Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares

You would never know it to taste them that these wonderful little bars are made with beans, making them a super protein rich desert that is actually good for you.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup peanuts chopped
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 whole bananas
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine beans and next 4 ingredients in food processor and process until smooth, gently fold in ground flax seed.
3. Grease baking dish with olive oil and pour in bean mixture.
4. Scatter peanut butter throughout pan and top with chopped peanuts.
5. Bake for 25-35 minutes until baked through. Let stand until cool and then serve.

Makes 6-12 portions

Grilled Portabello Mushroom "Salad"

So I thought I would change it up a bit and and make a grilled "salad". The portabello mushroom adds a meatiness to this dish and the grilled vegetables add a flavor that you can only get with the grill.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 - 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 plum tomatoes chopped
  
• 2 large portabello mushrooms
• 1/4 red onion cut into strips
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 2 tablespoon home made tomato pesto

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in small sauce pot, bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer covered until cooked.
2. Grill onion and zucchini.
3. Clean out portabello's and spread on pesto, top with onion and zucchini and grill until cooked.
4. Mix quinoa with chopped tomatoes and serve topped with grilled mushrooms.

Serves 2

Vegan California Panini

This sandwich is great for an afternoon off or even if you have enough time to pack a lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon cyanne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 tomato sliced
• 1 handful spinach
  
• 2 slices of your favorite bread

Direction:

1. Combine avocado and next 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix until desired consistency.
   
2. Spread avocado mixture on bread top with tomato and spinach.
3. Grill sandwich on panini grill.

Serves 1

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

So who doesn't like a classic strawberry banana smoothie...

Ingredients:

• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 4 strawberries cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine banana, strawberries, avocado and soy milk in blender and blend until smooth. Top with chocolate chips and enjoy!

Serves 1

Stir fry with Thai Peanut Sauce (Vegan)

So I know I already have a version of this recipe posted on the blog but this one is vegan and is definitely so much tastier :) The bok choy gives it a wonderful crunch as well as a tonne of vitamin C. The shitake mushrooms adds an earthy flavor and fiber. And the sauce well the sauce is just delicious

Ingredients

• 2 ounces whole wheat noodles dry
• 4 tablespoons green onion minced
  
• 2 pieces bok choy chopped
• 1 package shitake mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon safflower oil
  
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• juice from 1/2 lime
  
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine 1 tablespoon sesame oil and next 11 ingredients in small sauce pot and set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Combine 1 tablespoon sesame oil and safflower oil in pan and heat to medium low. Add in shitake mushrooms and saute for about 2-4 minutes until tender, combine bok choy and saute for another 2-4 minutes.
4. Whisk peanut sauce over low heat until smooth.
5. Combine pasta and vegetables top with sauce and green onion.

Serves 2

Strawberry Spinach Salad (Vegan)

Need a quick fix dinner, here it is and with seeds and sprouts it has such a wonderful crunch and texture ;) Plus adding figs add a tremendous amount of fiber and calcium, in fact they have one of the highest plant sources of both fiber and calcium.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch spinach
• 6 ripe large strawberries cut into bite size pieces
• 6 dried figs cut into pieces
• 2 ounces sprouts
  
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon oil (I used safflower)
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine white vinegar and next 6 ingredients into a jar and mix well
2. Combine spinach, strawberries, figs and sprouts in bowls and top with vinegar dressing.

Serves 2

Mango Milk Shake without the Milk

Ok so have you been craving a milkshake, frosty or anything with a creamy texture? Well I have the perfect smoothie for you ;) Mango, banana and avocado create an intensely creamy texture but with much better nutrition, can you say potassium, fiber, protein and calcium!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium or large ripe mango cut into pieces
  
• 1 banana peeled
• 1/2 avocado skin and pit removed
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Combine in blender and blend until smooth.

Serves 1

Apple Pie Smoothie

So you all will call me strange but I love to put avocado in my smoothies, it adds such a great texture with barely any flavor and lots of good monounsaturated fats to keep you full until lunch. Avocado is also rich in potassium, B vitamins, and plenty of fiber. So although it may sound funny it adds a lot of great things to your smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 2 small apples cut into pieces
  
• 1/2 avocado peeled and pit removed
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine in blender and blend until smooth
   

Serves 1

Chipotle Burrito with Guacamole

This tasty burrito is flavored with cumin and cilantro and is filled with vegetables and whole grains, a great dinner for any night of the week.
But be warned this is a spicy guacamole if you want to reduce the heat use a jalapeno instead of the chipotle pepper, however eating spicy foods does temporarily increase your metabolism by increasing body temperature and which increases your heart rate so essentially spicy = skinny lol ;)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
  
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  
• 1 ripe avocado peeled and pit removed
• 3 ripe plum tomatoes chopped
  
• 1/4 cup green onion chopped
• 1 shallot chopped
• 1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 tablespoon cumin
• 1/4 tablespoon cilantro
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 2 whole wheat flat breads

Directions

1. Bring vegetable broth, water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Combine avocado and next 9 ingredients and mix well (I use a potato masher).
3. Heat grill pan to medium, high heat.
4. Combine beans and quinoa and mix.
5. Spread guacamole mixture onto flat bread, top with quinoa and bean mixture.
6. Wrap and grill for 3 minutes.

Serves 2-3

Tomato Spinach Chickpea Simmer

Looking for an interesting and healthy alternative to your usual spaghetti, made with chickpeas instead of pasts. Using chickpeas adds protein and dietary fiber making it a healthy source of carbohydrates. Chickpeas are also low in fat! Epic Win!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 chopped shallot
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• /4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1-28 ounce can organic whole tomatoes chopped
• 1-19 ounce organic chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 8 ounces spinach

Directions:

1. In a large sauce heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. Saute onion, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt
3. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 minute, add tomatoes, chickpeas and paprika and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and let simmer until thick, about 25 minutes
5. In a skillet heat remaining oil over medium high heat, saute spinach until wilted and add to chickpea mixture.

Serves 4

Sweet Chili Chicken

If you like chinese take out you will love this. Chicken smothered in sweet chili sauce over a bed of stir fried vegetables and egg noodles.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb bok choy chopped
• 2 shallots chopped
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 jar sweet Thai chili sauce
• 6-8 ounces egg noodles
  
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 6-8 ounces dry egg noodles
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, cayenne and ginger in a bowl.
2. Dredge chicken through egg and the flour mixture.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil add salt and and pasta cook.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large pan, and the other 1 tablespoon of each oil in a large skillet or wok.
5. Add shallot and garlic to skillet and saute for about 2 minutes then add mushrooms and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, finally add bok choy, sriracha, fish sauce, soy sauce and cooked pasta and saute for another 4 minutes.
   
6. Fry chicken in the pan until cooked through and stir in sweet chili sauce.
7. Serve stir fried noodles topped with chick, green onion and sesame seeds.

Serves 4-6

Epic Burrito

This burrito is absolutely delicious but also extremely healthy. A little jalapeno for heat and beans for sweetness. This is a messy one though I would suggest a fork and knife ;P

Ingredients

• 6 whole wheat flat bread
  
• 4 cloves garlic chopped finely
  
• 3 ripe avocado's diced
• 1 tomato seeded and chopped
• 1/2 white onion chopped finely
• 1 jalapeno chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon safflower oil
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons Mexican seasoning
  
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Small bunch spinach
• Feta cheese crumbled
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. Combine avocado, 2 cloves garlic, half of the diced onion, cumin powder, half of the diced jalapeno, chopped tomato, salt and pepper an mash until desired consistency and set aside.
   
2. Heat safflower oil in small pot over medium high heat, add remaining garlic and onion to the pot and saute.
3. Add rice to garlic and onions and brown, then add canned tomato, vegetable broth, mexican seasoning, and remaining jalapeno. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer until fully cooked.
4. Top flat bread with spinach avocado mixture, rice mixture and cheese, wrap and enjoy.

Makes 6-7 Burritos

Strawberry Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dresing

This delicious salad will have you coming back for seconds, but only because it's delicious not because it leaves you feeling hungry. In fact it is extremely filling :)

The sweet hit of honey in the dressing blends wonderfully with the strawberries and is a much healthier option than sugar.

Oh and did I mention it only takes 15 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  
• 6 cups fresh arugula
• 1 lb fresh strawberries chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 2 tablespoons plain low fat yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to 350°F
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste and cook on grill for about 4-6 minutes per side.
3. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and combine with strawberries and arugula.
4. Top with 2 tablespoons of dressing.

Serves 4

One Healthy Stir Fry

So today I wanted to make a delicious low cal dinner. The vegetables in this dish offers a lot of bulk without the calories. Using garlic and ginger to season it adds a tremendous amount of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces linguine dry
  
• 2 large portabello mushrooms chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped into matchsticks
  
• ginger 1 tablespoon
• Garlic 2 gloves minced
• 4 tablespoons green onion chopped
  
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• Safflower oil 1 tablespoon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 shallot coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 lb shrimp

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat safflower oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat and add shrimp cook for about 2 minutes and remove from skillet and set aside leaving oil in skillet.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and shallot to pan and heat till fragrant, deglaze skillet using rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice and sesame oil.
4. Combine carrots, mushrooms and ginger and saute until cooked.
   
5. Add in shrimp and serve on cooked pasta and top with green onion and sesame seeds.

Serves 3-4

Chipotle Squash Burrito Bowl

So if you like spicy and sweet this is the dish for you. Even my boyfriend who doesn't particularly like spicy food loved it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup wild rice dry
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 butternut squash chopped
• 1 chipotle chillie chopped ( if you want it a little less heat only use half)
  
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro
• 1 can rinsed and drained black beans
  
• 1 avocado cubed
• 4 cubic inches crumbled feta

Directions:

1. Cook rice with vegetable broth. (Boil then reduce heat to low and cover)
2. Heat safflower oil in skillet and add half of the onions (salt and pepepr to taste) and sauté, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add in garlic and cumin and sauté until fragrant.
4. Mix in butternut squash, chipotle chillie ketchup and adobo, cook until tender adding in water gradually.
   
5. Combine remaining onions, tomatoes and cilantro and set aside.
6. Once squash mixture is cooked add in black beans.
7. Serve rice topped with tomato and squash mixture with diced avocado and feta.

Serves 4

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Yes you heard right avocado pesto and yes it is delicious and easy to make.
Basically this recipe is basically my favorite breakfast (California Breakfast Wrap) and my favorite dinner (Linguine with Tomatoes and Pesto).

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dry whole wheat linguine
  
• 2 Avocados peeled and seed removed
• 4 pieces sun dried tomatoes
• 2 ounces blanched slivered almonds
• 2-3 cloves garlic depending on your taste
• 2 ounces chopped oregano
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 2 red vine tomatoes diced
• 4 cubic inches crumbled feta
  

Directions:

1. Cook pasta to package directions.
2. Combine avocados, sun dried tomatoes, almonds, garlic, oregano and olive oil in a food processor and puré.
3. Pan fry prosciutto.
4. Plate pasta and top with tomatoes, feta, puré and prscuitto.

Serves 4

The New Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a classic dish but I bet you never had mac and cheese with this much flavor and still under 500 calories. This dish has a delicious crunch and even some vegetables and cashews...

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
  
• 1/2 cup ricotta
  
• 2 tablespoons light herb and garlic cream cheese
• 4 cubic inches crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 large shallot sliced
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 package cubed pancetta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 4 ounces spinach
• 8 ounces whole wheat macaroni
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
   
3. Combine cashews and panko in food processor and process until finely chopped add in parmesan, mix well and set aside.
   
4. Combine ricotta, cream cheese, feta and cheddar in bowl, mix well and set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat add shallot and garlic and sweat about 3 minutes, add in pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low and add in spinach and wilt about 3 minutes.
7. Combine spinach and ricotta mixture with macaroni, top with panko mixture and place in oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until crust is brown.
8. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 4-6

Sweet Potato Stir Fry

Sick of your normal everyday stir fry, but love the sauce. Than this will be a welcome change, with little calories.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2-3 tablespoon brown sugar (more if you want a sweeter stir fry)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 teaspoon sriraccha (optional if you want spicy)
• 3 tablespoon ginger, minced or grated
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 large sweet potato shredded
• 1/4 cup pistachio chopped
  

Directions:

1. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 2-3 tablespoons chicken broth and sriraccha and set aside.
2. Cook quinoa with remaining chicken broth.
3. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet to medium high heat, add in garlic and sweat about 3 minutes.
4. Add in shredded sweet potato and sauté for 5 minutes then add sauce and half of the green onion and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.
5. Plate quinoa and top with sweet potato, remaining green onion and pistachio.
   

Serves 4

Italian Sausage Pasta

This is a wonderful meal that it is full of flavor. The sausage is a wonderful use of meat and fats creating juicy deliciousness. The zucchini adds a wonderful crunch, and the mushrooms absorb all of the flavors that the dish contains.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dry pasta
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 3 large white mushrooms sliced
• 2 shallots chopped
• 1 medium zucchini chopped
• 3 Italian sausages casing removed and mashed
• 1 cup tomato sauce (I used Classico tomato and pesto)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  

Directions:

1. Cook pasta to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add shallots and garlic and sweat for about 3 minutes.
3. Add sausage to skillet and cook thoroughly, 3-5 minutes, then add mushrooms and sauté until soft. Once mushrooms are cooked add zucchini and tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Combine pasta and sauce stir well and serve hot.

Serves 4

Gyoza (Yumm)!

Ok so I was totally just craving these yummy little snacks, I used to get them all the time for lunch but since being on my diet I haven't had them in a such a long time.
Extremely delicious and fairly easy to make but time consuming.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb shrimp chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 cup cabbage and carrot coleslaw
• 30 gyoza or wonton wrappers
  

Directions:

1. Combine shrimp, red pepper flakes, green onion, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and coleslaw in food processor and process until finely chopped.
2. Spoon 1 teaspoon of shrimp mixture onto each wonton wrapper and seal using water. (moisten each edge of wrapper fold and seal)
3. Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in non stick skillet, place about 5 gyoza in at a time and fry until golden on each side.
4. Serve with dipping sauce.

Serves 2

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Mix until sugar has dissolved

Nut Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Yes you heard right nut burgers. Nuts contain much more MUFA's than any pork or beef products, making this a much much much healthier alternative to your classic burger. Also sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene ( a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C and vitamin B6, which to say the least is also much better than your standard every day deep fried french fries.

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato cut into strips
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup red onion diced
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 2 hamburger buns
• 1/4 cup dressing of your choice
• 2 ounces spinach
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• 4 slices pickle
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F, and grill to 350°F.
2. Sprinke sweet potatoes with Italian seasoning.
3. Place sweet potato on flat backing sheet and bake in oven for 30 min.
4. Toast pistachios and cashews.
5. Process chickpeas, nuts, and onion in a food processor.
6. In a medium bowl combine chickpea mixture, onion, egg, and season with salt and pepper shape into two patties, and top with 2 slices of cheese.
7. Place patties on grill and cook for about 3-5 minutes allowing cheese to melt.
8. Place cooked patties on bun top with tomato slices, pickels and serve with sweet potato fries.
   

Shrimp Pesto Wrap

Delicious, quick, and low cal!
The pesto gives it both a lot of the good fats as well as a lot of the flavor.

Ingredients:

• whole wheat flat bread
• 1 teaspoon pesto
• 1/4 cup chopped red pepper
• 1 cubic inch feta
• 6-10 shrimp cooked
  

Directions:

1. Heat sandwich grill.
   
2. Spread pesto on flat bread and top with the next 3 ingredients.
3. Fold flat bread and grill for 3 minutes.

Serves 1

Tomato Pasta Casserole

You know that home cooked meal that your mom used to make that tasted better the next day this is it. Omitting the ricotta will lower the calorie intake but it just won't be the same.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces dry whole wheat pasta
  

• 3 cloves garlic sliced thinly
• 1 shallot chopped
• ¼ cup green onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms chopped
• 8 oz fresh spinach
• 1 cup ricotta
• ¼ cup parmesean
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 650 ml jar tomato pasta sauce (I used Classico Tomato & Basil)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in saucepan, add shallot and garlic.
4. Sweat shallot and garlic slightly then add mushrooms and sauté until soft.
5. Add ground turkey and cook until brown, then add tomato sauce, oregano, ricotta, spinach and cooked pasta. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Top with Parmesan and green onion.
   
7. Place pasta in casserole dish or use oven safe saucepan and bake in oven for 10-15 minutes.
8. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve hot.

Serves 6

Thai Chicken Drumstick's with Quinoa and Cucumber Salad

Who says you can't have chicken wings, or drumstick's (more meat less work ;) while trying to loose weight. Just have to keep a few key things in mind. The skin is full of fat so try and avoid eating it, I'm sure you all have someone else in the house that would be more than happy to eat it for you. Marinating overnight will help build flavor without adding a lot of fat. Baking instead of deep frying is a much healthier way of actually cooking the chicken. And keep the side dish light no french fries ;)

Ingredients:

• You can use any marinade you like I made a sweet Thai chilli one will post the recipe later
• 14-16 drumsticks
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 large cucumber sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons oregano leaves chopped

Directions

• Marinate Chicken overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place chicken evenly on a baking sheet and cook flipping occasionally for 35-40minutes.
• Add quinoa, water and salt to a small pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook until tender, remove from pot and let cool
  
• Add cucumber, red-wine vinegar, olive oil, scallions and oregano in a bowl. Add quinoa once cooled and toss.
• Serve chicken and salad together.

Serves 4

Peanut Crusted Chicken with Almond Rice Pilaf

Using the almonds and peanuts creates a complimentary taste and great crunch for both the chicken and the rice side dish.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs (Like Panko)
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 2 shallots chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
• salt and pepper
  

Directions

• Heat oil in small pot
• Sweat shallots in oil 2-3 minutes, add rice, chicken broth, toasted almonds, dried cilantro and salt and pepper bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer until done.
• Combine bread crumbs and peanuts in food processor and process until same consistency.
• Whisk eggs and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Preheat grill to 350°F
• Dredge chicken in egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture, cook on grill until done approximately 6 minutes per side.
• Serve immediately
  

Serves 4

Thai Coconut Curry Pasta with Shrimp

I decided to do something a little different tonight, and I don't eat a lot of curry dishes however I do like Thai food and they use a lot of curry so I took some Thai influences and created this dish.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry pasta
  
• 2 small shallots diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  
• 1/3 cup vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon garam marsala
  
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
  
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric
  
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 lb cooked shrimp (you can buy them this way which saves time)
  
• 4 tablespoons green onion chopped
• Salt
  

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat.
3. Sweat shallots and garlic in pan about 3 minutes.
4. Reduce heat and add vegetable broth and the next 6 ingredients to pan and reduce 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
   
5. Once reduced add shrimp and red pepper and heat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve pasta with sauce, top with green onion.

Serves 4

Southwestern Beans and Rice

This low calorie dinner packs a lot of flavor. Another meatless main course I know but so quick and easy to make.

If it doesn't seem like enough food you can always add a couple of pieces of flat bread to add those extra calories.

Ingredients:

• 1 540ml can diced tomatoes (I use the spicy ones)
• 1 540ml can red kidney beans
• 12 white mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice (or you can use the uncle ben's stuff if your in a hurry)
• 4 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil over medium high heat, add mushrooms and sauté.
3. Combine mushrooms, kidney beans, tomatoes and rice in a pan and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve hot topped with one tablespoon cheddar cheese.

Serves 4

Tomato Pesto Chicken Wrap

Delicious and full of MUFA's, this wrap will leave you feeling satisfied.

In case you haven't already notice but I love my grill, using a grill makes it so much easier to cook foods without fat :D

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon tomato pesto
• 1 slice mozzarella cheese
• 2 oz spinach leaves
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 whole wheat flat bread
  

Directions:

1. Heat grill to 350°F and grill chicken breast until done, about 3-4 minutes per side.
2. Combine all ingredients on flat bread and wrap.
3. Grill to seal and serve hot.

Serves 1

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Rotini

A pasta dish full of flavor with a handful of ingredients that only takes 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• 8oz dry rotini noodles
• 1/2 lb frozen shrimp
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  
• 1 can diced tomatoes
  

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil over medium high in sauce pan and add shrimp, cook until lightly browned and opaque and remove from pan.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and next 5 ingredients. Cook until tomatoes soften and sauce thickens, 10-15 minutes.
5. Combine pasta, sauce and shrimp. Serve right away.

Serves 4

Stuffed Portebello Mushrooms with Quinoa

These stuffed mushrooms are delicious and won't leave you feeling guilty and makes a great romantic meal for two.

Quinoa as a side dish to a vegetarian meal since quinoa has an extremely high protein content(12%-18%), a balanced set of essential amino acids making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. On top of that it is a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, iron and is easy to digest.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach chopped
• 2 white mushrooms chopped
• 1 small shallot chopped
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 2 ounces chopped almonds
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
  
• 1 tablespoon herb and garlic cream cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/3 cup dry quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 large portebello mushrooms stems and gills removed
• 6 grams feta cheese
  
• 1 red pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grill red pepper, chop and puré.
3. Combine spinach and next 7 ingredients, mix well and set aside.
4. Place spinach mixture on mushroom caps and then wrap in tin foil and bake for 15minutes
   
5. Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a pot bring to a boil, reduce heat cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Keep warm.
6. Remove mushrooms from oven crumble feta on top of mushroom caps and return to oven for 5 minutes or until feta has browned slightly.
7. Serve quinoa and mushroom together with red pepper puré.

Serves 2

A quick tip to mold quinoa, spoon into a measuring cup and flip onto plate.

Linguine with Tomatoes and Pesto

Ok so this has to be one of my all time favorite meals. It's so quick and easy to make, and the simple ingredients really work well together to make an extremely tasty dish.

One serving is only 390 calories, 14g of protein and 8g of fiber making up an extremely well balanced meal.

Ingredients

• 2oz dry whole wheat linguine
  
• 1/2lb cherry tomatoes halved
  
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g fresh basil chopped
  
• 1 1/2oz blanched almonds (you can use pine nuts they are delicious but expensive)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan grated
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake for 15minutes.
4. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and next 4 ingredients in a food processor and process.
5. Mix pasta and pesto and place in bowl, top with tomatoes and serve.

Serves 4

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Salad

This salad is packed full of nutrients and is a quick and easy meal for those nights when you might be eating dinner a little later than usual. Even making a dressing can be quick and easy if you are adventurous.

The use of arugula adds a spicy edge, plenty of nutrients and this leafy green used regularly in ones diet has been proven to prevent cancer.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 8 tablespoons dressing (I made a dill dressing which I will add the recipe for at the bottom)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 red onion coarsely chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
• 6 cups organic baby arugula
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions

1. Heat grill to 350°F.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place chicken, zucchini and onion on grill until done about 3-4 minutes per side, adding tomatoes in about half way through.
4. Remove chicken and vegetables from the grill cut chicken crosswise into thin slices.
5. Combine chicken, vegetables and dressing and serve.

Serves 4

Dill Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup dill finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar and mix well

Sweet Pork and Peanut Stir Fry

If you have a sweet tooth but trying to stick to a diet this is the dinner for you. Filled with zucchini and sweet bell peppers using pork tenderloin will add a welcome texture and flavor.

Zucchini is extremely low in calories making it a great choice for a meal that would be otherwise a rather high calorie meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 small cuts pork tenderloin
• 1 red pepper chopped
  
• 1 large zucchini chopped
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic minced
  
• 2 medium shallots chopped
  
• 1/3 cup green onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons flour
  
• 1/2 cup dry brown rice
• 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Add peanuts to rice and keep warm
   
3. Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, chicken broth and flour in bowl and set aside.
4. Cut tenderloin into small pieces and mix with remaining tablespoon soy sauce to coat.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet add tenderloin cook until browned and remove from skillet.
6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil shallot and zucchini saute for about one minute. Add soy sauce mixture, zucchini, ground ginger and green onion, cook until sauce has thickened.
7. Serve hot with a cup of rice.

Serves 4

Carrot Noodles with Pesto

This is an interesting dish where the carrots at the crunch and the nutrition. Carrots contain carotene which is metabolized into vitamin A in humans. They are also rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber and minerals.

Ingredients

• 4 oz dry spinach linguine
• 6 large carrots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Cook past according to package directions.
2. Peel carrots into thin strips and set aside.
   
3. Combine garlic and next 5 ingredients in food processor, process and set aside.
4. When pasta is cooked mix with carrots and pesto.
5. Serve right away.

Serves 4

Popeye Lasagna

That's right it's full of spinach. Spinach is high in nutritional value and antioxidants which lowers your chances of heart disease. And believe it or not in this case cheese is actually good for you! Ricotta is full of protein, calcium, omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids which means that this meal is nutritionally complete without the meat.

Ingredients

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 11 ounces of fresh spinach chopped
• 1 650ml jar tomato sauce (I used Classico spinach and cheese tomato sauce)
• 8 no boil lasagna noodles
• 1.5 cups Gouda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Whisk together ricotta, spinach, eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a glass backing dish.
4. Arrange two noodles on top.
5. Spread with ricotta mixture and then with tomato sauce.
6. Sprinkle with one third of the Gouda.
7. Repeat to make two more layers ending with Gouda.
8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Remove foil; continue baking until golden brown on top and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly before serving.

Serves 4-6

Cheese Grilled Shrimp Linguine

Cheese... shrimp... pasta! What could be better. This delicious one dish meal is super quick to make only as long as it takes to boil noodles.

Using low fat cheeses will reduce your saturated fats but will still add a lot of flavor.

Oh and did I say that this one was delicious yet...

Ingredients

• 4 oz dry linguini
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons ricotta
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 1 roasted red bell pepper chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 1 garlic clove
  

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Grill shrimp on medium high heat until done approximately 6 minutes.
3. Combine Parmesan and next 6 ingredients in a bowl.
4. Once shrimp are done add to cheese mixture and toss.
5. Place pasta on dish and top with cheese and shrimp mixture.

Serves 2

Taco Rice Salad

This is a super quick and easy recipe for those nights when you just don't feel like cooking. Using ground turkey instead of ground beef will help reduce saturated fats and red meats from your diet.

Oh and for those vegetarians out there this can be easily adapted just warm the beans with the rice and spices instead of ground turkey :)

If you don't find enough flavor with just the salad you can add a simple sour cream dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (I add a about a half tablespoon seeds for crunch)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups spinach
• 3 cups chopped tomato
• 1/2 red onion (I found it to be a bit overpowering and may leave it out next time)
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese (full fat for those who like to indulge)
  

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.
2. Add rice and next four ingredients and mix.
3. Combine spinach, tomato, red onion and black beans in a bowl and toss.
4. Place 1 1/3 lettuce mixture in bowls and top is 3/4 cup of rice mixture and about 1 1/2 tablespoon cheese.

Quick Sour Cream Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup fat free sour cream
• 2/3 cup picante sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
   

Rolled Eggplant with Sausage and Mozzarella

Never thought you would eat egg plant... Me either but I've been trying to sneak this strange vegetable into a number of different meals lately, and what a better disguise for the rather tasteless vegetable than sausage and cheese!

I'll be making my own tomato sauce for this recipe but if you don't have the time the stuff from the jar will do the trick too.

Making a little extra is always a good idea especially when you get to bring leftovers for lunch the next day!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2lb Italian or Asian eggplant trimmed and cut lengthwise into slices 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 155 g Italian sausage casings removed
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup ricotta
• 125 g fresh mozzarella cut into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• salt and freshly ground pepper
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F .
2. Brush eggplant on both sides with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt.
3. Place in an even layer on backing sheet and bake until lightly browned and tender.
4. Remove from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F
5. In a frying pan over medium high heat warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. Saute the sausage until cooked through.
7. Stir in the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer.
8. Combine ricotta, mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan in a small bowl.
9. Spoon cheese onto eggplant and roll.
10. Place sauce and eggplant into baking dish (I just used my saucepan as it is oven safe)
11. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake until the sauce is bubbling about 20 min.

Serves 4-6

Quick Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 540ml cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oil, sugar and salt in a saucepan.
2. Cover and let simmer over medium heat until tomatoes have broken down.
3. uncover and simmer over low heat until desired thickness (15-20 minutes).
4. If desired transfer to either a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Almond Stuffed Chicken with Wild Rice and Mushrooms

This surprising low calorie dinner is delicious and filling.

Using almonds adds not only a wonderful crunch but also valuable fats that can help lower your cholesterol.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1/3 cup light garlic-and-herbs cream cheese
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wild Rice and Mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms chopped (I'm using white mushrooms, but any mushrooms will work)
• 1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper
  

Directions

1. Combine cheese, almonds and basil in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut a slit in the chicken breasts to form a pocket. Stuff pocket with almond cheese mixture. (to keep the chicken breast closed while cooking use a toothpick)
3. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
4. Cook chicken using a grill set to 350 degrees. Approximately 6 minutes per side.
   
5. Bring chicken broth and rice to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer until tender.
   
6. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until soft and translucent.
7. Add rice and basil to mushrooms and serve.
   

Serves 4

California Breakfast Wrap

Breakfast is the one meal that most people overlook and often skip which is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. Breakfast not only helps control weight but also fuels your body giving it energy for the day ahead.

This is a delicious breakfast wrap that only takes 15 minute to make and even less time to eat.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Hass Avacado Sliced
  
• 1/4 Tomato Cubed
• 1 Handful Spinach
  
• 1 Cubic Inch Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 2 Slices Turkey Bacon
• 1 Whole Wheat Flat Bread
  

Directions

1. Cook turkey bacon over medium high heat until done.
2. Meanwhile heat sandwich press.
3. Combine all ingredients on flat bread and fold.
   
4. Place wrap on grill and heat for 3 minutes and serve.
   

Thai a Yellow Ribbon Linguine

One of my favorite pasta dishes that can be easily made into a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken.

This dish contains sesame oil which is a great source of monounsaturated fats (MUFA's) which will help keep you feeling fuller longer.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked linguine
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup low-fat vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a pot. Set aside.
2. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain well and keep warm.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat frill to 350 degrees.
4. Place chicken on grill and cook until no longer pink.
5. Stir sauce over medium heat until smooth.
6. Cut chicken into bite size pieces.
7. Combine all ingredients and serve.