Vegetarian "Ramen Noodles"

A college kid's best friend: Ramen. We all have had it at some point  in our lives... and many of us have grown strangely fond of it's salty, brothy goodness. So, to satisfy  my (recently graduated) college self, I ventured out to find a healthy version of this old-school favorite: 

Shirataki noodles to the rescue yet again! This time, I used the angel hair kind to achieve the same texture as regular ramen noodles. Since my fresh ingredients were limited, I used dried garlic, cilantro, and onion for flavor. To achieve that salty and colorful kick, I used 1/3 to 1/2 a packet of Saza Goya Culantro Y Achiote seasoning. One can of no msg veggie stock (with a mere 10 calories a can), a splash of liquid egg whites for some added protein, some fresh squeezed lime juice, and some chili powder to taste. Garnish with lime wedges,  fresh cilantro or dried chilies, and there you have it! A healthy, low calorie, hearty comfort food that takes you back to those dorm room days.

Feel free to exclude the egg whites for a vegan version, and/or toss in some fresh veggies to bulk up the nutritional impact of the dish. Ready to serve and eat in under 15 min and for around 80 calories TOTAL! EAT UP!

Apple Cinnamon Almond Butter "Milkshake"

It's 9 pm at night... and the cravings are setting in. It's usually right around this time that I find myself having a desperate and unshakeable fixation on something sweet, creamy, and terrible for you. I'm talking about ice cream. Sometimes you just need ice cream. And that's really ok. So, with strong determination I set out to create a concoction (based on what was in my fridge) that could satisfy my needs without undoing my whole diet for the day. 

I was elated to discover that not only did I fill my ice cream void without cheating on my diet, but I also came up with something so tasty that I now have cravings for this sweet treat rather than ice cream.

Here are the ingredients for my "milkshake" with approximate measurements (play with ratio to find the right consistency for your taste):

~ 1 cup of Almond Milk (the unsweetened 35 calories per serving kind)
~ 1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
~ 1 1/2 tbsp of Unsweetened Almond Butter
~ Agave Nectar to taste preference (Can use sugar substitute for less calories but I prefer the natural non-cancer causing stuff.)
~ A couple tsp of cinnamon (base on preference... I say the more the merrier!)
~Ice (Use enough to thicken mixture to consistency of your choice)

Blend until smooth. I use a Magic Bullet and it works like a charm for a single serving size. Depending on the amount/type of sweetener you use this "milkshake" adds up to about 250 calories. But don't sweat it, the majority of those calories are coming from the almond butter, which is one type of good fats you can give your body. This snack is also delicious as a protein shake for breakfast!

Sweet 'n' Spicy Tuna Salad

With Spinach and Kale Salad marinated in Garlic, Lemon Juice, Red Chili Flakes, and Sea Salt

Let's start with the high dosage of antioxidant vitamins A,C, and K. Spinach and Kale is a great combo for both nutritional reasons  as well as being complimentary in texture and flavor. Squeeze a generous portion of lemon juice and garlic powder, then add a few pinches of red chili flakes and sea salt. Feel free to drizzle a little olive oil (I prefer without for a lighter version).

Tuna Salad: It's been done. I know. But it's a great source of lean protein for a satisfying lunch. I love experimenting with different ingredients to jazz up tuna salad. Today I tried a little sweet 'n' spicy combo using:
-A can of drained tuna (in water, not oil)
-About a 1/4 cup of chopped celery
-A few tbsp of dairy free, egg free garlic aioli
-A dash or two of low sodium soy
-Couple dashes of siracha... or whatever you can handle.
-A handful of raisins (about 1/4 cup)

-Black pepper to taste




 And for the final touch, I halved some sweet baby peppers. These sweet, crunchy little peppers were delicious stuffed with some of the tuna salad filling. Try it as a delicious, colorful and healthy appetizer or finger food for your next get together!


Enjoy!

Br"EGG"kfast of Champions

Scrambled Egg Whites, Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach, Low-Carb Whole Wheat Tortilla, and Veggie Sausage Links

I LOVE breakfast burritos. I HATE how guilty I feel about eating the tortillas though (they are deceivingly high in calories and carbs) So, naturally, when I stumbled upon a fabulous whole wheat tortilla that is low carb friendly, high fiber AND only 80 calories per tortilla (compared to a typical flour tortilla having ~210 calories) I jumped at the opportunity to treat myself to a breakfast burrito! 

A little trick for the fluffiest creamiest scrambled eggs (my alternative to my mother's indulgent version): a splash of almond or soy milk, a dollop of light cream cheese or (my preference) 1/2 laughing cow whipped swiss cheese wedge (only 35 calories per full wedge)

The great thing about a breakfast burrito, is you can fill it with just about anything. Today I used sauteed mushrooms and spinach for a simple veggie-filled morning. Some other great combos you can try: Avocado, Sauteed Onions and Bell Peppers, Jalepeno, and Salsa. Or, Smoked Salmon, Light Cream Cheese, Capers, Red Onion, and drizzled with a little "Healthy Hollandaise" (see Cod and Steamed Artichoke post for recipe)

 Thanks to my wonderful roommate's panini press, this burrito got a lovely touch of toasty-ness on the outside. Plus, it holds all the flavorful goodness together on the inside!

Wake up to something new!

"Bird's Nest" Breakfast with Zucchini Hash, Egg whites, and Fresh Sage

For a healthier alternative to our starchy inspiration, these eggs in a basket use matchstick sliced zucchini instead of potatoes. Topped with a little egg white and sprinkled with fresh sage and parmesan cheese. 

• Once again, breaking out the mandolin for my matchstick zucchini. I took two small sized zucchini and cut them into quarters. A whole small sized zucchini (around 120grams) is only about 25 calories.
• Using the yolk of one egg (save the white for the filling!) and about 1/2 Tbsp of canola oil (or whatever you got!) as a binder for the zucchini strips. 
• Mix together the zucchini, yolk, and oil and then crack some fresh pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder (fresh would be better but this is the quickie version!), and a few pinches of cayenne!
• Spray or oil down a muffin tin and then line with the zucchini shaping enough to line the bottom and just a little of the wall.
• Use 4 egg whites to fill the inside of your "nests" and then sprinkle with fresh sage (and parmesan if you desire!)
• Pop in the oven at 375 degrees for about 12 min or until zucchini is lightly browned and egg whites have turned white and slightly firm.

If you like to have a little sweetness to accompany your savory, try a 1/2 cup of non-fat greek yogurt with organic naval orange slices, a drizzle of agave, and top it off with your favorite nuts or roasted flax seeds! Now, usually I steer clear of dairy products when I can but, I had some left over greek yogurt from my "healthy hollandaise" sauce so I thought I'd make use of it! What a great alternative to your daily glass of processed O.J!

A very satisfying and complete breakfast/ brunch all for under 400 calories! A serving size of 7 "Nest Eggs" is only 250 calories!

Lemon Caper Alaskan Cod with Healthy Hollandaise Sauce, Steamed Garlic Artichoke, and Pesto Zucchini "Pasta"

The other day a friend and I made dinner together and I was able to turn them on to the zucchini pasta alternative that has been my latest obsession. Using a mandolin slicer we created beautiful zucchini "noodles" which, when sauteed for just a few min (around 3-4) and tossed with any kind of sauce, become a fabulously satisfying and flavorful alternative to pasta. You still get the enjoyment of twirling it on your fork and slopping up all the saucy goodness for less than 1/7 of the calorie count.

How to make Healthy Hollandaise:

• About 3/4 cup of low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt (can use greek if you want a tangier version)
• 3 Egg Yolks (Save your whites in the fridge for breakfast!)
• A couple dashes of hot sauce (preferably tabasco or siracha or both!)
• 1-2 tsp of dijon mustard (smooth not grainy!)
• 2-3 tsp of fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Emulsify ingredients. Set up a double boiler. Whisk sauce for a few minutes or until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning. Voila! Versatile, flavorful, and butter free! If you are counting calories don't ignore the yolks just make room for them in your meal plan... so worth it!

 Vegan Tom Yum Soup, Fresh Rolls with Mint, Basil, and Spicy Shrimp with a spicy creamy dipping sauce.

A little spicy Thai to jumpstart your metabolism. Soup incredibly low fat, loaded with veggies, and FULL of flavor. Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with carrots, apple, zucchini, mint, and basil. 

Iced Espresso with Vanilla Almond Milk, Agave and Cinnamon.

Almond milk is a rich, creamy, fabulous replacement for milk. It is half the calories of milk and won't cause breakouts like dairy can do. Agave Nectar is a sweet replacement for sugar. It is all natural, vegan and 2-3 times sweeter so you use less. 60 calories per tablespoon...equivalent to that of honey. Cinnamon has been shown to, among many things, lower cholesterol and improve blood circulation.

                             Gluten Free Guilt Free thin crust pizza with soy-salami, mozzarella, and fresh    basil, and lemon/garlic marinated kale side salad.              

Kale is SUPER. It's versatile and ridiculously good for you. Let's talk pizza. Sometimes you just need pizza. Brown Rice Tortilla: Gluten Free; Mushroom Garlic Marinara; Fresh Basil; Soy-Salami: Way healthier than the greasy pork butt; and Mozzarella Cheese (Delicious cheese-less too for an even lower calorie pizza!)

Spinach Shirataki Noodle Pasta with Fresh Kale-Basil Pesto, Roasted red and purple potatoes with lemon and capers, and Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

The new word in noodles: Shirataki. Long used in Asian cooking, is now being brought to the attention of the diet crazed American society. Toss em in some homemade kale, spinach and basil pesto. Voila! Satisfying pasta with 1/4 of the calories. Use Shirataki anywhere you would normal pasta... it's perfect for pad thai noodles!