salt, eggs and oats
5. mix well and then form them into round 1 1/4 inch thick burgers
6. place on the grill and grill one each side for 5-6 minutes or until done.
7. serve on whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and condiments of your choice!!

Calories: (with the bun, let, tomato and onion) 350 calories! verses 550 calories- that's a 200 calorie saving and a whole lot of nutrition added!!

Homemade Granola

So many people (almost all) believe that granola is healthy, well as a matter of fact it is not. Granola has a lot of fat in it (not the good kind) and it is very dense, which means if you have 1/4 cup of granola you just consumed 90 calories, 3 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates - and you're not full and you just ate pretty unhealthy. And then you need to take into account that who eats just 1/4 cup of granola- the average person eats between 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups which would be just enough to finish a glass of milk or an 8 oz. yogurt. Here is a recipe for granola cereal that has less fat, less carbohydrates, less guilt and more health.

Homemade Granola

3 cups of quick oats
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of dried cranberries
2 tbsp. of flax seed (so healthy!!)
 1/4 cup of crushed almonds (also so healthy!!)
1/4 cup of crushed unsalted peanuts (also so healthy!!)
2 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. of brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup of coconut oil (healthiest oil!)

1. mix the oats, raisins, dried cranberries, flax seeds, crushed almonds, peanuts, salt and brown sugar together
2. then mix the honey and coconut oil (make sure it is melted and measure afterwards)
3. place a baking sheet on a pan and then flatten the granola on top- cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
4. preheat the oven to 350* and bake for 20 minutes
5. let cool completely before cutting into bars or crushing for cereal

Best served with non fat Greek yogurt, almond milk, soy milk or low fat 1% milk and fresh fruit!!
 

Grilled Mushroom Sandwich with Swiss Cheese, Tomato and Oregano

This recipe has my dad written all over it and the reason why I choose to post it today is because today is Father's Day!! So "Happy Father's Day" to all the dads out there! This recipe is light and tasty and will for sure put a smile on your dad's face.

4 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread
4 Slices of Tomato
4 Slices (or 2 large) of Swiss Cheese
1 8oz. canned mushrooms
Oregano
Pam Spray

1. spray the pan with pam
2. place 2 slices of whole wheat bread on the pan
3. place the swiss cheese, 2 slices of tomato, 3 tbsp. of mushrooms, 1 slice of swiss and oregano
4. then place the other slice of bread down on top of the cheese, mushroom and tomato.
5. cook on each side for 5 minutes and serve up!

Delicious!

Healthy Chicken Fingers (4th of July Post 2)

Normally when you think chicken fingers you think calories, fat, unhealthy, heart disease and "I really shouldn't be having this" and well you know what - you're right. Traditional chicken fingers are the devil and so bad for you- why you ask? Well because they drench it in bread crumbs that normally are not whole grain, white flour and lots of oil and served with some high fattening zero nutritional value dip (ranch, BBQ sauce)...However I believe that chicken fingers can be made healthy and enjoyed without any guilt and still keeping the taste. I mean seriously who wants to feel like they're eating diet food ever, especially on the 4th of July? These chicken fingers is a recipe I developed when trying to come up with a healthy alternative. As always it has been tried and tested and was received well...well it was received with an "Amazing, I love this!!"

Healthy Chicken Fingers
1 pound of boneless white chicken breast (cleaned and cut into slices)
1/2 cup of 100% whole wheat flour
1 extra large egg
2 cups of crushed Terra chip veggie chips
oregnao
Sabra's Hummus/Tahini
olive oil for frying













Heat the oil on a large skillet - takes about 2 minutes

1. coat the chicken in the flour
2. then dip it in the egg
3. coat the chicken strips in the crushed veggie chips
4. place the chicken on the large skillet (that was preheated with oil) 
5. cook on each side of about 6 minutes on low-medium frame, turning over 1-2 times
 6. serve with Sabra's Hummus/Tahini - garnish with oregano (I placed on a plate with spinach to make it look even healthier, but there is no need to do that)

Happy 4th!

So Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

So for my birthday this year (May 26) and I knew I had to have something sweet, after all it was my birthday. But I needed something that was treat like yet still healthie foodie worthy and I came up with this recipe. It is healthy, simple and very tasty!

1 cup of 100% whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of white sugar (natural)
1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar (natural)
1 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 tsp. of sea salt
1 tsp. of cinnamon
2 eggs (organic if you can)
1 cup of melted butter (yes butter the one thing you're going to have that isn't super healthy)
2 1/2 cups of quick oats

Optional: cup of raisins or dried cranberries

1. melt the butter
2. mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together
3. add in the eggs and melted butter and mix well and then add in the oatmeal and raisins/cranberries
4. cover tightly and refrigerate for 1-3 hours
5. Preheat oven to 350*
6. flatten the dough and shape into 2 inch balls or use a cookie cutter to cut them (that's more fun!)
7. place on a baking sheet and bake for 13 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes

Serve and Enjoy!!

Patriotic Fruit Sticks (4th of July Post 1)

I will be posting numerous recipes for the 4th of July, but my first one is dedicated to the flag. On the 4th of July we tend to eat a lot, which is fine after all it is a holiday but knowing that bathing suit season is in full swing we need to watch what we eat and pace ourselves. If you're having a party or just a snack these are perfect. Serve them as your guests arrive- I promise you that they will love (love, love) them!


Patriotic Fruit Sticks
Sticks (the kind you use for kabobs)
4 bananas
1 pints of strawberries
2 pints of blueberries 

1. cut the strawberries in half
2. cut the bananas into 1 1/2 inch thick slices
3. stick 5 sticks with strawberries, 5 sticks with bananas
4. cut 5 sticks a little smaller and stick them with blueberries
5. lay out the stiks with bananas and strawberries- rotating everyother creating a the strips of the flags
6. then put the sticks with the blueberries in the corner - you can create multiple fruit flags depending on how many people you are serving.

Yum!!

French Toast Souffle

This recipe you may think isn't healthy but it actually can be if you make it the right way. It calls for white egg bread (challah) but if you switch it with whole wheat bread it can healthy. It calls for 2% milk but if you use skim milk it can be made healthy and if you organic eggs, 100% natural cinnamon and Equal instead of sugar you can save so many calories! I suggest you serve this for a brunch party or at Sunday dinner. I made it on a Sunday but plan to make it at my next brunch party. Everyone will love it and is almost guilt free.

French Toast Souffle

1. one large loaf of whole wheat challah (about 7 cups)
2. 6 organic eggs
3. 1 1/2 cups of skim milk
4. 2 tbsp. of cinnamon
5. 8 packets of Equal or Sweet and Low or Splenda
6.  confectionery sugar, natural strawberry preserves and/or 100% maple syrup or fresh fruit


1. cut the bread into cubes
2. pour into the pan
3. mix the egg and milk together and pour over challah. Cover and place into fridge for 1 hour minimum- ideally 3 hours.
4. preheat oven to 350*- mix cinnamon and Equal together and sprinkle over challah and bake for 45 minutes.
5. let it cool for 10 minutes - sprinkle confectionery sugar and serve with jelly or syrup

Enjoy!

Healthy Broccoli Quiche

Broccoli quiche is an excellent meal option because it can be eaten at any meal. Normally it is served for breakfast for a brunch item but it has some many nutrients and health benefits and if served the right way is a good choice for lunch and dinner too. My version of broccoli quiche may be a bit different then what you are used to or it may be exactly what you normally do, either way it is healthy, tasty and low in calories, fat and carbohydrates.
This recipe serves about 6

Broccoli Quiche
2 1/2 cups of raw broccoli
1/2 onion chopped
3 eggs
1 cup of skim milk
1/4 tsp. of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. of salt
dash of pepper
1 cup of low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
butter for greasing

Preheat oven to 350*
1. boil water and cook broccoli just until slightly tender
2. mix the egg, milk and spices together
3. add in the broccoli and onion and cheese (mix together)
4. grease a pan and then pour the broccoli-milk-egg mixture into the pan
5.  bake in oven for 30-40 minutes (check until it has all set)
6. let it cool for about 10 minutes and then serve!

This alternative is light in fat (only the egg and that's okay because eggs are healthy) and it has absolutely carbohydrate free- so enjoy and have a second slice!

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is all about the moms in our lives. Whether it be your own mom, your aunt, grandmother, cousin who's a mom or close personal friend who's a mom - we dedicate this to all the mothers. We honor them for all their hard work, their unconditional love and their imperfections - because lets be honest no mother is perfect. We grow up thinking our mother is perfect and the best person on the planet than we go through a phase where we hate our mom and think she's out ruin our lives and then we come to realization that mom is mom and we love her for who she is and not for who she's not. So let's celebrate Mom's Day - and to all the moms out there- Thank you!

Now for Mother's Day I suggest you make your mom whatever her favorite meal is. My mom's his Summer Chili- she's obsessed with it! But since so many of us, especially when we're little make mom breakfast in bed I am going to provide you all with a few breakfast recipes that can be served to mom while she's prompt up with a pillow and tray on her lap.

1. Scrambled Eggs, Cheese and Mushrooms
Beat 2 eggs, add in 2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of canned mushrooms. Scrambled them for 3 minutes on high. Serve Up!

2. Delicious Cinnamon Oatmeal
Measure 1/2 cup of uncooked Quaker oatmeal- Bring to simmer 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of almond or soy milk. Add in oats, dash of salt, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. brown sugar. continue to stir- right before serving add in 3 tbsp. of raisins. Serve Up!

3. French Toast with Spunk
 In the search engine type in "French Toast" it will pop up

4. Fruit Parfait
In the search engine type in "Parfait" it will pop up

5. Incredibly Healthy Whole Wheat Waffles
Beat 1 large egg, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of skim milk, 3 tbsp. of melted butter, 1/2 tbsp. of Splenda, 2 tsp. of baking powder, dash of salt, 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Mix all ingredients together. Reheat the waffle maker- spray it with Pam Canola Oil- pour batter over waffle maker- cook until it is golden brown (about 10 minutes). Serve with strawberries and strawberry preserves.

6. Cream and Lox Appetizers
 6 multi grain crackers - lightly spread light cream cheese one each cracker then top it with 1/2 slice rolled on lox, then add some fresh parsley. Serve Up!

7. Broccoli Quiche Bites
Beat 2 eggs, add in a cup of broccoli florets cup up small, 6 tbsp. of fat free milk, onion salt to taste, garlic salt to taste, dash of pepper, 2 oz. of shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Pour into muffin pans. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Serve Up!

8. Bacon, Egg and Cheese Omelet
In the search engine type in "Egg and Bacon" it will come up.

9. Cold Cereal with Almond Milk and Fruit Kashi Go Lean Crunch (3/4 cup) with Almond Breeze milk, 3 tbsp. raisins, 1/2 banana sliced and 3 large strawberries sliced into 1/3s. Serve Up!

Avocado Summer Soup

This recipe is perfect for sunny spring or summer day. It is light, low in calorie and will leave you guilt free. I made this on the first day of May and the response to the soup was speechless and only yummy noises. Each serving only has 200 calories! I hope you like this soup as much as my family did.

Avocado Summer Soup
2 tbsp. of unsalted butter
2 medium white potatoes
3 leaks
1 large avocado (or 2 small ones)
3 cups of vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
cilanto
toasted whole wheat bread with butter (optional)



1. Melt 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter in a pan.
2. Add 2 medium cubed white potatoes and 3 sticks on trimmed and chopped leaks.
3. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.
4. Add 3 cups of vegetable broth and bring to boil- then turned flame down and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes
5. Puree it
6. Allow it to cool (about 20 minutes)
7. Peel the 1 avocado and lightly mash it leaving some chunks in it- Add to soup and stir well
8. Add 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 tsp. salt- Stir well
9. Reheat for 5 minutes (best served at room temp). garnish with cilantro
 *Best when served with toast bread and butter

Enjoy!! (Serves 4)

Healthie Foodie Tradtional Kale Salad

So this recipe may be one of the healthiest of all. Its primary ingredient is kale, which is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, yes I said it- one the planet! One cup of kale contains 15% of your daily needed of calcium, so if you aren't into dairy this is an excellent alternative. Kale is also packed with vitamins such as A, C and K and is an excellent source on antioxidants, iron, potassium and magnesium- all essential nutrients to living a healthy lifestyle. In addition, kale has only 30 calories per cup and has 5 grams of fiber per cup...bottom line if you choose kale you cannot go wrong. I as the healthier foodie, suggest you aim to eat kale at least once a week, if not twice.

Today I am only posting one kale recipe- but check back soon because I will try to post a new kale recipe every other week. After all if you are going to eat something once a week you're going to want a few different ways to eat it.

Traditional Kale Salad
1 large of fresh kale (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cans of salmon (drained in water) + 2 tsp. of lemon juice
2 cups of seasoned croutons
2 cups of sliced cherry tomatoes
1 cup of shredded cheese (mozzarella, munster, fetta and swiss work best)

Dressing
4 tbsp. of vegetable oil
2 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. of Equash
1 tsp. of salt

1. wash the kale and dry it well - getting out all the water
2. wash the cherry tomatoes and slice them in half
3. mash the salmon and add the lemon juice
4. mix the cherry tomatoes, kale, cheese and salmon together
5. add the dressing and coat well- mix for about 1 minute
6. add the croutons and mix again

Serve and feel good about yourself!
This serves approx. 4 people

Mushroom Barley Soup

I know it is spring time and this is not normally the time that we have soup but sometimes April can be nippy and we need that warm soup to fill the spot. This recipe is not as simple but it is very tasty and very healthy and low in fat. I hope you enjoy - it is a guilt free dish!

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 cup of barley

3 cups of water

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion

1 carrot thinly chopped

2 stalks of celery

2 cups of mushrooms - sliced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 of garlic powder

fresh parsley- optional

2 20 oz. of canned vegetable broth

1. chop and dice the onion and saute it in oil until it is translucent
2. bring the water to boil and then add in the barley, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 35 minutes
3. wash the mushrooms and slice them into thinly and then add them to the onion- adding a little more olive oil and cook for about 10 minutes until they are tender.
4.. dice the carrots and celery and add it to the onions and cook until the vegetable are al dente
5. put the canned vegetable broth into a large pot and warm it (about 5 minutes) and then add in the celery, carrots, onion, mushrooms and barley and stir well.
6. add in the garlic powder, alt and pepper and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes
7. once all the ingredients are tender and soft and the soup is warm add in 3 tbsp. of fresh parsely
8. warm for another 5 minutes

Tip: If you are serving as a dinner and have some big eaters on hand adding a slice of brown toasted bread is healthy and more filling.

Serve and Enjoy!

Calories per cup: 80 calories
Total Fat per cup: 1 gram

Healthy!

Double Garden Burger

Okay so this is an easy recipe- barely a recipe just a good idea when you're in a rush. (Sort of how I felt today). It's under 300 calories and everyone in your family is bound to love it.

Double Garden Burger
4 Morning Star Garden Veggie Burgers
4 slices of Arnold's Select Thin Bread (2 sandwich pockets)
4 slices of American cheese
Mustard
Optional: lettuce, tomato and onion

1. preheat the oven to 350
2. cook the burger in a convection toaster oven for 15 minutes (8 minutes on one side and 7 on the other)
3. then place each slice of cheese on top of the burger and cook for another minute.
4. squeeze some mustard on the bread and then place the cheesy burgers on the bread

Serve up!
Easy, right?

Sorry but tonight was so crazy- I didn't even get to take a picture.

Pesto Fettuccine

This is an excellent recipe. It's super easy and super healthy. This is perfect for the whole family because it's pasta and everyone for the most part loves pasta and the pesto sauce adds protein and vegetable. I promise you your whole family will love it. I had it on St. Patrick's Day (even though I'm not catholic) I thought it was fitting.

Pesto Fettuccine
Salt - as desired
2 cups of fresh tight packed basil
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of fresh garlic
1 pound of fettuccine
1 cup of Parmesan cheese

Pesto Sauce
Combine the salt, basil, olive oil and garlic in a blender and mix until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes)

Pasta
Meanwhile boil the water and when it comes to a boil add in the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes - stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta. Add in the pesto sauce and then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Stir well and serve.

Yummy!!  

Princeton Cafe Sandwich

Okay so I when I made this the first thing that came out of my mother's mouth was: "I feel like I'm at a cafe in downtown Princeton". That was when I decided to name this sandwich the Princeton Cafe Sandwich. It is elegant, simple, tasty and of course healthy.

Princeton Cafe Sandwich

4 slices of Arnold select 70 calorie per slice bread
4 slices of low fat mozzarella cheese

spinach (from the bag in the salad aisle) - about 2 handfuls
dash of garlic powder
dash of dried oregano
dash of dried basil
4 slices of beef steak (they're the best!) tomatoes
1 tbsp. of butter

1. spread 1 tbsp. equally distributed among the four slices of bread - each on only 1 side
2. spray your pan with Pam and preheat it for about 1 minute
3. in a convection oven put the 4 slices of tomato on high for about 2-3 minutes
3. lay 2 slices of bread butter side down
4. place 1 slice of cheese on each piece of bread
5. then place 2 slices of tomatoes on each slice of bread
6. sprinkle the tomato with the garlic, oregano and basil
7. then take a handful of the spinach and place that on top of the tomato
8. place the 2nd slice of cheese on top of the spinach and then take the bread (butter side UP) and place that on the cheese.
9. press down hard with your spatula - cook for 3 minutes and then turn over and cook another 3 minutes. Turn the sandwich over again 2-3 times until the bread looks nice and toasty brown.
Serve and Eat Up!!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Most people (well I think all) like spaghetti and meatballs. It is that classic dinner that your mom makes, but that grandma makes better. :) The warmth and love of meatballs with spaghetti and the love that goes into making it always makes us feel so wonderful and loved inside. I don't think anyone should deprive themselves of eating this classic dinner. I think the whole family- brother, sister, dad, mom, grandma, grandpa should all enjoy this dinner, but only the healthy way. Did you know that meatballs can nearly 500 calories in just a serving? Crazy right? And then if you add in the spaghetti and the sauce you may be topping at over 800 calories total- too much if you ask me. And then if you have a little extra your coming in at about 1200 calories and that is just dinner! I am assuming you ate breakfast, lunch and maybe a snack that day, right?

Here is a better version of this classic dinner- it is tasty and saves the calories.

Lean Mean Turkey Meatballs
1/2 onion chopped
1/4 tsp. of salt (or more if you like)
1 tsp. of coconut oil
1 organic eggs
3/4 cup of oatmeal
1 pound of ground lean turkey
1 8oz. can Red Pack tomato sauce (red pack is the best and purest)
Pasta - whatever kind you like although I like to use Ronzoni Veggie Delight Pasta 

1. beat the egg
2. mush the turkey and then add it to the egg
3. add in the salt, oatmeal, onion and salt and mix
4. in a large skillet add the coconut oil and heat
5. with a spoon or your hand form 2 inch balls and place them on the skillet and cook about 2 minutes until it is coated well - keep repeating until the entire mixture is gone
6. in a crock pot place all the turkey meatballs into the pot and pour the sauce over stir. cook for about 7 hours, turning it to high and then back down throughout the day. If you're going be to out for then 2 hours don't keep on to prevent from burning.
7. before you're ready to serve- boil a pot of water and when it comes to a boil pour Ronzoni Veggie spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
8. once the pasta is done drain in a colander.
9. add some tomato sauce and then add the turkey meatballs.

Serve and enjoy!

By the way you just saved a ton of calories but added a lot of taste!!! :)
 

Veggie Egg Omelet

Okay so this is one recipe I have meaning to post for a while, but I feel that until I have 100% perfected it, I should not post it and expect others to do so as well. Making an omelet without a special omelet pan is really hard and tedious at first but once you have a few trial and error you soon realize that is quite simple.

Veggie Egg Omelet (serves 4)
10 eggs
2 cups of fresh raw spinach
1/2 tomato - chopped
2 tbsp. chopped onions
8 oz. can of mushrooms
olive oil - for cooking
salt - optional
dash of oregano 
4 serving of your favorite fruit

1. preheat a pan with olive oil and then add in the spinach
2. cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes
3. then add in the canned mushrooms and onions and tomatoes
4. cook for another 1 1/2 -2 minutes
5. reserve in a bowl
6. beat the eggs and add a little more olive oil or Pam Spray to the pan
7. pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture and turn heat up to medium and allow to set until an air bubble starts to form in the eggs.
8. flip the egg over like a pancake (keeping it flat across the pan at all times- cook on second side for about 2 minutes flip again to make sure it is fully cooked
9. repeat for the rest of the egg mixture until you have 4 egg pancakes
10. scoop the cooked vegetable evenly onto each egg flat pancake and then with your hand cover the vegetable with the half the egg
11. sprinkle oregano over each omeelt
12. serve with a your favorite fruit on the side

yummy!!