Quinoa, Cranberry and Almond Stuffed Acorn Squash

February 4, 2014March 18, 20141 Comment

I LOVED the freshness and comfort of this meal! I love roasted squash and filling it with a delicious quinoa salad is just plain fabulous! The roasted squash offered the “comfort” and the quinoa salad offered the “freshness.” And, even better . . . they go SO WELL together! The textures are amazing with the softness of the squash and quinoa being combined with the crunch of the almonds and spinach and then topped off with the chewiness of the dried cranberries. And, probably without even having to say it, the flavors all meld well together.

This is a beautiful meatless meal. I had a couple of acorn squash that were begging to get used so this is what came of them. We had it for lunch and loved it.

Quinoa, Cranberry and Almond Stuffed Acorn Squash
Adapted by The Spicy RD Blog

2 acorn squash
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on squash
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2-3 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, cut acorn squash in half, vertically, and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over the flesh of both pieces of squash, then sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place squash, flesh side down on a foil lined sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.

While squash is baking, combine quinoa and water in a medium pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and cook until water is absorbed, and quinoa is nice and fluffy.

While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in pan, then add onions and cook until translucent. Push onions to the side of the pan, and add almonds, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes to toast. Remove pan from heat, and set aside.

When quinoa is done cooking, pour it in to a medium bowl, then stir in onion/almond mixture, cranberries, spinach, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When squash is cooked, remove from oven and place each piece on a plate. Scoop 1 cup of quinoa pilaf mixture in to each squash half and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 half squash filled)
Calories: 327
Protein: 8.8g
Carbs: 51.1g
Fat: 12.6g (0.6g = Sat.)
Fiber: .6g
Sugars: 7.3g

Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus

January 29, 2014March 18, 20142 Comments

Here’s another great recipe for game day! I absolutely love the smokiness of chipotle peppers. And, guess who loves them even more? My hubby! If I make anything with chipotle peppers in it, I’m bound to get all kinds of compliments for my kitchen craftiness.

This hummus is excellent. I like hummus, but sometimes I find it to be a bit bland. Not this one! This one has a fabulous little kick from the chipotle peppers and the smokiness is enhanced by the cumin. It’s a hummus with a Mexican twist. Awesome!

It seriously takes all of 5 minutes to whip up, and it’s oh-so-good! Add this to your healthy game day line-up. You won’t be mad about it.

Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus
Slightly Adapted from Damn Delicious

1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans (white kidneys), drained and rinsed
1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (the more you use, the “hotter” it gets)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine cannellini beans, chipotle peppers, garlic, Meyer lemon juice, cumin and chili powder. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified.

Serve with pita bread, crackers, chips, or veggies.

Serves 12.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tablespoons)
Calories: 86
Protein: 1.9g
Carbs: 5.4g
Fat: 7.1g (1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 1.6g
Sugars: 0.2g

Creamy Avocado Dip

January 27, 2014March 18, 20143 Comments

I know the Super Bowl is coming up and people are already planning their parties. And, as we all know, while the game is the reason we get together with friends and family, the REAL reason we love the party is for the food. Am I right!?

I’m highlighting a couple of healthy, but delicious game-day recipes this week. Why not totally enjoy the food, but without ALL the extra calories and bad fats?

This, my friends is definitely a favorite dip of mine! I love just about anything that has avocado in the name, and this is NO exception. It’s kind of like guacamole, but with a little extra creaminess factor. The addition of garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and cumin bring the flavor of the dip to a whole new level too. We’re talking creamy, bursting with flavor, and healthy! Yeah!

I typically serve this with Baked Tortilla Chips, but you can serve it with whatever you love (multi-grain chips, pita chips, cut-up veggies, etc.). And, let’s just say that if (and that’s a huge IF) you were to have any leftover, you could use it on sandwiches or as a snack at home.

Here’s to planning a healthier game day!

Creamy Avocado Dip
Recipe Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Place the yogurt, avocados, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and cumin in a blender or food processor. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Scrape dip into a serving bowl and serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, or cut up veggies.

Makes approximately 1 3/4 Cup Dip (depending on the size of your avocados).
Serves 7.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 Cup)
Calories: 94.7
Protein: 2.6g
Carbs: 5.7g
Fat: 7.6g (1.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 3.4g
Sugars: 1g

Banana and Oatmeal Cookie Bites (Two or Three Ingredients Only!)

January 22, 2014March 18, 20142 Comments

Okay folks! This is the easiest recipe ever. When I saw a version of it, I knew I had to give it a go (plus it was in Oprah’s magazine and it seems like EVERYONE trusts Oprah when it comes to what is best – haha). I figured if these babies really did turn out to be snack-worthy, then I knew I found myself a winner. I mean, we’re talking 15 minutes from start-to-finish and 12 of those minutes are baking time.

Winner. I’m telling you; these win in my book. I whipped these up in the afternoon for a little “cookie” snack for me and my sweet toddler and we BOTH loved them. All it took was mashing two ripe banana and adding oats to them. Done! Before baking, I decided that I wanted some peanut butter in them. Why? Because I LOVE peanut butter and I’m always trying to sneak protein in my little babe’s food. Thus, I added some PB2 to the mixture. (Have you ever heard of PB2? It’s awesome. It comes in a powder form and it has 85% less fat than regular peanut butter . . . making the calorie count much less. That being said, it adds great PB taste to smoothies and other things . . . like these cookie bites.) If you want the peanut butter taste and you don’t have PB2 and you don’t want to buy any, then you can substitute 1/4 cup of peanut butter instead (however, keep in mind that 1/4 cup PB = 360 calories, where 2 Tablespoons of PB2 = 45 calories).

These turned out great and Baby Evie and I were thrilled to eat these little cookie bites for our afternoon snack. In fact, she had NO patience to wait for me to snap a picture of them so she ate one right off the plate beforehand. And, while I was snapping pictures I had to keep telling her, “no touchies.” As soon as I was done I told her she could have another one and she waited all of .01 seconds to go in for the grab!

If you’re looking for a way to get some healthy eats into your kiddos, give these a try! They’ll get bananas and oats for a snack without all the extra sugars and fats. TOTALLY great! I also think these would make great pre-workout or post-workout snacks.

Cookie anyone?

Banana and Oatmeal Snack Bites
Adapted from Foodlets Via Oprah Magazine

2 very ripe bananas (brown spotted ones)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons PB2 (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet with a non-stick silicone liner or parchment paper.

Mash the bananas with a fork, add the oats plus PB2 (if using). Once it’s all incorporated, using a cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon size) drop balls on the baking sheet and press down (like peanut butter cookies but without the fork). Bake for 12 minutes.

Makes 10 Cookies.

Nutritional Information (Per Cookie with PB2)
Calories: 55.6
Protein: 1.8g
Carbs: 11.3g
Fat: 0.8g (0g = Sat.)
Fiber: 1.6g
Sugars: 3.2g (all natural sugars, of course)

Triple Berry and Carrot Juice Detox and Antioxidant Smoothie

January 13, 2014Leave a comment

We caught some of the nasty winter germs that have been going around and have been down with colds in our house. Ugh! In order to help boost our immune systems we’ve been trying hard to get in as many fruits and veggies as possible.

This little smoothie has become our breakfast drink for the past week. The berries are LOADED with antioxidants and I love sneaking veggies in the smoothie without anyone even noticing they’re there . . . thus, the addition of carrot juice. Fruits and veggies will help us to naturally detox and cleanse our bodies too, so this smoothie is great for any of us who may have indulged a little over the holidays.

If you’re wondering, I buy my triple berry mix from Costco. I also found the carrot juice at Costco and have noticed that I can get the three bottles at Costco for almost the same price it costs for 1 bottle in the grocery store. Since we won’t be drinking ALL that carrot juice before it goes bad, I’ve decided to freeze it until I need it.

If you’re in need of a handy-dandy way to get in your fruits and veggies, here’s a great solution. Your kids will love it too. My little babe sees it mixing in the blender and starts chanting, “num, num, num.” Smoothies just seem to be a special treat!

Triple Berry and Carrot Juice Detox and Antioxidant Smoothie
Mimi’s Fit Foods

1 cup frozen mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
1/2 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on taste)
crushed ice, optional

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds).

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (Per Smoothie)
Calories: 110.2
Protein: 4.8g
Carbs: 22.6g
Fat: 0.4g (0.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 2.7g
Sugars: 18.4g (mostly all natural from the berries)

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

January 8, 2014January 7, 2014Leave a comment

Here’s another fabulous meatless meal! We get some nice protein from those healthy black beans and lots of other good nutrients from the sweet potatoes. Black beans and sweet potatoes are such a lovely combination. Mix them with some Mexican spices, throw in some fresh cilantro . . . and, we’ve got ourselves a winner!

I love how fast this recipe comes together. And, a HUGE bonus is that you can leave the leftover filling in your fridge to whip up a burrito whenever your heart desires. This has come in handy for lunches as well as lazy and/or busy nights when dinner is pretty much not gonna happen!

I wasn’t so sure that my little person would eat this in burrito form, so I mashed a portion of the filling and made a quesadilla for her. I threw it in the oven with the burritos, cooked it for the same amount of time, and that worked like a charm. She found her little quesadilla to be quite yummy.

These have easily jumped high up on my list for go-to dinners and will easily make the dinner/lunch rotation often. These would also be great with the addition of cooked chicken and there’s no doubt that I’ll be adding it from time-to-time.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos
Adapted slightly from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed small (about 3-4 cups)
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 small red onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your taste)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1/2 cup part-skim Mozzarella, shredded
8 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas (100 calories each)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, jalapeño, red pepper and red onion with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dump the coated veggies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy at the end of cooking time.

Let the vegetable mixture cool. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and toss with the black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Taste the mixture and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the burritos or use immediately.

Place 3-4 tortillas on a microwave-safe plat and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until the tortillas are pliable. Place 2/3 cup or so of the vegetable mixture in the center of the tortilla and top with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll up. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until you have all the burritos you need (the filling can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days).

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, until heated through and the top of the tortilla is golden brown. Adjust the baking time as needed depending on if the filling has been refrigerated or not. For a softer tortilla, wrap each burrito in tin foil and heat through. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Burrito)
Calories: 229
Protein: 15.6g
Carbs: 40.6g
Fat: 6.8g (1.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 18.5g
Sugars: 1g

Italian Farro Salad

January 6, 2014Leave a comment

Happy new year! Let’s get this new year started off nice and healthy! This salad definitely fits the bill! I’m sure many of you are sitting there wondering what “farro” actually is. It’s nothing crazy, it’s just a healthy grain . . . like quinoa. It’s super delicious and I absolutely love the texture. It is a wonderful source of protein and fiber.

I was first officially introduced to this lovely grain by one of my sisters-in-law. She is a huge fan (eats it for breakfast often) and because we both love healthy eats, she gave me a big bag for my birthday. I’ve loved it ever since! (Thanks Becca!)

Come the first of the year, I like to throw in a few meatless meals to our weekly menu. It just helps to detox and it provides for some lighter meals (you know . . . after all that heavy and excess holiday food!). That being said, I’m picky about my meatless meals because I’m adamant about getting enough protein into our bellies. That’s why I love farro because it offers a decent amount of protein without adding extra meat to the dish (although, adding chicken to this dish would be delicious too).

These veggies are wonderful when paired up with the farro. AND . . . I love the Italian twist because it really helps me to feel like I’m eating a real meal. The Italian Seasoning and the garlic are awesome here and I love the addition of fresh basil. Fresh herbs make just about anything taste gourmet. Oh, and the Parmesan cheese . . . don’t even get me started! It melted all over the farro as soon as I stirred it into the hot mixture. Delicious! Have I also failed to mention that it’s only 139 calories per serving? Hmmmm . . . . looks like I’m having TWO serving for lunch tomorrow.

Seriously. This makes for a great meatless meal or a beautiful side dish. Give it a go. You’ll love it.

Italian Farro Salad
Adapted from The Lilypad Cottage

1 1/2 cups rinsed farro
3 cups fat free chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 (8-ounce) package of sliced mushrooms, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Bring farro and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, cover and let simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile sauté garlic, italian seasoning, tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini until tender about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine cooked farro and vegetables in a bowl.

Add fresh basil, parmesan, and more salt and pepper.

Can be served hot or room temperature.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Cup)
Calories: 139.6
Protein: 7.7g
Carbs: 18.7g
Fat: 5.7g (2.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 2.7g
Sugars: 2.3g

Italian Farro Salad

January 6, 2014Leave a comment

Seriously. This makes for a great meatless meal or a beautiful side dish. Give it a go. You’ll love it.

Italian Farro Salad
Adapted from The Lilypad Cottage

Bring farro and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, cover and let simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile sauté garlic, italian seasoning, tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini until tender about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine cooked farro and vegetables in a bowl.

Add fresh basil, parmesan, and more salt and pepper.

Can be served hot or room temperature.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Cup)
Calories: 139.6
Protein: 7.7g
Carbs: 18.7g
Fat: 5.7g (2.1g = Sat.)
Fiber: 2.7g
Sugars: 2.3g

Fit Ranch Dip (and Dressing Too)

June 27, 2011June 22, 20111 Comment

This is a staple around my house! It is amazing the way this dip/dressing comes together and tastes so much like the REAL thing. Have you ever blended cottage cheese? Well, if not, you’re about to do it because I’m not sure how you can resist trying this! By taking cottage cheese and blending it you end up with a very similar texture as sour cream. I just add Ranch seasoning to it, and magically I have a ranch dip that is low in fat and high in protein. This works great on a relish tray with vegetables, I put it on my baked potatoes, I often times add a little milk to it to make it more of the consistency of dressing and then use it as such on my salads (it tastes so good on taco salads), and whatever else you like to use ranch for. I’m sure it’s easy to see why this is a staple at my house. Perhaps it can become a staple at yours too! Feel free to play around with the flavors or seasoning packets. My favorite at the moment is the Spicy Ranch mix.

Fit Ranch Dip

1 cup 2% milkfat cottage cheese
1 tsp. ranch seasoning (such as Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mixes)

Put cottage cheese in a food processor or blender. Process/blend until smooth (texture should resemble that of sour cream). Add ranch seasoning and process/blend until combined. Serve.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tablespoons)
Calories: 27.3
Protein: 3.9g
Carbohydrates: 1.4g
Fat: 0.5g (0.3g = Sat.)
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0.1g

Mimi's Fit Foods

NUTRITIOUS & DELICIOUS

Category: Meatless

Quinoa, Cranberry and Almond Stuffed Acorn Squash

Spicy Chipotle White Bean Hummus

Creamy Avocado Dip

Banana and Oatmeal Cookie Bites (Two or Three Ingredients Only!)

Triple Berry and Carrot Juice Detox and Antioxidant Smoothie

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

Italian Farro Salad

Italian Farro Salad

Fit Ranch Dip (and Dressing Too)