From Blah to BLAM!

Savory Oatmeal

with SoyRizo, Caramelized Onions, Cheddar and a Fried Egg

This gourmet oatmeal is incredibly quick and easy and could not be more satisfying. If you're anything like me, you find normal oatmeal completely unappetizing. Personally, I think it does a disservice to the breakfast agenda. So, believe me when I say, this oatmeal will change your opinion on oatmeal. It's hearty, warm and gooey, with a zesty kick; not to mention the fact that it is still incredibly calorie conscious and a nutritionally solid way to start your day. I wouldn't hesitate to serve this to even the snobbiest of breakfast connoisseurs! 

Ingredients (For 2):

-2 Eggs

-1 Cup of Plain Quick Cook Oats

-1 3/4 cup of Veggie Stock, Almond Milk or Water

-1/4 cup of soyrizo

-1 laughing cow wedge or 1 tbsp of cream cheese (optional)

-1/2 cup of shredded cheese of your choice ( I used sharp cheddar)

-1/4 of a medium yellow onion diced

-Fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish (optional)

How To:

In a sauté pan, cook diced onions down in oil on low-med until golden brown (can sprinkle some sugar in pan to help speed up process).  Once they begin to brown, add soyrizo to pan to heat. Prepare desired serving of oatmeal plain according to package using stock, almond milk or water. Season oatmeal with salt and pepper to preference. Add cheese and laughing cow wedge to oatmeal just before it has absorbed all the liquid. Stir until incorporated and then add onion and soyrizo. In a separate pan, fry two eggs to desired style (Best kept slightly medium so yolk oozes into oatmeal!) Plate oatmeal and top with fried egg and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley. Devour. 

P.S:

For an extra kick to jumpstart your day AND your metabolism garnish with sriracha or add chopped jalapeños to oatmeal! 

P.S.S:

The best part about this oatmeal style is its versatility! You can play with incorporating all sorts of different flavors. Try it Italian style with sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan and balsamic reduction. Or treat yourself to a drizzle of truffle oil, and a sharp cheese, cracked black pepper and fresh parsley. 'Veg' out with diced bell peppers, onions, jalapeño and tomato. The possibilities with this meal are endless, so get creative and most importantly have fun with it!

Easy Peasy Sweet and Nutty Hummus

With Roasted Beets and Cauliflower

Naturally Gluten Free, Hearty, and Healthy

It's roasting season. You guys have no idea how happy that makes me. I love the way the house smells with roasting Fall/Winter veggies permeating the air. This colorful little dip packs a ton of flavor and even more nutrition. High in fiber, antioxidants, vitamin c, and even contains anti-inflammatory benefits! This hummus is bean free. Which is great because with as many benefits as beans have they do pack a hefty amount of calories per serving. What excites me most about this dip is that is is incredibly versatile. I have merely scratched the surface with its flavor potential, so feel free to play around with different herbs and toppings. My lemon basil combination gives it a nice bright fresh flavor but you could easily kick up the spice factor with some cayenne or sriracha, or even garlic it out with some sweet roasted garlic. Can be served with fresh veggies (for gluten free version) or chips/crackers of your choice. 

This serving was meant for 6-8 people (Yielding about 2 1/2 cups):

-1/2 of a medium head of cauliflower

-1  1/2 med-large red beets

-2 Tbsp of Tahini sauce (I used the Trader Joe's "sauce" version. It's cheap and quick. Can use regular tahini   and add in extra lemon juice and garlic)

-Juice of 1/2 a lemon

-1/4 cup of olive oil (or for less calories: 2Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp water)

-About a 1/2 cup of fresh basil (can omit if you don't have handy)

-About 2 tsp. of onion powder

-Couple tsp of lemon zest (optional)

-Salt/ Pepper to taste

-Cayenne/ Paprika (optional to taste)

-Medium clove of garlic (optional to taste)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel beets and remove excess roots and stem. (Leaves/stem can be juiced for nutritional benefits!) Slice beets into 1 inch thick rounds. Break apart cauliflower florets into finger food sized pieces. Arrange beets and cauliflower florets on a sheet pan and coat in olive oil. Use about 1 tbsp. Salt and pepper liberally and toss. Once evenly distributed cover sheet pan with foil and place in oven. Roast for 25-30 min with foil on. Remove foil and roast for an addition 5-10 min. Make sure to rotate veggies so they don't burn to pan. Cook until fork tender with some roasting char visible.

While veggies are roasting, to your blender/food processor (I used my Ninja and it worked beautifully), add fresh basil, tahini, lemon juice, onion powder, and other seasonings of choice. When veggies are ready to be added, pour in olive oil or oil/water blend slowly incorporating over top of veggies in blender. May need more or less liquid based on size of veggies used! Blend until smooth. Consistency should be just like that of a hummus: thick and hearty but still smooth!

Garnish with lemon zest and/or fresh basil sprig. Serve and devour!!

Calories for this batch totaling: 580 calories (when oil/water blend used!) That's under 100 calories per person when serving 6. Giving each person over 6 Tbsp of hummus for under 100 calories compared to the average serving of hummus being 2 Tbsp for around 120 calories. Yeah I'd say it's a good trade-off. Enjoy!!!

Sweet and Nutty Pad Thai (without the guilt...)

Shirataki Pad Thai with Shrimp and Veggies

FINALLY. Pad Thai that won't ruin your diet. Shirataki noodles to the rescue once again. Shirataki noodles work best in Asian dishes because of the dominant sauce flavors which help to cover the natural earthiness of the noodle. That being said, I ventured to make a pad thai dish that wouldn't set me back almost 800 calories. Success! Shirataki noodles mirror the springy texture of the pad thai noodles and are only 40 calories a bag (8oz). I generally use 1 bag per serving... 

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup of crushed lightly salted roasted Peanuts

-1 1/2 Tbsp of Jam (I used my Aunt's homemade jalapeno blackberry jam) 

-1/2 cup chopped Scallions (save a little bit for garnish when plating)

-1 1/2 to 2 tsp of chopped Garlic

-Shirataki noodles (1 bag per person)

-1 egg per person (Can use less if preferred)

-Veggies of your choice (about a cup per person)

-Protein of your choice, I used shrimp(about 4 oz. per person)

-1 1/2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar

-About a 1/4 cup of Tamari

- About an 1/8 cup of Rice Wine Vinegar

-2 Limes (Use one for sauce and marinade and 1 for garnish wedges)

-Sriracha (to taste)

-Coconut oil (or any other oil you have on hand)

The most important step in this Pad Thai is thoroughly rinsing and boiling the shirataki noodles. Get that started first while you prepare the sauce. Let them boil a good 6-8 min. and you can throw in your veggies at the end (last 1-2 min. or so) to blanch them before tossing them in the sauce. 

I prefer to cook my protein separately as to ensure adequate cook time without burning the sauce. I marinated my shrimp in a bit of tamari, squeeze of lime, and sriracha and threw it in a lightly oiled pan on medium to high heat. About 2 min. on each side til they turned pink all the way through and got a nice sear on one side. Don't overcook shrimp as it will still need to be incorporated into the sauce pan and can easily become tough and chewy! 

If you have a wok... awesome, here's your chance to whip it out. Get about 2 tbsp of oil (coconut oil is the best) in the pan and heat up on low to medium. Dissolve sugar and jam, then incorporate garlic, scallions and chopped nuts. Use Tamari to deglaze the pan (aka prevent the sugar from burning to the bottom) Add the rice wine vinegar and sriracha (based on heat preference) and stir everything well. Consistency should be relatively thick not too runny. Add the noodles and coat thoroughly. Make a well in the center of the pan, turn up the heat to medium/high and quick fry the eggs (scrambling in the pan). If you prefer, you can cook the eggs separately and fold them in after. Toss in the veggies and coat thoroughly. Make sure veggies are cooked to your liking before you add the protein. Lastly, add the protein, squeeze the other lime half, toss and plate. Garnish with scallions, sprinkled peanuts, and lime wedges. Yesssss. 

The Way To a Man's Heart....

"Steak and Potatoes" 

Ahi Tuna Steaks with Cauliflower Mash and Vegan Cabernet Mushroom Gravy 

Men are simple creatures (no offense guys), and there is no better way to win over your man than to make him a "man's meal". It's a simple dish, but there is nothing simple about the satisfying reactions you will get from it. As you all may or may not know, I am pescatarian. So my take on this meal is done with hearty Ahi tuna steaks which will be just as juicy, filling and flavorful, but half the calories and no saturated fat. As for the mash, cauliflower cuts your calories into less than half of what a potato based mash would give you. It's also a great way to get some extra fiber! And the rich and creamy vegan mushroom gravy has no cholesterol or heavy fats of any kind. Bet you he'll be following you around like a lost little puppy after you feed him this one...

Ingredients:
-Frozen or fresh Ahi tuna steaks. 6-8 oz. filets per person.
-1 head of cauliflower (you will want to yield about a cup per person of processed cauliflower)
-1 container of whole crimini mushrooms (or portobello) about 10 oz.
-About a tbsp of plain almond milk (unsweetened) per cup of cauliflower
-1-2 Tbsp of parmesan (optional) (or 1 wedge of laughing cow swiss cheese or 1 tbsp of cream cheese/ neufchatel) Leave out to make the mash vegan!
-2 Tbsp of Cabernet
-1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
-1 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch
-1-2 tsp of fresh or dried rosemary (can use an italian herb blend)
-Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, minced garlic or powdered, lemon juice, truffle oil

Prep:
-Marinate the tuna filets with drizzle of truffle oil and/or olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic (about a tsp per filet) I also added a sprinkle of dried italian herbs that included rosemary, mustard, thyme, etc. If filets are frozen, let thaw fully before pan searing them.
-Steam cauliflower until soft and nearly squishy. (I used cauliflower "rice" leftovers so it was already processed into small rice-like pieces.)
-Chop mushrooms and add to a  low-medium heat pan and sautee with olive oil, garlic (to taste), salt/pepper. After infusing the garlic for 1-2 min add in balsamic and cabernet and bring to a simmer.
-After a few minutes transfer mushrooms and some  of the sauce into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
-In a separate cup or bowl add 1 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch to a tbsp of water and dissolve. Add to gravy pan and stir until it thickens.
-Add back in the blended mushrooms and whisk until evenly incorporated. If necessary, add more water to reach right consistency. Make sure to taste seasonings after you have diluted it with water/cornstarch!
-Blend cauliflower, almond milk, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, and cheese (if desired) until smooth. Can incorporate a drizzle of olive oil to help blend.
-Bring a pan up to high heat and spray or coat pan with oil. When filets are fully thawed and marinated, add to the pan and sear on each side for about a minute or until golden on outside. Best when golden on outside and medium rare to rare on inside.

Plate filet and garnish with a touch of truffle oil and rosemary; serve with warm "mash and gravy", and a green side (I did a simple citrus kale salad to balance the sweetness of the gravy).

I'm drooling all over again... have fun!

Pasta Amore: "Spaghetti and Meatballs"

Spaghetti Squash Pasta Marinara with Mushroom Lentil Meatballs

When I'm drawing blanks for meal ideas I like to turn to my hungry friends who are never lacking in cravings. I asked my friend Matt what nostalgic childhood meals included for him. One of the first things that came to mind was spaghetti and meatballs. I get so excited when I get the chance to take on such a classic meal and give it my own healthy and vegetarian spin on it. I wanted to make sure my "meat"-balls had lots of flavor and heartiness to them so I made sure to make a recipe that was high in protein without the grease factor of most traditional meatballs. For the pasta, I decided to use spaghetti squash because this delicious winter squash is cheap, hearty, low fat and super low calorie (weighing in at only 40 calories a cup!) Well I'm hungry now...

Cook the squash according to general directions. I cut it in half, lay it cut side down on a plate, put a 1/4 cup or so of water on the plate and cover it with another plate. Microwave for around 10-12 min or until soft enough to fork out squash. 

Toss with your favorite sauce recipe! I cook it a little further in the sauce pan with the sauce to get the "noodles" nice and soft! For my sauce, in addition to dried italian herbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, I like to add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to add a subtle essence of warm holiday flavor that compliments the veggie meatballs fabulously!

Veggie Meatballs:

-1/4 cup crushed nuts (I had cashews on hand but walnuts or pecans would be really delicious too!)

-3/4 cup to 1 cup of parmesan cheese

-1/2 cup of chopped onions

-Garlic seasoning, salt and pepper, Cajun seasoning (or paprika or cayenne...use what you got!) to taste

-Dried Italian herbs, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of cinnamon

-One can of low-fat lentil soup. About a cups worth of lentils. Ladle just lentils...

-2 tbsp of bread crumbs or Panko

-1 egg

For Prep:

-1 egg for coating

-Sprinkle a plate with bread crumbs or Panko for outer coating of meatball

-Sauté onions til translucent and season while cooking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook down with about a 1/4 cup of water or veggie stock. Continue to season as you incorporate each ingredient. Add in lentils and drain excess liquid from pan. If you have any fresh parsley on hand, a little chopped parsley adds a nice fresh layer to the meatballs. Mix in an egg and pour over after all other ingredients are added except panko! Add in panko after egg is incorporated evenly and lightly mix together by hand.

With a light touch roll about 2 inch diameter sized balls and lightly dip in egg then panko. Place on a greased cooking sheet. Spritz with cooking spray once on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 min on 375 degrees until golden and lightly crisped on outside. 

Serve pasta and meatballs with your favorite roasted veggie side or mixed green salad for a well rounded delicious meal! Bon Appetit! 

Healthy Tailgating

Cauliflower "Buffalo Wings" and Portabello Mushroom Fries

With Horseradish Dill Dip and Homemade Ranch Dip

Ahhh, the coveted tailgating tradition. Who doesn't love to cheer on a beloved team with good friends and good food? Shoot, if the food is good enough I might not even care who I'm with or what team is playing! It's been 7 years since I became a pescatarian but to this day the smell of buffalo wings makes me salivate. I stumbled upon an idea the other day to make cauliflower "hot wings" and I couldn't resist the chance to try this out myself. I then decided to make a whole spread of healthy alternatives to some classic finger foods we commonly enjoy. To my delight (and the delight of my friends) I discovered that baked cauliflower makes a brilliant alternative to their greasy inspiration! You definitely won't regret giving these bad boys a try....

Cauliflower "Buffalo Wings" ~360 calories total

serves 3-4 people

Ingredients:

-About 1.5 lbs of cauliflower pieces (24 oz.)

-1/2 cup of flour

-1/2 cup of water

-A couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce

-A pinch of salt

-About a cup or so of your favorite buffalo sauce (or make your own if your up for it!)

Prep:

-Mix together the first 5 ingredients to make a paste-like batter. Dip and coat the cauliflower pieces (I found the smaller pieces cooked better and had a better texture as an end result)

-Place coated pieces into a baking dish (I used a casserole dish) and bake on 450 degrees for about 15 min. or until the batter hardens. 

-Remove from oven and coat with your desired amount of buffalo sauce

-Place back in oven and bake for an additional 5-8 min.

-Serve with fresh veggies and homemade ranch dipping sauce. Recipe below.

Portobello Mushroom "Fries" ~480 calories total

serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

-2 large portobello mushrooms (whole)

-Plain panko breadcrumbs (The ones in a bag in the ethnic foods section are usually cheaper than the boxed ones)

-1 large egg and 2 egg whites

-About a cup of flour (enough to coat the mushrooms in lightly)

-Balsamic vinegar (optional)

-Salt and pepper and garlic powder (optional)

Prep:

-Wash and clean out the dark underside of the mushrooms

-Cut off stem and slice into medium thickness (about an inch thick) strips

-Marinate the mushrooms in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

-Set up a batter station with a plate of flour, a bowl of whisked eggs, and a plate of breadcrumbs. (I like to season the panko with some salt, pepper, and garlic powder!)

-Lightly coat the mushrooms in flour, dip into egg batter, then evenly coat in panko. They don't have to be thoroughly covered in breadcrumbs (they CAN get too crunchy with too many crumbs!)

-Place on a baking sheet, give them a quick spray of cooking spray (or even better use a "misto" so there's no added chemicals in the spray!)

-Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 min. or until lightly golden and crispy on outside.

 -Serve immediately with fresh dill horseradish dipping sauce. Recipe below.

Fresh Dill and Horseradish Dipping Sauce ~200 calories total

Ingredients:

-1 cup of non-fat plain yogurt  (or greek yogurt for a tangier dip with extra protein!)

-2 tbsp. of pure fresh ground horseradish

-1tbsp of chopped fresh dill

-1 tsp of garlic powder

-1 tsp of onion powder

-juice of 1/2 a lemon 

-1 tsp of lemon zest (optional)

-2 tbsp of neufchatel OR light cream cheese OR laughing cow cheese

-salt to taste

Prep:

-Blend, process, or hand mix all the above ingredients except the dill until smooth. Add in the chopped dill and salt to taste. Feel free to put more or less of the other seasonings based on preference. 

-This makes a good amount of dip, you could easily cut this recipe in half for the amount of fries made in the above recipe!

Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce ~100 calories total

Ingredients:

-About 1 cup of non-fat yogurt (or greek yogurt)

-1 tbsp of fresh parsley (add in little by little to test for potency of flavor)

-1/2 tbsp of fresh dill

-1/2 tbsp of dried chives (or fresh)

-1 tsp of garlic powder

-1 tsp of onion powder

-Juice of a 1/2 of a lemon (lemon juice acts as a replacement for buttermilk! When milk is mixed with lemon juice, or white vinegar, it simulates buttermilk.)

-A dash or 2 of hot sauce

-Salt and pepper to taste

Prep:

-Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix evenly. Make sure to incorporate the fresh parsley last and a little at a time to taste for potency.

-Serve with fresh veggies! Great to dip the buffalo cauliflower in too!

Happy Tailgating...

Penny Pinching "Spicy Tuna Rolls"

With Cucumber and Sweet Ginger Vinaigrette Salad

Serves 3-4 for less than $15!

This past week my brother came to visit me to celebrate Thanksgiving. As thankful as I was to have him here, it occurred to me my wallet was not suited for restaurant outings. My brother was craving sushi and we all know what those prices look like at most restaurants. So I decided to make a play on sushi by using canned tuna, and instead of rice use cucumber and tortillas as the wrapping. Ideally, the low-carb whole wheat tortillas for the lowest calorie intake, (I used flour for this recipe because I had them on hand) or stick with the cucumber roll-ups for an even lower calorie/carb option. For the filling, feel free to put in whatever you usually like in your sushi. I love sushi that has fruit like mango or papaya in it. But since I'm pinching pennies for this recipe...I used carrot, avocado, and canned tuna with a "spicy mayo" sauce. The best part about this recipe... it's easy to make and involves no actual cooking... no pots, pans, or heat necessary!

Ingredients:
-3 cans of tuna
-About 1/4 cup of shredded carrots (you can shred or chop 1 whole carrot to save $)
-About 3 Tbsp of soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free option) use to your taste, this acts as salt factor.
-1/3 to 2/3 cup of non-fat plain yogurt (use as if mayo)
-A couple tsp. of sriracha based on your heat preference
-A couple tsp. of honey (for the tuna mix) AND 1 Tbsp for the salad dressing
-About 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
-About 2-3 Tbsp of canola oil (or whatever oil you got!)
-1 Large avocado thinly sliced
-2 large cucumbers (one for the salad and one for the sushi rolls)
-3 low-carb whole wheat tortillas (see my breakfast burrito post for a good brand suggestion!)
-1 tsp of Powdered ginger or fresh grated (whatever you can get)
-2 tsp of wasabi paste or powder to mix into soy sauce for dipping (optional)
-1/4 cup of sliced red onion
-1/4 cup of shredded red cabbage

Prep:
-Start by thinly slicing red onion (or white whichever you have handy) and red cabbage into shreds and soaking in rice wine vinegar. Let sit for 30-45 min. at least.
-Mix together yogurt, sriracha, and soy sauce. Incorporate tuna into mixture. Feel free to add in garlic powder. Taste.
-Slice, chop, and shred remaining ingredients for rolls and salad.
-Combine rice wine vinegar, oil, honey, and ginger in a mason jar or container with a lid. Shake vigorously!
-Use a mandoline to thinly slice the cucumber into carpacchio slices. (See my video episode 1 for a visual demo!) In this recipe, I didn't have my mandoline available so instead I cored out the center of the cucumber to stuff with the sushi filling and then sliced them into little sushi pieces... It worked out nicely but the filling didn't stay in as well as it would with the thinner slices individually rolled.
-Fill the tortillas and the cucumber slices with the tuna mix and add the sliced avocado and carrots. Be careful to overfill. You can use a touch of honey or cream cheese on the end to hold the roll ups in place. Slice the rolled up tortilla into sushi sized pieces. Be sure to use a sharp knife so not to smush the filling out. You can also put toothpicks through them for easy eating! The cucumber roll ups take a little more patience but they are totally worth it!
-Pour the dressing over the thinly sliced cucumbers for the salad.
-Plate the sushi and then surround it with the "pickled" onion/cabbage mix which can be used on top of the rolls like pickled ginger.
-Serve with the wasabi spiked soy sauce for dipping