Wellness

[Laura14]

Greek Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients

1 1/2 6-inch whole-wheat pita pockets cut into 12 wedges, tops and bottoms separated (24 wedges total)

Cooking spray

1 cup no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed, drained

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. water

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 cup loosely packed baby spinach, thinly sliced

1/8 tsp. dried oregano (crumbled)

1/2 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/4 medium cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

1 Tbsp. chopped mint

2 Tbsp. crumbled, fat-free feta cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the pita wedges in a single layer on a large baking sheet without overlapping the wedges.

Lightly spray the tops of the wedges with cooking spray.

Bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly crisp (the pita wedges will crisp more as they cool).

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process the chickpeas until coarsely chopped.

With the food processor running, slowly pour in the lemon juice and process until blended.

Add the water and pepper. Process until smooth.

Arrange the spinach on a serving plate.

Gently spread the chickpea mixture on top, leaving a border of the spinach.

Sprinkle the oregano over the spread.

Arrange the tomato on the spread.

Top, in order, with the cucumber, mint and feta.

Serve with the pita wedges.

Idea for Sunday...

[Laura14]

Egg and Cheese Wrap

Ingredients

1 whole-wheat flour tortilla (warm)

1/4 ripe avocado

2 Tbsp tomatoes (diced)

1 large egg white (scrambled)

1 oz Swiss cheese

Freshly-ground pepper (to taste)

Directions

Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add diced tomato and cook for 1 minute.

Add egg white to the skillet and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 3-4 minutes.

Season with black pepper.

Spread avocado in center of tortilla.

Place egg mixture on top of avocado and sprinkle with cheese.

Fold tortilla burrito style and slice in half. 

[Laura14]

Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients

1 garlic clove

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 cup lime juice (fresh)

2 Roma tomato

1 small red onion

1 avocado

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

1 lb shrimp (peeled, steamed)

1 mango (peeled)

Black pepper (to taste)

Directions

Using the food processor, chop the garlic clove, jalapeño, Roma tomatoes, and red onion.

You can add the lime juice if you need a little liquid to allow the processor to do its job.  Place in a large mixing bowl.

With a knife chop the cilantro, shrimp, mango, and avocado and add it to the mixing bowl. (Do not put these items in food processor, chop by hand)

Mix all the ingredients together (including any of the lime juice you didn’t already add).

Add the black pepper to taste. 

[Laura14]

Spinach Turkey Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

1 sweet potato

1 tsp canola oil

1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)

6 slices turkey bacon

One 10- oz packaged, frozen, chopped spinach (thawed)

3/4 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 large eggs

4 large egg whites

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 Tbsp feta cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place a box grater into a medium bowl. Grate the sweet potato until there are 2 cups grated sweet potato.

Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Gently press the sweet potato into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides; the sweet potatoes will be loose but will hold together once cooked.

Place in the oven and bake until sweet potato crust is cooked, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and decrease oven temperature to 350°F.

In a medium pan, warm oil over medium-high heat.

Finely dice the onion and add to the pan. Cook until almost translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add turkey bacon, continuing to stir and cook until onions and bacon begin to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in spinach, dill, salt, and pepper; cook until water from the spinach is released, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Use a spatula to transfer mixture from pan into the sweet potato pie shell.

In a bowl, add eggs, egg whites, and milk. Using a fork, whisk to combine.

Pour eggs over vegetable mixture in the pie shell.

Dot the feta cheese over the top of quiche.

Cook quiche in oven until eggs in the center are set, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool just a few minutes before slicing. 

I would use my Vitamix for the grating of the sweet potato or if you have some other type of processor but, other than that, it sounds easy and quite good.  

[Laura14]

Spicy Chickpeas

Ingredients

2 (15.5-ounce) canned, no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (drained, rinsed)

2 Tbsp. canola oil

2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Drain and rinse chickpeas; add to the baking sheet.

Using a few paper towels, blot the chickpeas to remove excess liquid.

In a small bowl, combine the oil and spices. Mix to combine.

Pour oil over chickpeas; using a spatula or hands, mix together so chickpeas are coated with spices.

Roast chickpeas in the preheated oven until crispy, about 35 minutes, rotating and shaking the pan halfway through the cooking process.

Remove from oven and serve.

Kept hearing about this or a version of it on Doctor Oz so I looked it up.  Not sure of the chili powder so I might do some other seasonings but a quick appetizer/snack without too much fuss.  

[Laura14]

Hummus/Avocado/Pepper Wraps

Ingredients

For the white bean hummus:

15.5 oz. canned white beans (like cannellini) (drained, rinsed)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. water

1/4 tsp. ground, sweet paprika

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

For the wraps:

1 medium tomato (thinly sliced)

1 medium cucumber (thinly sliced)

1 bell pepper (seeded, thinly sliced)

1 avocado (peeled, pit removed, sliced)

4 handfuls lettuce

4 (10-inch) multi-grain wraps

Directions

For the white bean hummus:

Drain and rinse the beans.  

Add into the bowl of a food processor, along with remaining ingredients.

Puree until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.

For the wraps:

Chop all the vegetables: slice the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, and avocado.

Spread about 1/3 cup white bean hummus over each wrap, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Divide vegetables onto each wrap, placing over the hummus

Fold each side of the wrap up and then roll.

Cut in half, if desired.

Serve wraps with any extra vegetables and dip that is leftover.

If you don't like white beans, you can substitute any other kind of bean you like in the recipe above. Also, with the lettuce, darker the better.  And when buying any kind of beans, try to get the ones that have no salt or are at least low sodium.  Much better for you and you can always add salt or other seasonings if you miss it that much but you probably won't.

[Poodlepet2]

Laura, chilli powder does not add heat.  I "overdosed" my chilli with it thinking that's what I loved and then discovered cumin was what I was tasting in other people's chilli.  I had been too afraid to try it because I thought it might be "hot". 

If you use cumin and that's what you're comfortable with, use that instead.

Poodlepet2

[Laura14]

Overnight Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)

2 bananas, halved lengthwise and sliced

1/4 cup chopped, unsalted pecans or walnuts

Directions

In a large, re-sealable container or bowl, add milk, honey, and extract.  Stir to combine.

Stir in oats and anything else you want to add except fresh fruit.  (See below.)  

Seal or cover.

Place in the refrigerator and let it sit overnight.

The next day, peel each banana. Halve each one lengthwise and slice.

Divide sliced bananas and nuts over each oatmeal portion.

You can add almost anything into the oatmeal the night before like dried fruit, unsweetened coconut, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, etc.   I actually did yogurt with less milk to add in probiotics.  You can also top with other fresh fruit right before eating too.  Don't add fresh fruit the night before.  It will spoil and not maintain the texture and quality you probably would expect to eat.  

A lot of people use mason jars to do this type of recipe.  Or any covered container like your Lock and Lock or other plastic covered containers will work.  

You can also adjust the texture.  If you like a more solid oatmeal, use more oats.  More liquidy, use more milk.  This recipe is very customizable. 

[Laura14]

Black Bean and Mushroom Chili (Slow Cooker)

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans, (2½ cups), rinsed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup mustard seeds

2 tablespoons chili powder

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, or ground cumin

½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, or ground cardamom

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces tomatillos husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped

¼ cup water

5½ cups mushroom broth or vegetable broth

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1¼ cups grated Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack cheese

½ cup sour cream

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

Soak beans overnight in 2 quarts water. Or, place beans and 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.

Drain the beans, discarding soaking liquid.

Combine oil, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin and cardamom in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven.

Place over high heat and stir until the spices sizzle, about 30 seconds.

Add onions, mushrooms, tomatillos and water.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are juicy, 5 to 7 minutes.

Uncover and stir often until the juices evaporate and the vegetables are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add broth, tomato paste and chipotles; mix well.

Place the beans in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Pour the hot vegetable mixture over the beans.

Turn heat to high. Put the lid on and cook until the beans are creamy, 5 to 8 hours.

Garnish each serving with cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges. 

I might omit the Mexican stuff like the chipotles, chili powder, cumin (thanks @Poodlepet2), and the tomatillos and just do a more traditional chili.  I would also use canned beans and save myself the bean prep step but whatever works for you, your time, and your taste buds.   

[allana04]

I learnt from a great friend a few years ago the best way to eat healthy but still enjoy all my favourite foods. All it involves is having a little search about for healthy alternatives of your fav food,

I absolutely love fries, could proberley have them for every meal. Just did a quick google and sweet potato fries popped up (love them, but eaten them way too much) and a surprise one kohlrabi fries with garlic aioli. Also had to do other google to find out what the hell was kohlrabi, and to my surprise it's apart of the cabbage family, but using that recipe I was able to create something that tasted just like fries and much healthier, goodbye cravings!

Let me know what you think, this recipe and trick has helped me so much with my weight loss and healthy lifestyle