Snack: Apple & Nut Butter & Cheese

One of my fav snacks. The sweet apple, the salty peanut butter, and the cheese. Cheese goes with everything as far as I'm concerned. Choose from several varieties of apples, nuts, and cheeses. Oh, the possibilities! ;)

Note on nuts: Prefer your nuts roasted and salted? While the roasted, salted ones might better satisfy your taste buds, raw nuts can be more satisfying for you appetite. Something about that added salt in the salted ones just makes them hard to stop eating. For me at least. 

Snack: Apple & Nut Butter & Cheese

1 apple

1 Ounce of raw almonds

1 cheese stick 

Snack: Clementines & Avocado

I'm all about the 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. I like to eat every 2 or 3 hours. This is a favorite of mine. I love the creamy, buttery taste of the avocado, and the clementines satisfy my sweet tooth. 

Good carbs. Good fats. Good snack.

Snack: Clementines & Avocado

2 clementines

1/2 avocado

1tsp extra virgin olive oil 

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Just sprinkle the seasonings onto the avocado and drizzle it with evoo. 

Happy snackin'!

What time of day do you eat this snack? Please Comment in the section below!

Italian Tofu, Peppers and Onions

Italian sausage just doesn't do it for me. It's the fennel that ruins it. Plus I'm trying to incorporate more meatless meals into my family's diet. So I pulled out a couple packages of tofu out of the fridge and I'm sure glad I did. This is a nice vegetarian twist on a classic Italian dish...if I do say so myself.

Let's talk tofu: 

You gotta get that excess water out of your tofu for this dish to work. Press it between paper towels or clean dish towels. Don't smash it to death, but really press that tofu until your towels soak up as much water as possible. As you can see in the picture, I placed paper towels in a bowl after I chopped up the tofu so I could dry to tofu out some more before adding the salt and pepper.

Now, the onions and garlic:

Reduce your heat if the garlic starts popping out of the pan like popcorn. You want to cook the onions and garlic just a little. The onions will have time to soften more after you add the peppers. So you'll know it's time to add the peppers when your onions and garlic look like the lovely picture above. 

Okay, onions and garlic, I'd like you to meet peppers and herbs...

(I think they like each other)

Hey look, the tofu is ready! ;)

Be sure to flip and toss your tofu around as it cooks. Depending on your pan, you should be able to cook it at a pretty high heat. It will get light and bouncy as it gets brown. Try to brown all sides. 

Alas, tofu, peppers and onions!

Just let everything simmer for about 15 minutes, and you're all set. 

This dish pairs well with a nice salad. Like this one:

Ohhh yeah.

Italian Tofu, Peppers and Onions

2 packages firm tofu

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

2 Teaspoons dried basil, divided 

2 Teaspoons dried oregano, divided

2 Tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 large onion, sliced 

5 Cups bell pepper, sliced 

1/4 Cup white cooking wine

Drain the excess water out of the tofu by pressing between paper towels or clean dish towels. Chop the tofu into cubes and press again with towels to get as much the water out as possible. Sprinkle tofu with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add tofu to the pan. Let tofu cook until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in another large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions begin to soften, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of basil and 1 teaspoon of oregano to the pan of onions and garlic. Then stir in the white wine. Continue to cook and stir until the onions and peppers are tender. If they start to burn or if the pan gets too dry, reduce heat and add a little more white wine or water or vegetable broth to the pan. 

When tofu is browned on all sides reduce heat to low and stir in 1 teaspoon on basil and 1 teaspoon of oregano, distributing the herbs to all pieces of tofu. Then add tofu to the pan of vegetables. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

So what do you think of this vegetarian dish? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Turkey Taco Salad

I love taco salads! They're flavorful, filling, and they can be very healthy. The key is including lots of vegetables and using the salsa as a salad dressing. Satisfy your taco craving with this zesty salad!

A word about peppers: Poblano and pasilla peppers are often confused for one another. They vary in heat from mild to hot. The jalapeño pepper is hot! (In my opinion) It's the SEEDS contain most of the heat, so be carefully when cutting all of the peppers, especially the jalapeño. If you're sensitive to spicy foods, try to avoid touching the seeds, and be sure to wash your hands after handling the peppers. You can control the amount of heat you want in your taco salad by the amount of seeds you choose to include: 

- Include all of the seeds for a lot of spice

- Include some seeds for a little spice

- Don't include any seeds if you don't want your salad to be spicy at all.  

Turkey Taco Salad

Yield: 4 servings

1 lb ground turkey

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Poblano or Pasilla pepper, diced

2 jalapeño peppers, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 can black beans (15oz), drained

4 cups lettuce, chopped

Toppings:

1 cup shredded cheese

2 tomatoes, chopped 

2 green onions, diced 

1 avocado, chopped

1 cup salsa

chips  

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pasilla peppers, onion, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes. Add ground turkey and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is fully cooked. Add beans, taco seasoning packet and 1/2 cup of water. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Make each salad by spreading a cup of lettuce on a plate, some of the turkey-bean mixture, tomatoes, cheese, green onions, avocado, and salsa. Serve with a few chips...but don't get crazy...it's not nachos, it's a salad ;)

Take it to the next level by topping your salad with a few sliced olives, some freshly chopped cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream!

Please share your Comments about this recipe in the section below!

Chicken Pesto Lunch Wrap

This is a flavorful, filling, and healthful lunch! We got some good fats (olive oil) in the pesto. Some lean protein in the chicken. Some nutrient-packed spinach. Some whole grains in the tortilla. The sun-dried tomatoes kick up the flavor. The creamy provolone makes us happy. This wrap is fancy yet simple. We like.

P.s. Kick it up a notch by using leftover rotisserie chicken (pictured above) instead of deli slices (pictured below).

Chicken Pesto Lunch Wrap

Yield: 1 wrap

1 large whole wheat tortilla

4 thin slices of deli chicken

1 Tablespoon of Pesto sauce 

1 slice of provolone cheese

1 handful of spinach

1 Tablespoon sun dried tomatoes

Layer the cheese, chicken, spinach, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes on the tortilla. Roll it up. Enjoy.

Tell me how much you love this wrap in the Comments section below. 

Blueberry-Pear-Apple Puree for Baby (6+ months)

I absolutely love making food for my Baby Girl. It's fun for me, healthful for her, and she definitely likes my homemade creations better than the store-bought stuff.

Don't worry about having the exact measurements of ingredients. You might find that your baby prefers to have more or less of each fruit. For example, too many pears tend to give my baby the runs, too many apples stop her up, and blueberries...well let's just say they don't lose any of their color as they travel through her little body. TMI? Sorry. My point is that you should feel free to modify the amounts of the ingredients to suit your baby's needs and preferences. This particular ratio is a winner for my baby.

Also, if you want the puree to be thicker, use less water or just skip the water altogether. Keep in mind that adding water will make the puree more mild in taste (good for those tiny taste buds that don't prefer strong flavors).

Okay, I'm done rambling and over-complicating baby food! ;)

Here's how to do it:

Blueberry-Pear-Apple Puree for Baby (6+ months)

Yield: about 20 ounces 

12oz fresh blueberries 

3 pears 

2 apples

3/4 cup purified drinking water  

(The equipment I used: colander, metal steamer basket, sauce pan, Vitamix food processor, silicone ice trays, silicone spatula, ziplock freezer bags)

1. WASH/RINSE all fruit. 

2. STEAM the blueberries until soft (about 6 minutes). Meanwhile, peel, core and chop apples and pears into chunks.

3. DRAIN the blueberries in colander and place them in a bowl to cool. 

4. STEAM the apples and pears until soft (about 6 minutes). 

5. DRAIN apples and pears in colander and place in a bowl to cool. 

6. PROCESS all fruits together in a food processor, adding the water little by little until the puree reaches desired consistency (or just pour all the water in at once if you prefer).

7. POUR the puree into ice trays, using a spatula or spoon to scrape the puree into the trays (I like to get every little bit that I can!) and freeze (I let them freeze overnight).

8. POP the puree cubes out of ice trays and store in freezer bag for up to 3 months.

What food combos does your little one love? Please share your experiences with making baby food in the Comments section below!

Strawberry Granola Breakfast Parfait

When it comes to yogurt, fat is my friend. I love me some rich, thick, creamy, tart full fat Greek yogurt. Yum. This simple, healthful, and beautiful recipe is a great way to "break the fast" and start your day. 

I prefer just a 1/2 Cup serving of yogurt because I eat a snack about 2 hours after breakfast. However, if you find that a 1/2 Cup doesn't keep you satisfied until your next meal/snack, try making this with a whole cup of Greek yogurt (and add more sweetener if you like). 

Speaking of sweetener, I use Splenda granules to cut some of the yogurt's tartness and to just add to the overall sweetness of the recipe. In this picture I used frozen strawberries. I made this breakfast last night (minus the granola) and placed it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. So this morning the strawberries were unthawed and my yogurt was ready to eat. I sprinkled the granola on right before eating it.

This is a great breakfast to make at night and take to work with you the next morning.

Strawberry Granola Breakfast Parfait

1/2 Cup Greek yogurt (full fat)

5 Strawberries, chopped

1 Teaspoon Sweetener (I use Splenda granules)

1/4 Cup Granola 

Place strawberries and yogurt in a bowl. Add sweetener (and a swirl of honey just for fun). Top with granola. Savor each creamy bite.

Not sure if your Greek yogurt is full fat? Check the nutrition info on the back of the container. Full fat yogurt will have about 200 calories per 1 cup serving.

What are your favorite fruit & yogurt combinations? What toppings do you like? Please share them in the Comments section below!