Things to remember...

The thing to remember with recipes is that if you don't have ALL of the ingredients for the recipe that doesn't mean that you have scour high and low and in every grocery store until you find everything you need.  You can always modify your recipes.  If you don't have EVERY type mushroom and don't feel like going to find them all you can just get some regular button mushrooms and baby bellas from Kroger.  Also, if there's an ingredient that you don't like... just LEAVE IT OUT or swap it for something you do like... don't like pork, use chicken... don't like meat at all, use tofu or just a bunch of veggies that you do like.  Every recipe is able to modified to something of your liking.  Just make sure that what you substitute is just as healthy or even more healthy. 

The key is making the smart choice...
Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of peanut oil
Use Honey, Agave Nectar, Splenda, Truvia instead of Sugar, if you must use "Sugar use Sugar in the Raw"
Instead of using white flour use Whole Wheat Flour
Instead of White Bread use Wheat Bread
Use egg whites instead of the whole egg
Use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon... or even better use Morning Star Vegetarian Bacon
Choose fruits and veggies instead of chips or candy
Yogurt is always a great choice

Any queations?  Feel free to ask at ANY time!!!

Peace :)

Deep-Dish Sundried Tomato Quiche

 Sun Dried Tomato Deep Dish Quiche

 

Nutritional Information

SERVES 8

Amount Per Serving:

Calories	215
Protein	14g
Total fat	3g
Carbs	35g
Cholesterol	mg
Sodium	800mg
Fiber	6g
Sugars	2g

When making the pastry, set aside the remainder of the silken tofu to use in the quiche filling. You may make the pastry a day in advance, and store it covered in the refrigerator. Remove the dough an hour before proceeding with the recipe.

Ingredients

SERVES 8

Pastry

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/3 cup "lite" silken tofu
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. brown rice syrup
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. ice water

Filling

• 1 3-oz. pkg. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup enriched soymilk
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1 13.75-oz. can artichokes, cubed
• 2 Tbs. capers, rinsed
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 12.3-oz. pkg. "lite" silken tofu, plus remainder from pastry
• 3 Tbs. mild white miso
• 1/4 cup dry sherry or apple cider
• 1/3 cup mashed-potato flakes
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. dried basil

Directions

To make Pastry:

1. Lightly spray 9 & 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate with olive oil.

2. Place flour, oats and salt in food processor, and pulse to mix. Add tofu, oil and rice syrup, and blend. With motor running, pour ice water through feed tube, and process until mixture comes together in ball. Turn onto lightly floured work surface.

3. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour, and roll out to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Press into prepared pan and trim edges, leaving a 1-inch overlap. Using thumb and forefinger, press decorative edge along side, around top edge. Set dough aside in refrigerator.

To make Filling:

4. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. Combine tomatoes and water in small bowl, and set aside. Combine soymilk and lemon juice in nonreactive bowl, and set aside.

6. Heat oil and crushed red peppers in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, about 1 minute. Add garlic, shallots and scallions, and sauté 3 minutes. Reserving soaking liquid, add tomatoes, artichokes, capers and chopped basil to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook mixture 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Place tofu in food processor, and blend until smooth. Place miso in small bowl, add sherry and blend with fork until smooth. Add miso mixture, soymilk mixture and reserved soaking liquid to tofu, and process. Add potato flakes, yeast and ground turmeric, and process. Fold tofu mixture into artichokes, and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture into pie shell, and sprinkle with dried basil. Place on middle rack in oven.

8. Bake 35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, and let stand 15 minutes. Serve lukewarm.

New Recipe

Wild Mushroom Ragu with Golden Polenta

 

Nutritional Information

SERVES 8

Amount Per Serving:

Calories	340
Protein	10g
Total fat	11g
Carbs	44g
Cholesterol	mg
Sodium	1180mg
Fiber	5g
Sugars	7g

 

Ingredients

SERVES 8

Golden Polenta

• 7 cups water
• 1 Tbs. sea salt
• 2 cups coarse-ground polenta or stone-ground cornmeal
• Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Wild Mushroom Ragu

• 2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp. dried
• 1 cup dry red wine, preferably Chianti
• 1 1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 28-oz. can whole Italian roasted tomatoes
• 3 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1 cup vegetable stock, preferably homemade
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped green olives

Directions

1. To make Golden Polenta: Bring 7 cups water to a boil in large stockpot, and add salt. Whisking constantly, slowly sprinkle polenta or cornmeal into pot by handful, letting it trickle through fingers. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook and whisk constantly for 10 minutes. Cover pot, and cook for 10 minutes more.
2. Uncover, and stir vigorously with wooden spoon. Cover again, and cook 10 minutes more. Repeat two more times for a total cooking time of 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue stirring for 10 minutes. Pour polenta onto large 10x14-inch baking pan, spreading it to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
3. To make Wild Mushroom Ragu: Place dried porcini mushrooms and 2 cups lukewarm water in small bowl to soak for at least 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from bowl, squeezing gently and letting liquid drain back into bowl. Coarsely chop mushrooms, and set aside. Strain mushroom liquid through coffee filter or dampened paper towel to remove grit, and set liquid aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté until softened, for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary, and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, for 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to large heatproof cast-iron casserole.
5. Deglaze skillet with 1/2 cup red wine, scraping up all browned bits. Cook over medium-low heat until liquid is reduced by half, for about 10 minutes. Add to onion mixture.
6. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add half cremini mushrooms and pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until excess liquid cooks away and mushrooms begin to brown, for about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to casserole, and without cleaning pan, repeat process with remaining cremini, followed by shiitakes. Transfer each batch to casserole.
7. Deglaze skillet with remaining 1/2 cup red wine, scraping up browned bits. Add reconstituted porcini and strained mushroom liquid, and cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half, for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to casserole.
8. Squeeze whole tomatoes to break them up, and add with juices to casserole. Stir in tomato paste, vegetable stock, parsley and olives. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to blend flavors, and adjust seasonings.

To serve, heat broiler. Cut polenta into 16 wedges, brushing lightly with olive oil, and place on sheet pan under broiler, cooking until golden brown, or for about 6 minutes. Turn pieces over, and broil for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven, place 2 wedges polenta on individual plates and top with hot mushroom ragu.

The Wonders of Green Tea

Green Tea is one of the best things that you can add to your daily diet.  It helps to raise your metabolism and research is showing that green tea also helps lower cholesterol levels.  Studies also show that Green Tea can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, dental cavities, kidney stones, and improve bone density and cognitive function.

You should start your day every day with a cup of hot green tea (if you like it sweet add honey and/or lemon) to get your day started off right and wake-up yourself and your metabolism!

Importance of breathing correctly while working out

As most of you have heard me say in my fitness classes and even in personal training sessions, "continue breathing correctly and thoroughly!" The reason why is you need to supply the muscles with plenty of oxygen in order to burn the carbs/glucose that the body needs to continue working hard. Remember, fat burns slowly as fuel and requires oxygen to burn properly. So, if the oxygen gets to the muscles, you can burn more fat. Check out some pranayama breathing practices to assist with this new found energizing breathing exercise... and remember to continue working out... peace!

Pantry Items to have on hand at all times for healthy meals

The key to eating healthy daily is cooking your own healthy foods, not counting on fast-food and restaurants. It’s important that your kitchen is ready to help out.  Here are some normal pantry must haves to keep on hand and help you stay healthy.

-Whole Wheat Noodles (Whatever style you prefer)

-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-Tomato Sauce (Can even use recipe for Tomato Vegetable Juice)

-“Mori-Nu” Tofu Extra Firm (not the tofu in water in the deli… this is in a box in the international isle.  It keeps longer, and it has a better texture and taste. Publix)

- Canned mushrooms and other veggies

- Brown Rice

- Whole Wheat Flour

- Splenda

- Vegetable Stock

- Cous Cous

- Wheat Breads

- Sugar Free Puddings and Jellos for quick deserts

- Plenty of Seasonings (Whole Seasonings and Fresh Herbs are great!)

- Oatmeal

These are just a few items to get you started.  Of course you would need to also use any fresh produce or white meat as well to ensure that you have a well balanced, satisfying, low calorie/low fat meal. 

Easy Versitile Veggie Recipe

Here's a semi simple recipe to help out with Vegetarian and low calorie cooking/drinking!
It's great to use with sauteed veggies over whole wheat pasta or brown rice. Also great in bloody mary's and even just drinking it like you would V8 as a meal, a snack or just to drink to curb your hunger.

Tomato Vegetable Juice
1 bushel plus a few more makes 3 batches =33 qts.
- 10# clean tomatoes (8 qts.) squeezed thru food mill sq skins twice
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or more if you really like garlic)
- Seperately in another LG pan
- 2 lg onions chunked (I use 3)
- 1/2 bunch or 1 sm bunch celery chunked
- 6 C chuncked carrots (3/4 of a lg bag)
- 2 chuncked green peppers
- Boil & put thru food mill twice (or use blending wand and strain)
- add to pan of tomatoes
- ADD 1/4 C sugar or splenda (I used splenda)
- 3 T salt
- 3 T Worchestershire sauce
- 1/2 t 1 T pepper
- 3 T dill sauce
- 3 T seasoned salt
- 3 T Arizona seasoning (Pennzeys spices)
- 3 T Adobe
- 2 T cumin
- Bring to a boil & simmer until seasoning goes thru.
Add 1 Bunch chopped Cilantro per batch if desired.
Label into jars & ADD 2 T lemon juice to each qt. 11 qts per batch - Process takes about 40 minutes