Chicken Kristina (from the cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken tenderloins (about 7)
3-4 large cloves garlic, sliced
3 shallot onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1½ Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. white wine (cooking wine can be used)
10 oz. bag baby spinach
¼ c. green onions, chopped (about 2 whole scallions)
cooking spray

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook chicken on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until done. Add ½ cup of the wine, lemon juice, shallots, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes. Add the oil and the rest of the wine and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Place all of the spinach and the green onions on top, cover, reduce heat to medium/low and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir, cover again and cook for an additional 5 – 7 minutes until spinach is dark in color and no longer firm.

Serves: 4
Nutritional: Per serving – 222 calories; 5.25 g fat; 21% calories from fat

Comments: This is great especially if you are trying to show off what a good cook you are to all of your friends! Serve it over some orzo for a great Italian treat.

Mediterranean Couscous (from the cookbook)

 

Ingredients:
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. golden couscous (uncooked)
1 ½ tsp. curry powder (mild variety)
1 ½ c. 99% fat free chicken stock (slightly less than one can)
¼ c. green onion, chopped
½ c. shredded carrots

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over med/high heat.  Add the couscous and cook for a minute or so to toast.  Add the curry powder and stir.  Add chicken broth, green onions and carrots and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serves: 6
Nutritional: Per Serving - 136 calories; 0.75 g fat; 5% calories from fat

Comments:  I use a mild curry for this so that it is not too spicy.  You could also substitute cumin for the curry.

Candied Yams - A comfort food conversion (from the cookbook)

In the cookbook, I have many recipes which I call "Comfort Food Conversions."  They are lightened up versions of the original.  Although they are not "low calorie, low sugar, or low fat" they are still better for you versions - and with all the taste. 

Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes
4 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ c. sliced almonds
1 c. miniature marshmallows
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Directions:
Boil sweet potatoes whole until fork tender.  Let cool. Peel and place in bowl.  Add the condensed milk  and cinnamon and blend with a mixer until smooth.  Spread mixture into an 8” square shallow dish.  Top with a single layer each of the almonds and then the marshmallows.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees approximately 25 minutes or until marshmallows are melted and golden brown.

Serves: 6
Nutritional: Per serving - 198.5 calories; 3.7 g fat; 17% calories from fat

Comments: Traditional candied yams are fattening because of all the butter.  Sweet potatoes on their own are actually very good for you, containing a good amount of vitamins and nutrients.  By making them this way, you are still getting an awesome flavor (even passes the kids' test) and a lot less fat!

How to slice garlic & herbs

This is actually a little video I did for a communications class that I took.  It's a bit low-budget (and amateur) but the information is great none the less!  Check it out. :)

Almond Raspberry Cake

Yum yum yum yum yum!  Yes, it's that good!  Growing up, I always remember my grandmother making an amazing raspberry cake topped with a raspberry sauce.  I could never get enough of it when we went to visit (that and the M&Ms she used to keep in the candy jar)!  My other grandmother, the Italian, burnt everything she baked (true story), but none the less, the flavors were always wonderful.  I wanted to create a sophisticated dessert, like the raspberry cake that my grandma made, yet still bring in the Italian flavors that I love (without the burnt flavor of course).  So here you have it, an almond raspberry cake that is full of healthy fats, high in protein, and low in simple carbs. You'll note that I use Swerve in place of sugar.  I get it at Whole Foods, but I'm sure you can find it online and if not, use your sweetener of choice.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond meal (you can also use cashew meal - really any nut flour would probably do)
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs (yolks & whites separated)
1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp almond butter

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp pure almond extract 
1/3 cup Swerve (sugar replacement) divided 

Pinch of fine sea salt

3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a spring-form pan, with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread almond flour on it.  Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and toast for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together egg yolks, ricotta cheese, almond butter, almond extract, lemon zest and 1/6 cup Swerve until smooth.  In a separate bowl whisk together the almond flour and baking powder(I actually did this on the baking sheet). Add the flour mixture to egg yolk mixture and beat until smooth. 

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium high speed until they start to increase in size. Once that happens, add a pinch of fine sea salt and slowly add the remaining 1/6 cup of Swerve.  Continue to beat until soft peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into the almond mixture a little bit at a time. Then carefully stir in the raspberries. Once fully incorporated, pour the batter into the prepared spring-form pan and place into the oven to bake for approximately 20 minutes until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. The sides and top should also start to become golden in color. 

Note that cooking time will vary based on your size pan. I use a 10" pan which results in a thin cake and a 20 min bake time. If you use a smaller pan, increase your cooking time in 5 min increments until done. 

I love this cake as is, and as such I chose not to make a raspberry sauce for the top.  It is perfect with a cup of coffee for dessert or for a morning treat. Enjoy!

Carrot & Apple Soup

I know it sounds crazy... apples in soup?! Trust me on this, it is good! The russet potato in this recipe lends itself to a more comforting taste, and the mix of crushed red pepper and thyme balance out the sweetness. An additional bonus is that it also happens to be a vegan recipe.  Now all I need to do is bake a loaf of homemade bread to enjoy with this amazing "soon to be Fall" treat!

Ingredients:

1 large russet baking potato (peeled)

5 medium carrots (peeled)

1 small - medium gala apple (peeled)

1/4 of a medium sweet onion

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin, but whatever you have will do)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves - divided (Important note here: use fresh, not dried. There's a definite taste difference. )

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups filtered water

Paprika & thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

Slice all veggies and apple into equal size pieces. I like to slice mine thin so that they cook faster, but the most important thing is that they're the same size. Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, add onion, potato, carrots and apple. Add in crushed red pepper and salt/pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until everything is slightly tender, yet still has a bite to it. You should also get some browning in the bottom of the pan at this point. (If it seems like everything is cooking too quickly, lower the heat closer to medium.) Once you've reached this point, add in 1/2 the thyme and let cook for another minute or so. Add the water, cover and allow to boil over med-high heat until everything is very soft. It's important to cook until very soft versus fork tender to ensure a smooth consistency. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly in pan. 

Then purée either in your blender or with an emersion blender. 

 I have a Blendtec, and in that I pulsed a couple of times to combine, then blended at speed 1 for 15 seconds and then on speed 5 for another 15 seconds.  The main thing is to purée until it is super smooth. 

Stir in the rest of the thyme and add more salt/pepper if needed. Pour into 4 individual bowls and garnish with paprika and thyme sprigs. 

Serves 4

Per serving: 181 calories; 5 grams fat; 31 grams carbs; 4 grams protein

Almond "Joyous" Butter

Sometimes, you just really want a candy bar, but don't want all the processed junk that comes with it. Don't fear! I've come up with a great treat that satisfies those cravings while offering heart healthy ingredients! My Almond "Joyous" Butter really hits the spot, and can be enjoyed straight out of the jar! 

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup almonds

16 dark chocolate chips

If using a high powered blender such as a Blendtec or a Vitamix, simply add ingredients to your blender jar and process until smooth. This can usually be accomplished in a couple of minutes. If using a food processor, add all ingredients to the processor bowl, and process on high for 20 minutes. You can process for only 15 minutes, but going the full 20 will give you a smooth and creamy consistency. 

Seving size: 1 Tbsp

Serves 6

Per serving: 90 calories, 7 grams heart healthy fat, 5 grams carbs and 3 grams protein. 

"Peaches & Cream + Green" Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 serving of your favorite vanilla protein powder

2 small-medium peaches (skin on, pits removed)

1 small banana (peeled)

2-3 cups baby spinach

6-8 ice cubes 

Blend until smooth and enjoy immediately. 

Apples & Peanut Butter - Green Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 Tbsp Pb2 powdered peanutbutter 

1 small container non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt*

1 medium Granny Smith apple (core removed & apple cut into chunks)

1 tsp each pure vanilla extract and cinnamon

2 cups organic baby spinach

1 cup ice

Place ingredients in the order listed into a high-powered blender, blend until smooth and enjoy!

*You can replace the yogurt with your favorite vanilla plant based protein to make this smoothie vegan. The nutritional info will stay about the same. The main difference will be a creamy versus light texture. :)

Calories 290; fat 4g; carbs 50g; fiber 10g; protein 19g

Mediterranean Chicken (from the cookbook)

Ingredients:
8 chicken tenderloins (all visible fat removed)
1 14.5 oz. can petite cut diced tomatoes (I use the garlic basil flavored ones)
1 c. 98% fat free chicken broth
1 4.5 oz. jar sliced mushrooms (drained)
1 3.8 oz. can sliced olives (drained)
1 16 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp. ground black pepper
cooking spray

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray & cook chicken on medium heat until golden brown. Add the onions and garlic and about ¼ of the chicken broth and cook until onions are soft.  Add the rest of the chicken broth and the other ingredients and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until everything is warmed and the flavors are mixed.

Serve over a bed of Israeli couscous.

Nutritional: Per serving (without couscous) - 233 calories; 4.5 g fat; 17% calories from fat
Serves: 6

Healthy Tip: Have some fats on your salad!

Too often when people are trying to eat healthier, they opt for salads with fat-free dressing.  The problem though, is that by not having any fats on your salad, your body is missing out on all of those fat-soluble vitamins (micronutrients) that it needs.  A great way to get the most out of all of those good veggies (and fruits) is to dress your salad with flavorful vinegar and a touch of heart healthy oil, such as extra virgin olive oil.  Then, add some good fats like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts or almonds to your salad.  By doing this, your body will absorb all of that nutritional greatness that it needs.

Italian Herb Chicken (from the cookbook)

Ingredients:
4 plum tomatoes
1 whole lime
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (preferably organic w/ Italian herbs)
5-10 (depending on your taste) whole garlic cloves,  minced
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. white wine (can be cooking or table wine)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (all visible fat removed)
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked

Directions:
Dice 3 of the tomatoes and place in a large skillet. Mash with a potato masher until they are smushy. Dice and add the last tomato without mashing. Add the can of diced tomatoes including the juice. Next, cut your lime in half and squeeze all of the juice out into the pan. Add the minced garlic (5 - 10 cloves to taste), the basil and the wine. Stir and let simmer over a low to med/low heat. Cut your chicken into either strips or bite size pieces and cook until golden brown on medium heat in a separate skillet.
When cooked, add your chicken to the sauce and let simmer on low heat for at least 10 minutes (the longer it simmers, the more the chicken absorbs the flavor of the sauce).

Spoon over your cooked angel hair pasta.

Nutritional: Per Serving (without pasta) - 178.25 calories; 0.5g fat
Serves: 4

Mango Spinach Smoothie

I know what you're thinking... "A spinach smoothie? Yuck!"  Think again!  This mango in this smoothie gives it such a nice tropical flavor and totally masks the spinach.  Yes, I said totally!  This version is nice and creamy and isn't too sweet - plus it only packs 165 calories which makes it great for either a snack or as a mini-meal (for those doing multiple low-cal meals per day).

1 individual container Dannon Oikos Greek Nonfat Plain Yogurt
1 cup Silk Almond Milk (unsweetened original)
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup Dole Premium - Mango Chunks All Natural (Frozen)

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  That's it!

Nutritional Info: Calories 165; Carbs 19g; Fat 3g; Protein 18g; Sodium 243mg; Sugar 16g

If you like yours a little sweeter or a little more tropical, you could always swap out the almond milk for 6oz of pineapple juice.  Just make sure to readjust the nutritional info in you're counting. :)

Turkey Quinoa Meatballs with Veggie Marinara

Who isn't looking for a good quinoa recipe nowadays? With all of the health benefits it has to offer, I'm always looking for ways to add it into my food. Since it is kind of mealy, I am happy any time I can work it into something else.

I was surfing around on Pinterest and came across a turkey quinoa meatball recipe. I thought it looked pretty good so I started looking around some more. After checking out quite few recipes, I knew how I wanted to make them! This recipe has been adapted from formerfatdudes.com. I changed the meat to be leaner, added more veggies, and changed the type of quinoa and tomatoes. Their recipe looked good, but this one is leaner and packs more of a protein punch.

I love making many different types of marinara, so this one was a no-brainier. I actually adapted it from my own garden vegetable marinara recipe and think I might just use this as my go to sauce. :)

Turkey Quinoa Meatballs

1.25 pounds ground turkey breast
3/4 cup cooked black quinoa
1/3 cup grated onions*
1/3 cup grated carrots*
1/3 cup grated zucchini*
2 tablespoons crushed tomato (buy a 28oz can & use the rest for the sauce)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 egg

*Grate the whole vegetable and save what you don't use in the meatballs for the sauce.

Preheat oven to 500F, line a large baking sheet with foil and a sheet of parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together meat, quinoa, onions, carrots, zucchini, crushed tomato, garlic, worcestershire, seasonings and egg until well combined. You will want to do this with your hands to get everything mixed well. Be careful not to over mix - this will keep the meatballs tender.

Shape in to 13 even-sized meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until cooked through about 20 minutes, turn over once about 15 minutes in so they brown evenly (although the meatballs will be light in color, the bottoms will brown up).

Place over cooked polenta and top with veggie marinara (recipe below), fresh basil and shaved Parmesan. As an aside, when I make my polenta, I add grated Parmesan but omit butter or cream.


Veggie Marinara Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp (more to taste) crushed red pepper
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
Remainder of grated veggies
6-7 cloves garlic (sliced)
The remainder of the crushed tomatoes
Tablespoon (or more) fresh basil

Warm up oil with seasonings in a deep 10" wide pan. Add onion, zucchini and carrots and let sweat out over med+ heat for about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for and additional 10 minutes. Lower to med-low heat and allow to simmer for as long as everything else takes to come together. The natural sweetness of the veggies helps take the sharpness out of the tomatoes. The longer the sauce cooks, the less acidic it becomes.

Nutritional Info:
Meatballs (each) - 94.5 calories; 12g protein; 8g carbs; 1.5g fat
1/2 cup sauce - 123 calories; 2.8g protein; 15g carbs; 5.5g fat (don't stress over the fat, it is a good fat from the olive oil)
1/2 cup prepared polenta w/ Parmesan - 123.5 calories; 4.6g protein; 20.8g carbs; 2.7g fat

You could also serve these over spaghetti squash instead of the polenta which would cut the calories and be very tasty.

Pineapple Ginger Soy Chicken (from the cookbook)

When walking through the grocery store last night, I saw that they had fresh pineapple on sale.  I LOVE fresh pineapple!  I like it as is, grilled, and as part of a meal.  After picking one up, I thought to myself that my Pineapple, Ginger Soy Chicken would be a great choice for dinner!

The recipe calls for canned pineapple and the addition of water.  When using the fresh pineapple, you can reduce the amount of water used and use as little or as much pineapple as you like.  I used about half and cut it into tidbits.  Also, you will want to add the pineapple as soon as the chicken is cooked when using fresh. You can also omit the garlic and increase the ginger if you prefer - if you don't have fresh ginger, no worries - just use powdered.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
   (cut off all visible fat - cut into bite size pieces)
5 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
3 large garlic cloves, minced
   (more or less according to individual tastes)
½ inch cube of fresh ginger, minced
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 ½ c. water
cooking spray

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook chicken on
medium heat until golden brown. Add the water, soy sauce, garlic
and ginger and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add the pineapple
and let simmer on low for 20 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Nutritional: Per serving (without rice) - 137.5 calories; 1g fat; 6%
calories from fat
Cooking Temp: Medium, then low
Serves: 4
Price Range: $5 - $10
Comments: This dish is low in calories and fat and is delicious!  My
kids think cooking with pineapple is weird, but still love this dish.

No time for breakfast & coffee - on the go smoothie

3/4 cup ice
1 cup light vanilla or plain soy milk
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein
1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein
1/2 tsp instant expresso
banana (optional)

Place ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Note that you can substitute soy protein for the whey protein.

Heart Healthy Breakfast Muffins

As I post more recipes (or if you have purchased my cookbook), you will notice that I do not make too many "clean eating" recipes or what most people think of when they hear health food.  Instead, my recipes are based around moderation and better choices, and would be considered "healthier" (although most do contain less than 30% fat from calories).  However, every once in a while, I will throw a "clean" recipe out there, especially if I feel that it is really good. 

I originally found  this recipe online and since, have made a few modifications that I feel really improve it.  Something to note about these muffins is that they are NOT your typical sweet, fluffy muffins.  They are very hearty and get most of their sweetness from the fruit.  Give them a try!  I bet you'll love them!

1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup lightly-packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 T cinnamon
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (optional)
1/2 cup ground flax meal
4 bananas
1 T agave syrup (dark)
1 large egg
1 T vanilla
1/2 cup blueberries

In a large bowl, mix together the 9 dry ingredients into well combined.  In a separate bowl, beat together remaining ingredients (except blueberries) until smooth.  Combine the dry and wet ingredients until the batter is completely moist.  Gently stir in the blueberries.  Spray a 12-muffin cup pan with cooking spray and fill each opening to the top with the batter as these do not rise much.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Check doneness by inserting a fork and seeing if it comes out clean.

Wrap them individually in plastic wrap for a great fiber-packed to go snack!

Italian "fried" chicken and aglio olio

Growing up, one of my favorite meals was Italian fried chicken and aglio olio. Aglio e olio literally means garlic and oil in Italian. Aglio olio is a common dish in Italy and is a mix of spaghetti with garlic and chili flakes that have been heated in olive oil. Another common way of making it is by adding anchovies. Since my father was not a fan of the anchovies (or the chili flakes), he made his a little differently by adding walnuts, which is the start of how I make mine. As for the chicken, my dad would make his in an electric skillet and shallow fry it in about 1/4" of olive oil. In my revised version, the ingredients are all the same, but my cooking method requires less oil. The best part of this meal is that it is SO simple to make and only uses a couple of basic ingredients.

For the chicken, you will need:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (equally sized breasts)
Flour
Eggs
Skim Milk
Seasoned Bread Crumbs (you can make your own, but it is just as easy to buy them from the store)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

When prepping the chicken, remove all of the visible fat. I like to "pound out" the chicken a little bit, but you do not have to worry about this too much as you will be finishing the chicken in the oven. The most important thing is to make sure that all of your breasts are the same size.

Turn on your oven to 375 degrees.

Set up 3 dipping stations: Place your flour in one of the stations (season it with a little s&p), then in another beat together 2-3 eggs and a splash of skim milk with a fork. If you are making more than 4 breasts, you might want to use 4 eggs and a couple splashes of milk. Add the seasoned breadcrumbs to the 3rd station.

Turn your burner on to medium-high heat and place an oven safe skillet (large enough to fit all of your chicken breasts) on the burner and add just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Pat dry the breasts with a paper towel and then dip each one in the flour first, shaking off the excess, then the egg mixture and then the breadcrumbs to coat. If you like a crispier coating, dip it in the egg and breadcrumbs a second time. Place on a plate and then do the others. Once they are all done, place them in the skillet and cook on each side 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Then transfer to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Once it comes out of the oven, place the chicken on a plate that has been double-layered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

For the aglio olio you will need:
Spaghetti (whole wheat or better yet, gluten free)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I use about a 1/4 cup per 8oz of pasta)
Walnuts
Garlic
Crushed Red Pepper
Haricots Verts (or just plain ole green beans) cleaned, trimmed and cut in half
Parmesan Cheese to grate over the pasta

Rough chop the walnuts and garlic and set aside in a small bowl. I like my aglio olio with a lot of garlic, so I use about 7 cloves per 8oz of pasta, but you should use as little or as much as you like. For the walnuts, I use about 1 and 1/2 Tbsp, but again, use as many or as little as you like. Add about 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper to the garlic and walnuts.

Cook the pasta as directed, making sure to salt the water once it comes to a boil. When the spaghetti has about 4 minutes left to cook, place the olive oil in a small skillet on medium-low to medium heat. After you have done that, go ahead and add the haricots verts to your pasta so that they cook the last 2-3 minutes with your pasta.

Drain the pasta and beans and place on a large pasta plate or in a serving bowl. Take the oil off of the heat and test that it is hot enough by adding just one piece of the chopped garlic. If it sizzles, then add the garlic, walnuts and crushed pepper. You will want to gently move your pan around to get an even cooking on the mixture. It is important to make sure that your oil is hot enough to hear them sizzle, but not so hot that it has begun to smoke. If the oil is too hot, it will burn the garlic making it bitter. Once you have "cooked" the mixture in the oil for a couple of minutes, pour it over the pasta and beans and mix with a pair of tongs to coat all of the pasta. Top it with a little parmesan and enjoy.

By using heart healthy fats like olive oil and walnuts, this dish is great in moderation. The haricots verts are a nice addition of color and taste and help make sure that you are getting a serving of vegetables with your meal.

Once you give the meal a try, comment back with your thoughts on the dish and anything that you did to change it up.