Sweet Potato Fish Fritters 

After my long trip to the South, I didn't plan on cooking much but after reading a post in the LOVE MY TEMPLE food accountability group, I decided to try author Linda Grovesnor-Holland's version with my own twist to it. Basically this is an easy dish that requires you to use salted (cod fish), with flour, green peppers or other seasonings with eggs, and milk. 

However in my shopping for ingredients, I didn't want to use the cod since it had a lot of salt. I try to keep my blood pressure down so I chose fresh tilapia instead. Although you can use the cod, I would suggest you soak it first before using so the salt can be less after that process. I didn't use whole milk, used what I had on hand which was Almond Milk. I cut green peppers and use them but you can also use fresh parsley or basil with other seasonings. 

Very easy, but for me this was time consuming.


Ingredients: 

1 large sweet potato
2 tilapia fish segments
1/3 of fresh green bell pepper
cajun seasoning (optional)
Black pepper (to taste)
Garlic Pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon of Oil (Vegetable, Corn or Olive Oil), add more if you like
1 egg
1/2 cup of corn meal
1 cup of whole wheat flour


Gather all your ingredients, and do the following.

1) Boil the sweet potatoes and add to a large bowl with the other ingredients.
2) Tear pieces of the tilapia in a bowl, add your seasonings, one egg, corn meal, milk and flour. Cut up your green pepper and add them to the mix as well.

Your bowl should look like something like this.

Add the sweet potato to your bowl and pull out your frying pan with the oil.

3) Place in the frying pan, by droplets a few 'sweet potato fritters' I would suggest spacing them so they do not cook so close together.

4) As the fritters begin to cook you want to pull them out and drain on a paper towel so the access oil will be less.

5) Arrange the corn fritters on a plate, add a salad or other veggies on the side. I chose brown rice and a fresh salad with red peppers and cucumbers to complement my meal.

6) EAT AND ENJOY!

Vegetable Hero Sandwich with 
Sauteed & Grilled Veggies 

Today I was sitting at work and saw two of my colleagues chowing down on a eggplant parmiagna sandwiches on long moist white bread and I longed for one of those. My first intention was to make a healthy eggplant sandwich but serve on whole wheat french bread but once I came home I realized I had fresh zucchini, spinach, eggplant and tomatoes in the fridge. A new idea was born. I also thought the chipotle mayo I had sitting around (it's a Target brand mayo that only has 3 grams of fat opposed to the regular 11 grams of fat that regular mayo has) thought that would be GREAT on the top of the sandwich. 

This is not a quick meal and may take some time. I used my stove, grill and microwave for components of this. Grilling the veggies is the easy part. Sauteing is not bad either. I only microwaved the bread for 25 seconds, so that was good at getting the bread somewhat together for the rest of the meal. 

Ingredients 

1/2 of an eggplant (fresh)

1/2 of a zucchini (fresh)

A handful of fresh spinach leaves 

1 medium tomato (fresh) 

Garlic Powder (to taste)

Sugar (to carmalize onions)

1 onion (fresh) 

1 tablespoon of chipotle mayo 

1 teaspoon of shredded chesse (any flavor), vegan brand is best 

Steps

1. Wash all vegetables, set aside. 

2. Cut zucchini length sided and cut eggplant. 

3. Place eggplant slices on grill and use fat free spray to cook til tender. When done set aside. 

4. Grill zucchini, then set aside. 

5. Saute onions and carmalize on medium heat (1 teaspoon of sugar). Cook the spinach leaves til tender.  Grill or roast the tomato, set aside for arranging on the sandwich. Set the onions, tomatoes and spinach leaves aside for arranging on sandwich bread. 

6. Microwave whole wheat bread bun, cut, then lather with chipotle mayo on top. On bottom of the bun, arrange sauteed onions and spinach leaves on the sandwich. 

7. Place zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant on sandwich bread. 

8. Top with shredded cheese. 

9. Serve with a salad or like me, sweet potato fries. 

Chicken Salad Recipe 
(Coming Soon)

Sweet Potato Burger w/Chickpeas 

Imagine  yummy sweet potatoes laced with hearty chickpeas on a soft potato sandwich bun and avocado as your main dish on a Fourth of July meal! Not only was it good, it was healthy. It's not because the sweet potatoes have B6 and can  help prevent heart attacks, or that it has Vitamin C and Vitamin D in it, but I love the taste of them. I love the fact that they are easy to use in so many ways. From using as a side dish or as the main dish, sweet potatoes are so versatile and they also contain Iron. I need a lot of iron in my diet so this attracts me as well. 

Due to the heat, I did not want to go out, wasn't invited to a bbq for today, nor did I want to be out in the heat too  much. After my run/walk/jump session at the Park, I decided at the last minute to mix this up. Not only was it easy, it was good. 

Recipe/Ingredients: 

1 large sweet potato

1 can of chickpeas (rinsed and mashed)

1 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp of cajun seasoning or other favorite seasoning

1 tablespoon or sunflower seed oil or canola

1 cup of whole wheat flour

panko crumbs (optional) 

Steps: 

1. Bake or broil your sweet potato; when done, set aside to mash with the chickpeas. Broiling may take about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. 
2. Take chickpeas out of the can, rinse them, and mix with the sweet potatoes. 
3. Add the turmeric, black pepper, cajun seasoning. 
4. Add whole wheat flour with the sweet potato/chickpea mix, form into veggie burgers and cook on low to medium heat for 8-10 minutes. 
5. Top with Avocado or other condiment 

Bonus dish: 

Healthy Coleslaw - Use fresh cabbage and carrot mix with 1 tblspoon of light mayo, add cayenne pepper, turmeric, black pepper and garlic power. Set aside in fridge for 20  minutes and serve with the burgers. 

 Happy Fourth of July to you!!!! 

Many paved the way so we can be free. Let us honor them on this day. To my family and friends 

who have served, i say thank you. 

Spicy Kale Salad w/Raisins

I really didn't have any intention of eating much tonight after a long day out in the field. I happy passed up the McDonald's on the corner from my home and had a light snack today. I began looking for some recipes online but didn't see anything catching. I noticed my kale was getting to the point of no return so I decided to pull out a few things and tossed around an idea in my head. This was quick, easy, and can be adapted anyway you like. 

3 handfuls of raw kale

1 tablespoon or teaspoon of raisins

1 ear of corn (fresh), corn cut off of the ear 

1 tsp of turmeric, black pepper & garlic powder 

1 tablespoon of olive oil (you can also use fat free spray)

1/2 of a fresh orange bell pepper 

1/2 of a fresh green zucchini 

1. Wash and cut all veggies, set aside. 
2. Cut the ear of corn, taking all kernels off. 
3. Saute veggies in oil oil. 
4. Massage raw kale with olive oil and use 1/2 of a fresh lemon to moisten it up (also gives great flavor) 
5. Set aside kale in bowl. 
6. Toss any seasonings in sauteed veggies (in the pan) 
7. Arrange finished veggies over the kale salad. 
8. Toss raisins. 

You can adapt this by grilling the veggies on a grill with fat free spray or you can bake the veggies to cut some fat, and leaving the olive oil off. 

Time: less than 20 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Sauteed Shredded Cabbage with Chicken Tenderloins

This is my second day of lazy meals. Meals that do not take too much time or effort. At least to me. So I wanted shrimp with this but the price point was not that good so I bought some chicken tenderloins, sauteed 1/3 bag of shredded cabbage, used a little olive oil and a few veggies (red bell pepper was used). I don't think it took much time either. Didn't calculate but I would say it was no longer than 30 minutes. 

Step 1: 

In one pan, toss chopped red bell pepper, onions, and one chopped garlic clove. 

Add the chicken tenderlions and cook until they are fully done. I usually like mines well done. 

Step 2: 

Continue to cook for an additional fifteen or more minutes, tossing seasonings on with the shredded cabbage. I used turmeric, black pepper and garlic powder. Use no more than 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This can also be done in a grill (like the George Foreman grill) with less calories for the chicken. 

Step 3: enjoy in a nice little bowl. 

For those that need some salt, feel free to add salt but I only use Kosher. I try not to use any sodium in most of my food. 

Shredded Cabbage Turkey Burger 

I've had some pretty unique taste buds the last few weeks so this is no exception. Since I see cabbage all the time I had a random thought in my mind about how shredded cabbage would taste if I sauteed it in EVOO and then placed it atop a grilled turkey burger. I was shopping a few nights ago and got a little irritated when I saw turkey burgers with a high fat content. They were in the range of 18 grams of fat. However I kept on looking and ran into some organic turkey burgers that had 8 grams of fat. I figure what is the worse that could happen with the cabbage. If I didn't like it, I would eat on the side of the burger. Anyway, that is how my Shredded Cabbage Turkey Burger was born. 

Ingredients

Organic Turkey Burgers (1-2) 

1/3 of the Dole Brand Shredded Cabbage 

1 tsp Garlic Powder 

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 

Whole wheat or White hamburger buns

1 tsp of chopped onions 

For the Burgers: 

Season burgers and grill until they are cooked at your consistency. I grilled on my George Foreman Grill and prepared them well done.  I set aside for the cabbage topping.  *Make sure to wash hands before and after handling the burgers* 

For the cabbage topping: 

Place EVOO in the pot/pan until sizzling, then add the cabbage, chopped onions, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook until the cabbage is ready to be served. I cooked mines for about ten - fifteen minutes. I added a dash of Turmeric on it. 

Preparing your burgers: 

Place the burgers on the buns, then add the cabbage in the middle of the hamburger. Eat and enjoy. 

Ahh the lonely half drunk juice that I prepared when I first got my juicer 2 weeks ago. Why is that so red? Could it be the large beets that were used? Is it really good? These are questions you may be asking. However I can assure you of one thing -- I have been juicing beets for several months now and incorporating in my new eating lifestyle (not diet)...! 

I have been using beets for about four months since I originally found out it naturally lowers blood pressure. I know I know, you can't fathom eating this. But when you juice it is sooo good and naturally sweet when mixed with other veggies or fruits. 

BEET ROOT JUICE 

1 white turnip (fresh)\
1 beet root (fresh)
1/2 cucumber (fresh)
1 cup of pineapple chunks (fresh, not canned)



How to prepare: 

1. In  your juicer, place the beet first to be juiced. 
2. Add the white turnip and cucumbers
3. Then finally add the pineapple chunks 

This is a very quick juice and it naturally detoxes your body. Make sure to add a dish of rolled oats, green apples or raisins (or other clean dish for breakfast).

Enjoy!

STUFFED RED BELL PEPPER WITH BLACK BEANS

One red bell pepper
Zucchini
Onions
1/2 cup of steamed rice (prepared)
Black Beans
Garlic powder
1 grilled eggplant slice


This recipe is from two left over recipes I made recently so I steamed a red bell pepper.

How to Prepare:

1. Add sauteed veggies from a previous meal (zucchini, onion, and grilled eggplant), 
2. Add the black beans from the can or from an earlier dish. 
3. Place rice in the bell pepper along with any seasonings of your choice. 

Since these are left overs from previous dishes, the prep time is about ten minutes flat. Put in a microwaveable dish and bring to work -- microwave at two minutes or more and eat with a salad.

I told you, sometimes eating  healthy doesn't taken that much time.

Enjoy!!!

Once again, after a long day of sleep, I woke up with no real plan of dinner. I knew it would be fresh and homemade so this is what I came up with. A meatless dinner on Sunday. Traditionally in my past when I was eating whatever I wanted to, Sundays would consist of a lot of southern cuisine like fried chicken, spaghetti, homemade potato salad, and other sides. However, I am watching my intake since I'm still not at my final goal. This is a simple dish that is good. The only thing I would change is adding some black beans or other protein. I could have done some steamed fish, or skinless chicken leg to the mix. 

You can adapt this anyway you like. 

Steamed Corn, Sauteed Veggies and Grilled Eggplant 

w/ Rice 

1 cup of whole grain (brown rice or multigrain) 

2 cups of water 

1 tbls of fat free butter or margarine 

1/2 eggplant 

1/2 zucchini 

1-4 strips of fresh red pepper 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp of onions 

1 tsp of turmeric

1 tsp of black pepper 

1 ear of corn 

1 tsp of salt (optional)

Fat free spray

1 tablespoon of olive oil 

For the rice: 

Prepare by boiling rice with water, maybe one tsp of salt and the butter. I don't use salt but have used kosher on occasion doesn't seem as salty as the other kind I grew up with. Cook the rice for 15-20 minutes until done. Set aside. 

For the sauteed veggies: 

Wash and chop veggies, cook in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add garlic powder, turmeric and black pepper. Cook for ten minutes or until done. Set aside. 

For the Corn: 

Steam for 5-10 minutes. 

For the Grilled Eggplant: 

Grill by using fat free spray. I used the George Foreman grill and it took about ten minutes to finish. The trick is to cut medium or thinly sliced. Thicker slices will take longer. 

Arrange all food on your plate and enjoy! 

Tonight's meal was inspired by life. Didn't want to eat out and I had made a batch of lentil soup a few nights ago. I froze the lentil burgers last  night, added oats, whole wheat flour with lentils, carrots, onions, and celery. Spiced a little bit with fresh garlic and onions. When I got home I boiled some pearl barley, no seasonings or salt, then added a few strips of orange bell pepper. The only thing I didn't make was the Callaloo. I bought a can  of Grace brand. It wasn't too salty. What I didn't expect was the burger was so tender and moist and there was no meat!!!! This is a meatless meal and I'm glad I experimented tonight. I will make this one again. 

Lentil Burger with Pearl Barley & Callaloo

1/2 cup of dry lentils 

bay leaves 

1 garlic clove 

1/2 onions chopped

1/2 cup of carrots (or 2-3 medium carrots chopped) 

1 tsp of black pepper 

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp of turmeric 

1/3 cup of orange bell peppers, slivered 

1/2 cup of Callaloo 

1/3 cup of dry pearl barley 

1/3 cup of rolled oats 

1/3 cup of whole wheat flour 

Preparing Your Lentil Burger: 

Cook all ingredients as a soup the night before -- dry lentils, bay leaves, garlic clove, onions, carrots, black pepper, garlic powder, turmeric and celery (if desired). You can cook in a crockpot for 5 hours over night. The next day, you should strain the lentils,carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Place in a dish and set aside `1/3 cup of rolled oats and 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour to bind the burgers. Freeze over night. Cook on fat free butter oil spray (or olive oil version). You can also use canola or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Preparing Your Barley: 

Cook over medium heat until  you see they are cooked appropriately, then drain, set aside on a plate. Set as the base of the dish. 

Preparing the Callaloo: 

Rinse out the callaloo from the can (this drains sodium content), and then boil or microwave. If you microwave only microwave less than 2 minutes, then set on top of the barley. 

Finishing the dish: 

Add the Lentil burger on top of the callaloo, and serve. 

I served mines with fresh beet juice (beets, oranges, carrots, celery &yellow squash). 

Enjoy!!!

Pam 

Flaxseeds

Hi Everyone,

I have done a webblog about using Flaxseeds, which I can tell you are very beneficial to my health and suggest you consider using them for optimal health.

I've used them to lower my blood pressure. I toss in breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. A big will last a long time. You can get them from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or any health food store. Also you can order them on line.

Check out the link below.

Benefits of Flaxseeds

Expect new recipes to include juicing & some  healthy Salmon options. Have a great week ahead.

Pam

Quick Fix: Eggplant Burger

After a  hot and muggy day, I really didn't feel like cooking. Especially after a major holiday, however, I was googling things to do with burgers and I remembered I had a big eggplant in my fridge. I thought, hey, why not make an eggplant burger, that would prevent me from having to walk out to the grocer again, and I could eat something that is good for me. At least, it is homemade and would be my first attempt. 

I have to say, I didn't expect my eggplant burger to be so yummy and good but it was. Imagine, the melting of cheese on a grilled eggplant, with sauteed onions, on a soft hamburger bun. I only wished I had some spinach or argula to place on my burger. But I definitely enjoyed and it was a great change in my diet, as I've never eaten an eggplant burger. 

This is a quick fix and should only take you a few minutes to prepare.

Eggplant Burger 

1/3 of a large eggplant
1/2 cup of onions or assorted peppers
1 tsp of shredded cheese
1-2 slices of a fresh tomato
1-2 hamburger buns
Fat free canola spray or 1 tbls of Canola (w/Omega 3 6 9 blend)
1 garlic clove

How to Prepare: 

1. Saute one garlic clove chopped up slightly with the onions in a pan, with one tsp of sugar to help carmelize, for 5-8 minutes. 
2. Set aside the sauteed onions and cloves or place on the hamburger buns. 
3. Wash your eggplant and cut up 1/3 of it, then place on a grill or fry in a pan. Use fat free spray or the canola/olive/soy oil blend (smart balance has a great one to use). Cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes. While it is cooking you can use any seasoning, I used garlic powder for mines. After it has cooked down, add the shredded cheese, place heat on low so it will not burn. 
4. When it is ready, transfer to the buns. 
5. Add your own condiments ( I used barbecue sauce, but you can do a mayo/garlic blend or use mustard and ketchup). 
6. Serve on the hamburger bun with any lettuce (for nutritional value, try argula or romaine lettuce)
7. ENJOY! 

This is low cost meal: Eggplants in my neighborhood, cost $1.00 on most days and the hamburger bun cost under $1.60. Most regular grocery stores might charge slightly higher rates but there is a great value in using the eggplant. Also, most hamburger buns do not cost that much, in the future, I will use whole wheat as a better option than the white buns I used.. Also, try mozzarella cheese. Try different seasonings. I may try this again later in the week. The fat content in the burger is higher with the oil, so on a second try, I will use the fat free spray instead. If you have the George Foreman grill, this might work. I pan fried mines. 

(c) 2012 by Pam Osbey 

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

I'm always looking around ways to have spicy foods. I think it's a family trait since most of my family loves hot sauce, hot peppers, and the like. Since I had left over chicken strips from my previous dish (Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad) I made a few days ago, I wanted to hurry up and use the chicken before it went rancid. On top of that I saw a really great recipe using ginger and thai flavored items. So I chose to head to the food market to get a few items like the fresh parsley, red pepper and tortillas. 

This dish needs to be prepped the day before if you are like me and want your chicken to be tender, not rough. So I prepared a marinade the night before and allowed it to soak over night then, I prepared my dish. 

Yes, this is a non traditional Memorial Weekend dish but I went to a BBQ last night that was really great (Thanks Kim!). 

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas 

Chicken strips (chicken breast can be used, but thinly sliced) 

low sodium soy sauce

1 lemon 

1 lime 

1/2 of a fresh red pepper

1/2 of a raw onion 

1 tsp of ginger root 

1 tablespoon of Srirachi chili sauce 

1 tsp of red wine vinegar 

1 tsp of black pepper 

1 tsp  of dry mustard 

Fresh parsley or cilantro 

3 Corn or flour tortillas 

1 tablespoon or shredded  cheese 

1-2 tablespoon of Smart Balance Natural Peanut Butter 

1 tablespoon Canola Oil (I used an Omega 3, 6, 9 blend) 

For the Marinade: 

fresh lemons or lemon juice 

low sodium soy sauce 

red wine vinegar 

dry mustard 

black pepper (1tsp) 

thinly sliced chicken strips 

Preparing the marinade: 

In a bowl, place all ingredients, mixing it and then adding the  chicken strips to it. Let it sit for at least four hours or over night, whichever works for you. 

Preparing the Quesadillas: 

Take the chicken strips from the marinade -- and cook in canola oil. Add chopped garlic, ginger root, and onions. Let it cook down, then add small strips of the red pepper and orange pepper if desired. Add a small amount of garlic powder (if necessary). In a seperate pot, place the peanut butter, a dab of canola oil, small pieces of red pepper and srirachi chili pepper. Squeeze fresh limes into the sauce or use lime juice. Cook for 1-4 minutes, watch it carefully as it can and will burn if you don't monitor it.  After the spicy peanut sauce cooks, turn off and allow it to cool down while you finish the Quesadillas. After the chicken strips have cooked down, transfer to the tortillas and add cheese in the middle of the tortilla, fold it, then cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes. After the cheese has melted, transfer to a plate and drizzle the spicy peanut sauce over the tortillas. Serve with a small salad. 

Safety tips: 

Make sure to wash your hands, especially since you are  handling meat. Wash all veggies as well.  

Leftover Marinade: 

use with chicken, seafood or tofu for another dish. 

This dish can make up to four tortillas. I only ate one and saved the rest for lunch or later in the week. I think because the peanut butter is filling. Also you can use crushed peanuts for the sauce but I did not. 

Enjoy, 

Pamela O. 

Asian Ginger Chicken Legs

I hadn't had meat in eight months since I originally started drawing down some of my unhealthier eating choices but recently gave myself a little leeway on incorporating some meats, in limited quantities. I saw a really great recipe on Gina's Skinny Recipes (a great website to get healthy and vegetarian meals). The recipe I saw had a lot of ingredients and since I have to watch my sodium intake, I tweaked the recipe to include just chicken, low sodium soy sauce and red vinegar. 

Now I come from a southern family and used to eating a lot of meats with side dishes, but for this dish I chose to cook the chicken legs and simply add jasmine rice with steamed veggies. Also, I decided to use skinless chicken legs and since it's just me cooking for one, I chose to only cook a few legs, eating a small portion for dinner and saving the rest for lunch on the next day. 

Back to not eating the meat -- meat was never the enemy but normally when I chose eating meat, I was eating meat in a combo meal or a quick meal that was sodium laden. I wanted to reduce all of that because in the Spring of 2011, I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. I stopped eating meat that was prepared in the fast food arena, especially  hot wings, fried chicken wings, and greasy foods, but when I came back to limited quantities this year (2012), I felt okay with the choice, though I am still striving to eat as an vegetarian, which in my opinion is more healthier for ME. It took me four months to get rid of my HBP and I no longer have to take any medicine, because of my healthier choices, which includes low sodium or no sodium options. 

Back to these delicious asian chicken legs. In most recipes I saw the use of ginger root, which is readily available in my community. However, I didn't have time to go to the natural market so I used ginger spices which I also keep in my cupboard. 

Let me know how you like these. 

Asian Ginger Chicken Legs 

Skinless Chicken Legs (I used 3 for the recipe) 

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed 

1/2 onion

1tsp of Low Sodium Soy Sauce 

1 tablespoon or red vinegar 

1 tsp of Srirachi Red Chili Sauce 

1 tsp of ginger spice/powder 

Sesame Seeds (less than 1 tsp) 

1 tsp of brown sugar (no more than that or it will turn hard!) 

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil (Smart Balance was used -- canola/soy/olive blend) 

How to Prepare the meal : 

Wash the chicken legs and set aside in a bowl. Wash your hands, before handling the rest of the recipe.  Crush the garlic cloves and chop the onions.  Place one tablespoon of Olive Oil in your pot, then add the cloves and onions to cook, then add the chicken legs. Wash your hands (again) -- then allow the chicken legs to cook for at least 8-10 minutes before adding  the soy sauce, srirachi sauce and red wine vinegar. Allow all flavors to come together then add the ginger spice/powder and cook until your desired temperature and consistency.  You may add the brown sugar after this time period, watch the cooking very carefully and while it it cooking, use a ladel to pour the mixture over the chicken legs while it cooks. You might have to cook down for a while til it all comes together. 

Serve with jasmine or brown rice. 

Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken legs before you serve over the rice. 

(c) 2012 by Pam Osbey 

Chicken, Spinach & Peach Grilled Salad

A few days ago, I was feening for something different. It was a late night after work and as usual, I by passed the fast food joint to go to the natural food market, picked up a bag of spinach, peaches, and chicken breast pre-sliced.  I really didn't know if my idea would fly or die but I wanted to do something unique that would combine fruit, veggies and lean meat. 

After I walked  home, I decided to flip through the internet for ideas but I really didn't like any or the ones that I found had too many ingredients and I like to keep things simple, so I just used what I had on stock at home. I took  half of a bag of spinach and washed it, then set it aside in a bowl. 

The rest of the ingredients I cooked on low heat. See the ingredients below. 

Chicken, Spinach and Peach Grilled Salad 

1/2 bag of organic spinach
10-12 cherry tomatoes
2 peaches
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of canola or olive oil
chicken breast strips or 1/2 of a 6 oz (3oz)

How to Prepare the grilled salad: 

On low heat place one tablespoon of olive oil or canola oil and toss chicken strips, chopped yellow and orange peppers, turmeric and cayenne spices until cooked. Cook on low for ten-fifteen minutes or until meat is fully cooked to your desired effort.   Take this mixture out and slice the peaches, then put them on low heat until they have begun to carmalize, then add to the bowl with the spinach & meat/veggies.  To carmalize your cherry tomatoes, cook on low for five minutes and toss less than 1 tsp of sugar to get them to the right temperature, then take them off quickly. 

How to assemble the salad: 

Over the spinach which was rinsed and sitting in the bowl, take the meat, veggies, and peaches -- arrange in a fashionable style and  then eat at your leisure. 

Variations:

You can add black beans or other legumes in the salad. I added black beans to the salad for lunch because I could not eat all of the salad when previously made.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback if you made this recipe.

(c) 2012 by Pam Osbey

Veggie Casserole with Black Beans

I love Black Beans and they have become my favorite thing to add to multiple recipes. They are awesome on meatless tacos, in salads, in soups and even salads. So a few days ago my co-worker Maggy brough this amazing casserole with plantains and it was so good. I wanted to make a meatless dish that would help me clean my fridge as I'm in the middle of a move and didn't want the food to get rancid or throw it away so I decided to use in a dish which I am sharing below. Not only is Black Beans a good source of fiber and helps to lower cholesterol. Of course, when using it in a healthy way you must not over load it with a lot of fat.

This is an untested recipe and I will share the results after I cook it this afternoon. I will list the ingredients below.

Veggie Casserole with Black Beans

1 Can of Black beans

Velvetta Cheese Slices

Chopped Onions

1-2 Potatoes or Boxed Mashed Potatoes Mix

1 small box of chopped spinach

Squash (roasted) or pre-cut squash

Olive Oil or Fat Free Olive Oil Spray

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Oregano Powder

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Preparation:

Pre-wash the can of black beans and set aside in bowl. Roast the squash in a casserole dish for 40-45 minutes. While Squash is roasting, prepare your mash potatoes in the oven or microwave as necessary. Saute Spinach in 1 tsp of Olive Oil or in fat free Pam spray. Mash black beans in the bowl, and layer on a small baking dish, add chopped onions, and seasonings, then add the roasted squash, mashed potatoes, and spinach. Add slices of velvetta cheese in between each layer if you would like. Use seasonings as necessary. Bake for 30-35 minutes and serve when done.

I will update this blog with a picture if I can after this dish is done.

If you make this dish, use your imagination and use what you have. There are many vegetables to use, make your palate happy by enjoying a variety of them.

Happy Healthy Day to you!

Pam

Crockpot Meal: Lentil Soup with Potato, Carrot and Tomatoes

Back in 2009, when I moved to New York City, I had roommates from different cultures and countries. One of my roommates was from India and he ate vegetarian fare. I quickly was encouraged by him to cook my food at home because we both agreed New York was expensive and eating out when you should be on a budget is something to consider. My first experience with lentils was just making soup which I'm back to because it's January and I'm trying to gear up for the Daniel Fast. One of the great things about using Lentils is that it is very good for your body and it stretches well. It is hearty and can be rolled over into many different dishes. I've seen everything from soups to veggie burgers to chili's for this adaptive morsel. Today I really didn't want to go spend money and although it's not cold enough in New York, I saw a recipe a few days ago for a chili version that looked pretty yummy.

I decided to take what I had in my possession to create a different type of lentil soup. This one has a few of my favorite things: carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and lots of seasonings with fresh garlic and onions. All of the things I put in my soup are very cheap at the local Asian grocer. I got my bag of carrots for 99 cents, tomatoes for one buck, a bag of potatoes went for $2.50 but I'm out of potatoes so I'll have to go back and restock on that.

Not only are these vegetables good for your body, during winter there is something comforting about a bowl of soup on a winter night that over looks the average on the go meal: McDonald's, BK's or Popeye's might be good when you are too lazy to cook and yes, a crockpot meal takes a while but what I love about the crock pot is that it's a no brainer. You put your ingredients in it, and sit back and relax. While waiting for my meal to be completed, I ate a corn muffin I made the day before and snacked on green peppers and hummus.

Pam's Comfy Lentil Soup

1/4 cup of Eden Organic Green Lentils

2 bay leaves

1 carrot

1 medium potato

1 tsp cilantro

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

1 plum tomato

2 cloves of fresh garlic or minced garlic

1 cup of water

1 tsp of black pepper

Sea Salt (optional)

Tomato Paste (optional)

Unsalted Chicken Broth (optional)

389 calories per serving

1 gram of fat

Place all vegetables, chopped and layered in your crockpot, add seasonings, and then the lentils and water. Cook on low for 4 hours. You can garnish with more cilantro or parsley when it is done.

Have a great week ahead and remember, it's okay to have a healthy appetite just have some balance with it all.

Pam