Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Roasted Carrot & Red Quinoa Salad

I made this delightful salad for Thanksgiving to take a break from the normal Thanksgiving fare. It has delicious Middle-Eastern flavors that made my mouth happy! I liked it so much I thought I would share it with you.

Click HERE for the recipe!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are gearing up for a fantastic Christmas : )

Nicole

Plan to Eat and Plan to Eat Well!

I have added a ton of new recipes to my Plan to Eat. Feel free to try it out for 30 days free and if you like it, it's only $39/year. What a deal! Become friends with me (The FitnessFreak) and get access to all of my recipes. I have Clean Eating, Regular, Raw, Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free and Ayurvedic recipes. Check it out!!

This program really does help me stay consistent with family dinners, lunches and snacks. It also helps me stay on my budget. It is an easy platform to work with and if you have any questions about it don't hesitate to e-mail me, thefitnessfreak@cox.net.

Nicole

My Favorite Way to Get a Healthy Dinner on the Table

For the past year I have been making menu plans through Plan to Eat. I have input almost 400 recipes into the program and it has been so wonderful!It helps me stick to a budget and ensures that I can easily make good, healthy meals for my family.

There are so many great websites with recipes but making them all easily accessible was tough.  Enter PTE, now I can just copy the HTML code from many of my favorite cooking sites(like Clean Eating) and add them into the PTE site in under a minute. Once they're in the PTE program I can print them and add them to my shopping list.

The shopping list is totally customizable. I can add things, remove things, put them on a list for a specific store and I do it all in under 10 minutes.

The best thing about being part of PTE is that your friends can join too and then you all have access to each others recipes. Yep, you can benefit from the work of others : ) You can also manually input your personal recipes as well as recipes from sites that don't have the formatting for copy and paste HTML. I have input lots of recipes this way and it is really simple once you get the hang of it.

The cool thing is that you can join with just an e-mail address and a password and you get 30 days access for free. You don't even have to put in a credit card number unless you decide to join later, yippee! Click on the logo above and try it out, you'll be so glad you did!!

Make sure to become my "friend" if you do join and you get to see all of my recipes. I have regular, Clean-Eating, Vegan, vegetarian, organic, Paleo, Gluten-Free and other fun recipes in my recipe book. On the main recipe page click on the "Friends" tab. Once it opens click "Add Friend" in the upper left-hand corner. You can find me under TheFitnessFreak. Check it out!

Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Pasta with Kale, Caramelized Onions, and Parsnips

Kale is one of my favorite veggies! I eat it most everyday and I often have it in my green juice. Here is a great recipe that makes working kale into your diet possible : ) Enjoy!

Ingredients

    •    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    •    3 cups diagonally, thinly cut(about 1/4") parsnip (about 1 pound)
    •    2 1/2 cups sliced onion (about 1 large)
    •    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    •    4 garlic cloves, chopped
    •    1/2 cup dry white wine
    •    8 cups trimmed and chopped lacinato/ dinosaur kale (about 3 bunches)
    •    1/2 cup organic low-sodium vegetable broth
    •    8 ounces uncooked whole grain penne pasta
    •    1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
    •    1/2 teaspoon salt
    •    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add parsnip to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl; keep warm.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in kale and broth; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Uncover; cook 4 minutes or until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a sieve over a bowl, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Add drained pasta to kale mixture. Stir in parsnips, 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid if needed to moisten. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  Serves 6


Nicole

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week: Zucchini, Tomato & Basil Pasta

 My garden has a ton of tomatoes, zucchini and basil so I came up with this quick, yummy meal to use it up. It is so fresh tasting and my whole family loves it!

Ingredients

• 10 oz whole-wheat or brown rice pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced or 1 small sweet onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 zucchini (preferably 1 green and 1 gold) halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 lb tomatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
• ³⁄₄ tsp fine sea salt
• ¹⁄₃ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In a large skillet or sauté pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Turn heat down to medium, add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in basil.

Divide pasta among 4 serving bowls. Top with sauce, dividing evenly, and serve.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole 

Clean Eating Recipe of the Week- Two Cabbage Coconut Slaw

The coconut milk adds creaminess without adding unnatural fats like you get with mayo. I hope you enjoy this, I know I did : )

• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly into strips
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill (I prefer dill, it's a personal preference)
  
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toss cabbage, carrots, onion and parsley or dill together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix coconut milk, sea salt, celery seed, lime juice, olive oil and cayenne pepper. Toss dressing with cabbage mixture. Let it sit and chill for awhile before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Makes 10 servings. Serving size 1/2 cup.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole

Healthy Ginger Cookies

These are a great treat at Christmastime. Molasses is high in B vitamins and iron plus agave has one third the glycemic impact of sugar, yay!

Ingredients

¾ C coconut oil
1 C agave
¼ C molasses
2 eggs (organic and free-range)
3½ C whole-wheat flour, finely ground (preferably soft white wheat)
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3 tsp. ginger (plus, optionally, freshly grated ginger root)
1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together the coconut oil and sweeteners, then add the egg and mix well. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Roll into walnut-sized balls and bake at 375° for 6 min. I rolled mine lightly in evaporated cane juice because my boys love the crunch.

This is a great healthy alternative to the processed sugar and fat counterpart.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole

Clean Eating Holidays- Rice-Stuffed Squash

Individual squashes, such as acorn or even small pumpkins, work well in this recipe and they make an impressive vegetarian main course for a winter dinner.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

You Will Need
1 cup mixed basmati and wild rice
3 cups water
4 small acorn squashes
3/4 cup cooked chestnuts (canned or vacuum packed), roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper

What to Do
1. Put the rice in a saucepan, add the 3 cups water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer very gently until the rice is just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain off any excess water.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a large, sharp knife, slice off the top quarter (stalk end) of each squash. Set aside these little hats, then scoop out the seeds and fiber from the center of the squashes using a small spoon. Trim the bases to make them level, if necessary. Season the cavity of each squash lightly with salt and pepper, then place them in a large ovenproof dish or roasting pan.

3. Mix together the rice, chestnuts, cranberries, onion, thyme, parsley, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon the rice stuffing into the squashes, pressing it down, and mounding it up neatly on top. Replace the reserved "hats" on top. Bake until the flesh of the squash is tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife, about 45 minutes.

Serve hot. Yum!

Some More Ideas
Use other winter squashes such as small pumpkins instead of acorn squash. The cooking time can vary from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of squash and its size. Replace the mozzarella with other cheeses, such as Gruyère.

Plus Points

• Acorn squash is a winter variety of squash. Winter squashes are allowed to mature into hard, starchy vegetable fruits with very good keeping properties, while varieties such as zucchini are eaten while immature and the skins are still edible. Acorn squash is a good source of beta-carotene, which the body can convert to vitamin A.
  
  
• Unlike other nuts, chestnuts are low in fat-other nuts have up to 20 times as much fat. Chestnuts are also a good source of thiamine and potassium, and a valuable source of dietary fiber.
  
  
• Both dried and fresh cranberries are a good source of vitamin C. Cranberries also have the reputation of helping to control urinary tract infections such as cystitis.
  
  Serves 4

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe- Roasted Veggies

Roasted Root Vegetables with Walnut Pesto

Carrots and parsnips have a slight sweetness that balances the bite of the Brussels sprouts and turnips. Toss the vegetables with fresh-tasting pesto after they roast to brighten both the flavor and color. You can prepare the pesto up to one day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. If making it ahead, let the pesto stand, covered, at room temperature for about 15 minutes before tossing with the vegetable mixture.

Vegetables:

3 cups (1-inch-thick) slices carrot (about 1 pound)
3 cups (1-inch-thick) slices parsnip (about 1 pound)
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled turnip
3 cups trimmed halved Brussels sprouts (about 1 pound)
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pesto:

2 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil (I used 2 Tbsp.)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, peeled

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare vegetables, place first 6 ingredients in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat vegetable mixture with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; toss. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until browned. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl.

To prepare pesto, combine basil leaves and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Spoon basil mixture over vegetable mixture, and toss to coat.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 128 (30% from fat); FAT 4.3g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.7g,poly 1.5g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 101mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20.5g; SODIUM 277mg; PROTEIN 4.3g; FIBER 5.1g

Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

Use any fresh herbs you have on hand for this holiday recipe. While parsley, tarragon, and thyme make a nice combination, you can also try sage, chives, and rosemary.

Ingredients:

12 cups cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place cauliflower in a large roasting pan or jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with oil; toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, thyme, tarragon, and garlic. Bake 5 minutes. Combine cauliflower mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to combine.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 89 (35% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 83mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.1g; SODIUM 251mg; PROTEIN 5.2g; FIBER 5.4g

Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine!

Click HERE for a printer-friendly version.

Nicole

Now It's Your Turn......

.....to tell me what your favorite way to use tomatoes is! I know I'm not the only one with a bumper crop of tomatoes and I would love to hear about your favorite clean-eating tomato dish. Don't be shy, share your ideas:)
This is only a few of the many I have.

Nicole

Cinnamon Apple Oat Bars

A cross between apple pie and crumb cake, these cookie bars are sure to please even the pickiest eater. My son ate four in 10 minutes:)


Crust

1 cup regular rolled oats (not instant)
1-1/4 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup light agave nectar
1 large egg beaten or 1/4 cup egg substitute

Filling

5 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup light agave nectar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
juice of 1/2 lemon

Topping

1 cup regular rolled oats (not instant)
2/3 cup Gluten-Free all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance Spread or butter, cold and cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 10x15x1 inch jelly roll pan with canola oil spray.

In a bowl, prepare the crust by combining the oats, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the canola oil, agave nectar and egg. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.

Prepare the filling by tossing the apples with the agave nectar, cinnamon, nutmeg, arrowroot powder and lemon juice. Spread the filling evenly over the bottom crust.

Make the topping by mixing the oats, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add the butter pieces and cut into flour using two forks or a pastry blender. Add the agave nectar and mix together. The topping will be thick and sticky. Sprinkle or spread evenly over the apples, all the way to the edge of the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until topping is golden and apples are tender. Let cool in pan for 15-20 minutes before cutting into bars.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Baking with Agave Nectar by Ania Catalano. I definitely recommend this one for your cookbook library!!