Tag Archives: healthy eating

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

Posted in breakfast, cut calories, low-carb, Snacks, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, sweet treat, vegan, vegetarian, weight loss ideas by

Craving something sweet? Or maybe looking for an easy breakfast on the go… try this Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding recipe. I found it when Armando and I were on our annual cleanse after the holiday indulging.

This tastes like you are indulging but it is a gluten free treat packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various micronutrients that our bodies need. I call it yummy.

Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

• 1/3 cup chia seeds

• 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup light coconut milk (or water)

• 1 medium chopped apple (chopped fresh or slightly sauteed in coconut oil)

In a bowl combine chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, and coconut milk. Leave in the fridge overnight stirring once after 10 minutes. In the morning add chopped apple, a pinch or two more of cinnamon. Have in between meals as a sweet snack or to satisfy a craving.

Other topping options (swap out the apples):

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding Topping Suggestions

• Citrusy Coconut Chia Pudding. Add ½ teaspoon lemon zest or orange zest.

• Berry Coconut Chia Pudding. Top with fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries. This combo is especially tasty with lemon or orange zest.

• Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding. Top your coconut pudding with mini chocolate chips.

• Vegan Coconut Chia Pudding. Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.

• Add Some Crunch. Top your pudding with toasted coconut flakes, granola, or toasted nuts.

• Coconut Chia Jam Pudding. Top with 1 tablespoon of your favorite jam.

Carrot Spice Smoothie

Posted in beverage, dairy-free, gluten free, low-carb, Smoothies & Shakes, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, sweet treat, vegan, weight loss ideas by

This delicious shake reminds me of carrot cake only it’s a whole lot more nutritious and guilt-free!  I found it in the Standard Process 1 Degree of Change Cookbook. 

Ingredients

1 cup fresh carrot juice

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated with a micro plane grater

1/2-1 banana, frozen

Pinch of ground cinnamon

2 scoops of SP Complete

1 handful of spinach (optional but I like to sneak in more greens!)

Instructions

Purée all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. 

Pour into your favorite glass and Enjoy!  

Nutritious AND delicious!

Peruvian Quinoa Soup with Cilantro & Avocado

Posted in cut calories, gluten free, low-carb, soup, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly by

 Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-large red onion finely chopped
4 chopped serrano chilies, finely chopped (reserving a bit for garnish)
4 garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon coriander, freshly toasted and ground
1 cup white quinoa
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
1  bunch cilantro, chopped (reserving a few sprigs for garnish)
juice of 3 limes (or to taste)
1 avocado, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil and over low heat saute the onions, garlic, and chiles. Sauté until they’re soft, about three minutes.

Add the ground coriander, stir, and then add the quinoa.

Toast quinoa for a minute or so, stirring as you do. Add chicken stock and cook on low -medium until the quinoa is tender (approximately 15-20 minutes). It will absorb a lot of broth, so plan on adding more broth or water to get the consistency just right.

Taste. Play with salt, lime, and serrano until the balance is to your taste. 

Top with avocado and cilantro and enjoy this lovely, healthy soup!

Green never tasted so good!

Alyene’s Blueberry Peach Feta Salad 

Posted in low-carb, salad, side dish, vegetarian by

My friend Alyene shared this delicious fruit salad one summer day while we enjoyed a concert in the park. It has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and fresh flavors! Tossed in a lemon basil vinaigrette, it’s an easy and delicious salad to serve in summer at a bbq or picnic! 

Servings: 4

Sweet, salty and fresh! A perfect combination.

Ingredients 

  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 2 peaches (or nectarines)
  • 2 Persian cucumbers or an English cucumber
  • 2-4 oz feta 
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil (sliced thinly) or you can substitute fresh mint. 
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Making this salad is as easy as making a simple everyday lettuce salad. Dice the peaches or nectarines, slice the cucumbers, and add them to a serving bowl along with the blueberries.

Whenever I make a recipe with feta, I prefer to use block feta and crumble it myself. I feel that the flavor is better, it isn’t as dry and it doesn’t have any of the anti-caking agent in it that pre-crumbled and pre-shredded cheeses contain. For this salad recipe you can crumble or cube the feta cheese.

The final step is to make the lemon vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, dijon, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar. Thinly slice the fresh basil or mint, otherwise known as chiffonade and add it into the mix. Screw on the lid and shake it until it’s well combined. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss everything together. You can eat the salad immediately or refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

The salad keeps for a couple days in the refrigerator. The peaches will get softer and the feta will start to break down the longer it’s in the fridge, but it still tastes great!

You can do some steps in advance (dressing and cutting up ingredients) but it is best to toss  all the ingredients just before serving.

Tex Mex Dressing

Posted in dressing, mexican, salad, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, vegetarian by

Try this easy creamy avocado dressing. It will soon become one of your go to favorites!

Ingredients

1 avocado

80 ml or 1/2 cup water (more to adjust the consistency)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Process

Pit the avocado and place in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Pour over your favorite salad. (I like, shredded romaine lettuce, grated carrots, diced tomatoes, diced red onions, street corn (frozen from Trader Joe’s), chopped cilantro and some pepita seeds (also called pumpkin seeds).

Yellow Squash and Onions

Posted in 30 minute meals, side dish, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, vegan, vegetarian, Weeknight Meal by

Here’s an easy and healthy weeknight side dish that’s packed with flavor but only needs a few ingredients. Pair it with your favorite chicken or fish dish.

Serving : 2

Ingredients

2 yellow squash (1/2 in slices)

1/2 small onion 

Sprinkle of dried thyme

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Splash of Olive oil 

Instructions

Wash the produce.

Slice the squash into 1/2 inch coins and slice onion into 1/2 inch rings. 

Toss in a bowl with olive oil and herbs

Lay in a single layer on a foil lined pan and roast at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Serve and enjoy!

Gardener’s Ratatouille

Posted in cut calories, italian, side dish, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, vegan, vegetarian, weight loss ideas by

Here’s a fresh and tasty way to use up the midsummer garden surplus of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.  

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup onions diced (approx I medium onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced (approx 2 tsp)
  • 1 cup bell pepper (any color)
  • 2 cups zucchini and/oe yellow squash large diced
  • 2 cups eggplant, diced
  • 3 cups fresh tomatoes chopped
  • 3 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, basil and oregano)
  • salt and pepper to taste (roughly 1 tsp each)

Instructions

  • In a large saute skillet, heat  olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add the remaining vegetables and garlic. Cover, reduce heat simmer 30 minutes or until veggies are cooked thru. A
  • Stir in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.  (Don’t overcook).
  • Garnish  with more fresh herbs as desired and Enjoy!  

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Posted in mexican, Uncategorized by

With ground chicken, melty cheese, quinoa, and jarred salsa cooked in one pot, this Mexican stuffed peppers recipe is like a healthy taco in a bell pepper shell.

Just like a healthy taco in a bell pepper shell

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 3

Ingredients 

• 3 bell peppers , stems and tops removed, then seeded and

• 1 pound ground chicken

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 12 ounce jar restaurant style salsa

• 1 T taco seasoning (see homemade taco seasoning recipe here)

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup shredded cheese , Mexican blend or cheddar

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• ¼ cup sour cream , optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Brown the ground chicken in a large fry pan over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes or until cooked almost through. Add the onion cook until softened, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the jarred salsa, and taco seasoning. Add the quinoa and then reduce to medium low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Fold in ¾ of the chopped cilantro, reserving some for garnish.

• While the meat is cooking, cut off the tops of the peppers, spoon out the ribs and seeds, then rinse. Lightly sprinkle the inside of the peppers with kosher salt and place in a microwave safe dish with ¼ cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes or until they soften but still hold their shape.

• Transfer the peppers to a baking dish. Fill the peppers with the hot meat and quinoa mixture.

• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and heat for an additional minute or two until the cheese has melted. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and sour cream if you’d like, and serve.

Quinoa with Feta and Edamame

Posted in salad, side dish, vegetarian by

I love this quick and easy salad, especially in the summer. It is a colorful, refreshing and healthy addition to a picnic or barBQ. It makes a great side dish or even a light meal on Meatless Mondays.

YIELD: Serves 5

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Quinoa
2 cups Chicken Broth (or vegetable or beef if you prefer)
½ cup chopped Red Bell Pepper
½ cup chopped Red Onion
½ cup Corn (fresh, frozen or canned – be sure to drain it first)
½ cup shelled Edamame
½ cup chopped Cilantro
¾ cup crumbled Feta Cheese
1/3 cup Italian Dressing (preferably homemade but bottled will do)
¼ teaspoon Salt (or salt to taste)

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a wire mesh strainer. Add the broth to a medium size pan. Heat the pan on medium heat. Add the quinoa, stir and bring to a boil. 

Cover the pan and decrease the heat to low and simmer. Let cook about 15 minutes or until the quinoa absorbs the liquid. Then remove from the heat and let cool while preparing the remaining ingredients. Chop the red bell pepper, red onions, and cilantro.

In a medium size bowl, add the red bell pepper, red onions, corn, and quinoa. Then add the Italian salad dressing and stir. Add the edamame and cilantro, and stir.

Next, stir in the feta cheese and add the salt (or salt to taste). Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Asian Simple Salad and Dressing

Posted in 30 minute meals, asian, dressing, salad, vegan, vegetarian by

I was on the hunt for an easy and tasty Asian Salad Recipe and stumbled upon this one from Fit Foodie Finds. This is one of my new favorites! Take a peak below or go to link https://fitfoodiefinds.com/asian-salad-dressing/

Prep: 20 minutesCook: 0 minutesTotal: 20 minutes

SERVINGS 4

Asian Salad Dressing

This Asian Salad Dressing is made with garlic, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a little soy sauce. It’s the perfect healthy salad dressing to top on your favorite kale salad or use as a chicken marinade!

Prep: 5 minutesCook: 10 minutesTotal: 15 minutes

FAT 15 CARBS 3 PROTEIN 0

YIELD 4

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly minced
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Asian Kale Salad Ingredients

  • 4 cups shredded kale, packed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
  • 1 large red pepper, minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 cup onion, minced (any kind)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds


    INSTRUCTIONS
  • Start off by making your Asian Salad Dressing.  
  • Prepare Asian salad by placing kale into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
  • Massage the olive oil into the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until kale is soft and broken down.
  • Add the rest of the kale salad ingredients to the bowl and mix.
  • Pour entire dressing on the salad and toss until all ingredients are combined.

TIPS & NOTES

Nutrition includes Asian Salad dressing.

NUTRITION FACTS

  • Serving Size: 1/4 Calories: 249 Sugar: 6 Fat: 19 Carbohydrates: 18 Fiber: 4 Protein: 4