Let's face it...nobody wants to spend the time and money on a recipe to have it end up in the garbage. However, if you really want to try a recipe and something doesn't work for your diet, try swapping or leaving an ingredient out. Adapting recipes has helped me enjoy so many dishes that would be off limits. Sometimes I look online for suggested substitutes of an ingredient. It might not be perfect on the first try but it's how I've discovered some of my favorites.
Baked Zucchini Fries with Onion Dip - I was watching the movie, Chef, one night and planned to make a bowl of air-popped popcorn. A few minutes in and I felt embarrassed to make popcorn while watching all the beautiful cooking techniques. My inner chef said I needed to make something more interesting and thus, baked zucchini fries were born. In just thirty minutes, I had this plate of golden deliciousness. The amazing blooming onion dipping sauce was inspired from this website, slightly modified.
Ingredients for 2 servings:
1 large zucchini, cut into sticks (I got about 25)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
For sauce: 1/4 onion (thinly sliced), 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons light mayo, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey and 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Beat egg in one bowl and flour, cheese and seasonings together on a plate
Lightly oil a parchment lined baking sheet
Dip zucchini sticks in egg then flour mixture and place onto baking sheet (not touching)
Bake for 15 minutes on each side and then sprinkle lightly with sea salt immediately after removing from the oven
Enjoy with the dipping sauce
For sauce: After flipping the fries, sauté onion with salt in olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet until lightly brown (10 minutes). Then briefly process the onion with apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard and mayo (I used a magic bullet).
Ingredients for 2 servings:
1 large zucchini, cut into sticks (I got about 25)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
For sauce: 1/4 onion (thinly sliced), 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons light mayo, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey and 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Beat egg in one bowl and flour, cheese and seasonings together on a plate
Lightly oil a parchment lined baking sheet
Dip zucchini sticks in egg then flour mixture and place onto baking sheet (not touching)
Bake for 15 minutes on each side and then sprinkle lightly with sea salt immediately after removing from the oven
Enjoy with the dipping sauce
For sauce: After flipping the fries, sauté onion with salt in olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet until lightly brown (10 minutes). Then briefly process the onion with apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard and mayo (I used a magic bullet).
Turkey Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash with Broccoli - It's rare that my favorite recipes are easy so I was surprised by how much I liked this. Making the spaghetti squash in the oven instead of the microwave really makes a difference if you have the time.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups your favorite marinara sauce
1/2 cup fresh parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cooked spaghetti squash, stringed (is that a word?)
4 cups steamed broccoli
Instructions:
Heat oil in a medium skillet and sauté garlic for a minute.
Add turkey, salt and pepper and stir constantly to break up until cooked.
Add sauce and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes to thicken.
To plate, I put spaghetti squash then broccoli, then sauce and top with parmesan.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups your favorite marinara sauce
1/2 cup fresh parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cooked spaghetti squash, stringed (is that a word?)
4 cups steamed broccoli
Instructions:
Heat oil in a medium skillet and sauté garlic for a minute.
Add turkey, salt and pepper and stir constantly to break up until cooked.
Add sauce and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes to thicken.
To plate, I put spaghetti squash then broccoli, then sauce and top with parmesan.
Mango or Peach and Banana Smoothie - I used to shy away from smoothies because they didn't keep me full and most had a lot of juice or sugar. Then I discovered this smoothie recipe. It's great to take to the beach or on the train. Everyone I've made it for asks for the recipe. Sometimes in the Summer, I whip organic cream with vanilla for a topping and in the Fall, I add a sprinkle of cinnamon (and even get fancy like in the picture). The recipe below yields two servings but I've easily doubled it for four and halved it for two.
Ingredients:
2 cups organic milk
1 frozen banana, sliced
1/2 cup cubed peach or mango
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons chia seeds
1 spoonful raw honey
1-2 handfuls ice
Optional: Whipped cream and/or cinnamon
Instructions:
Except ice and optional toppings, blend all ingredients to combine.
Add ice and blend until smooth.
If desired, top with whipped cream and/or cinnamon.
Ingredients:
2 cups organic milk
1 frozen banana, sliced
1/2 cup cubed peach or mango
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons chia seeds
1 spoonful raw honey
1-2 handfuls ice
Optional: Whipped cream and/or cinnamon
Instructions:
Except ice and optional toppings, blend all ingredients to combine.
Add ice and blend until smooth.
If desired, top with whipped cream and/or cinnamon.
Spicy Turkey Meatloaf - Meatloaf is one of those foods that I never used to eat because it didn't sound good. I imagined it like school cafeteria or even hospital food. Once I gave it a try, I realized it's tasty, filling and so versatile. You can use various different meats, sauces, spices, veggies, etc. My personal favorite is this spicy version I made up myself. It's so simple and served with mashed cauliflower and a vegetable, I have 4 servings of deliciousness.
Ingredients:
1 pound organic ground turkey
1 cup plus a little extra for topping of bbq sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (4oz) diced green chiles
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 egg
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or ground rolled oats
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray
Combine everything in a bowl except the extra bbq sauce for topping.
Shape into a loaf (about 6x10) on the baking sheet and brush the top with extra bbq sauce
Bake 55 minutes then rest 5 minutes and either slice into 4 or cut in half lengthwise and widthwise to create 4 mini loaves.
Ingredients:
1 pound organic ground turkey
1 cup plus a little extra for topping of bbq sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (4oz) diced green chiles
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 egg
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or ground rolled oats
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray
Combine everything in a bowl except the extra bbq sauce for topping.
Shape into a loaf (about 6x10) on the baking sheet and brush the top with extra bbq sauce
Bake 55 minutes then rest 5 minutes and either slice into 4 or cut in half lengthwise and widthwise to create 4 mini loaves.
Biggest Loser Recipes - In honor of my favorite show coming back on tonight, I'm sharing my Pinterest board of Biggest Loser recipes.
Eggplant "Sandwich" - I love eggplant. It just might be my favorite food. Often, I'll pick one up for no reason and then make breaded slices of baked deliciousness to freeze for later. Recently, I was about to do that but instead cut the eggplant slices thicker than usual and used them in place of bread. When the breaded eggplant came out of the oven, I put sliced tomatoes, organic goat cheese and basil between two slices of the eggplant. OMG! It was amazing. The creamy cheese, juicy tomatoes and fresh basil wedged between the crispy eggplant...do I really need to say more?
Summer-on-a-Plate Salad - As Summer gets closer to the end, I try to use all the produce that will soon be going away as much as possible When it comes to fruit, nectarines are a favorite this time of year. By combining a sliced nectarine with a sliced heirloom tomato, 2 ounces of crumbled organic goat cheese, slivered fresh basil and just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, you have this beautiful salad for two.
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Beet Salad - I don't know what it is but I love beets. Any time I see a beet and goat cheese salad, I'm sad that I can't have it because the goat cheese wouldn't be organic in most restaurants. You can be sure when I found organic goat cheese at Whole Foods, the beets were the next item in my cart. For this simple salad, I mixed one small container of arugula, a few slices of red onion, two each of golden and red beets (sliced), 3oz crumbled goat cheese and one slice worth of homemade whole wheat croutons. For dressing, I put a little freshly ground black pepper with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. I promise it tastes as good as it looks - maybe better.
Healthy Avocado Cookies - I wouldn't believe these cookies have avocado in them if I didn't make them myself. As the original poster suggested, I used 1/3 cup raw honey to replace the coconut sugar and Lily's stevia chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. They are easy to make, delicious and super healthy.
The rich dark chocolate flavor is perfect for a dark chocoholic. I'm not even a chocolate person and I was quite satisfied. I must confess that as a treat one night and to tone down the rich chocolate taste, I put a spoonful of organic vanilla frozen yogurt on one of them.
The rich dark chocolate flavor is perfect for a dark chocoholic. I'm not even a chocolate person and I was quite satisfied. I must confess that as a treat one night and to tone down the rich chocolate taste, I put a spoonful of organic vanilla frozen yogurt on one of them.
Summer Veggie Burgers - Someone gave me this recipe years ago that they had torn out of a magazine for veggie burgers and I still make them every summer. If eating right away, I eat them on a bun and if reheating in the microwave, I find them best in a pita pocket or lettuce wrap. You can put hummus, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, etc. on them.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
2 eggs
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 cups whole wheat panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix mustard powder with eggs and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix everything else (except oil) and then add in mustard mixture.
Shape into 8 patties.
Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown patties 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping carefully.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
2 eggs
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 cups whole wheat panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix mustard powder with eggs and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix everything else (except oil) and then add in mustard mixture.
Shape into 8 patties.
Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown patties 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping carefully.
Veggie Quiche Frittata - There are few foods that work for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Quiche is one of them. With fruit for breakfast and a side salad for lunch or dinner, I love quiche at any meal. My favorite is inspired from the South Beach Diet and works with or without a crust. I sauté veggies, mix eggs with some spices, pour the egg mixture over the veggies (in the pan for the frittata or in a crust for a quiche), top with cheese, cook, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes:
I cut this into 4 servings as a frittata and 4-6 if it's a quiche.
I reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Sometimes, I top with salsa.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 slivered bell pepper (any color)
1 pound of asparagus (rough ends discarded and the rest cut into 1 inch pieces)
6 eggs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
3 ounces organic goat cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
If quiche, pre-made pie crust (I use Wholly Wholesome organic spelt or whole wheat)
Instructions:
Sauté bell pepper and asparagus in a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes (covering after the first 2).
Meanwhile, beat eggs with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl.
For quiche, put veggies in the pie crust, pour egg mixture on top, add crumbled goat cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
For frittata, add eggs to pan, cover and cook over low flame for 10-15 minutes (until set) and then broil 3 minutes to lightly brown.
Either way, top with chopped parsley and enjoy!
Notes:
I cut this into 4 servings as a frittata and 4-6 if it's a quiche.
I reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Sometimes, I top with salsa.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 slivered bell pepper (any color)
1 pound of asparagus (rough ends discarded and the rest cut into 1 inch pieces)
6 eggs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
3 ounces organic goat cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
If quiche, pre-made pie crust (I use Wholly Wholesome organic spelt or whole wheat)
Instructions:
Sauté bell pepper and asparagus in a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes (covering after the first 2).
Meanwhile, beat eggs with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl.
For quiche, put veggies in the pie crust, pour egg mixture on top, add crumbled goat cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
For frittata, add eggs to pan, cover and cook over low flame for 10-15 minutes (until set) and then broil 3 minutes to lightly brown.
Either way, top with chopped parsley and enjoy!
Real Strawberry Ice Cream - Between the effects on my blood sugar and expense of organic, ice cream is just not a product I consume...until now. I have an ice cream maker and it's summer so I decided to bring it out. I made the most delicious strawberry ice cream I've ever had in my life last night with only 6 ingredients. And my blood sugar stayed steady all night!
There is still fat from the heavy cream so it won't be a daily treat - maybe every other day. Ha! Every person has varied effects from different foods so while the raw honey in here did very well for me, others with diabetes may not have the same experience. I got the raw honey idea from this website and adjusted the recipe as shown below.
Ingredients:
1 pound organic fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1.5 cups organic heavy cream
1/2 cup RAW honey
3/4 cup organic skim* milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Note: Skim milk worked if eating the same day. If freezing to enjoy for days, use milk with fat (e.g. whole, 2%, 1%) to hold the consistency.
Instructions:
Pulse strawberries in a food processor a few times to chop up.
Beat cream, honey, milk, salt and vanilla in bowl to combine.
Add strawberries and beat just to combine.
Process in ice cream maker.
After about 20 minutes, it was soft-serve consistency. I transferred to a freezer-safe container (of course having a scoop first).
There is still fat from the heavy cream so it won't be a daily treat - maybe every other day. Ha! Every person has varied effects from different foods so while the raw honey in here did very well for me, others with diabetes may not have the same experience. I got the raw honey idea from this website and adjusted the recipe as shown below.
Ingredients:
1 pound organic fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1.5 cups organic heavy cream
1/2 cup RAW honey
3/4 cup organic skim* milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Note: Skim milk worked if eating the same day. If freezing to enjoy for days, use milk with fat (e.g. whole, 2%, 1%) to hold the consistency.
Instructions:
Pulse strawberries in a food processor a few times to chop up.
Beat cream, honey, milk, salt and vanilla in bowl to combine.
Add strawberries and beat just to combine.
Process in ice cream maker.
After about 20 minutes, it was soft-serve consistency. I transferred to a freezer-safe container (of course having a scoop first).
Easiest Banana Oat Cookies - Lately, I've been seeing online a few different versions of banana oatmeal cookies that are just that...bananas and oatmeal. Easy, healthy and delicious...really? Always up for a cooking challenge, I decided to give it a try AND - it totally works!
You literally mash two bananas in a bowl, stir in one cup of old-fashioned oats, put tablespoon scoops (12) on a greased cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. You can of course add extras like chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla extract, etc. if you want to be fancy. I added 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chunks and cinnamon.
You literally mash two bananas in a bowl, stir in one cup of old-fashioned oats, put tablespoon scoops (12) on a greased cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. You can of course add extras like chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla extract, etc. if you want to be fancy. I added 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chunks and cinnamon.
Challah French Toast - For my husband's birthday, I was determined to make something he would LOVE while still fitting into my guidelines. I've made decent healthy French toast before but for the occasion I wanted to do more than thin bread in egg whites. I started with inspiration from Ina Garten and some whole wheat challah bread.
For the mix, I whisked 3/4 cup organic skim milk, 3 organic eggs, a dash of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, zest of 1/2 an orange and 1/2 tablespoon honey. I cut four slices (about 3/4 inch thick) of the bread and let it sit for three minutes on each side in the mix. I put a drizzle of oil and dairy-free butter on a griddle over medium heat and once hot, grilled the French toast for about three minutes per side. I topped mine with fresh blueberries and a little organic no sugar added raspberry preserves.
The birthday boy got a sprinkle of powdered sugar and drizzle of pure maple syrup. He said it was better than any brunch, diner, restaurant, etc. when it comes to French toast and although it was a treat, two pieces were actually too much with the turkey bacon so I would do this again with one slice each.
For the mix, I whisked 3/4 cup organic skim milk, 3 organic eggs, a dash of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, zest of 1/2 an orange and 1/2 tablespoon honey. I cut four slices (about 3/4 inch thick) of the bread and let it sit for three minutes on each side in the mix. I put a drizzle of oil and dairy-free butter on a griddle over medium heat and once hot, grilled the French toast for about three minutes per side. I topped mine with fresh blueberries and a little organic no sugar added raspberry preserves.
The birthday boy got a sprinkle of powdered sugar and drizzle of pure maple syrup. He said it was better than any brunch, diner, restaurant, etc. when it comes to French toast and although it was a treat, two pieces were actually too much with the turkey bacon so I would do this again with one slice each.
Breakfast Patties - When I discovered my dairy allergy, I was worried I would have a really hard time enjoying breakfast. What a relief when I made these filling patties modified from a South Beach Diet recipe. They can be used in many ways but my usual is on a whole wheat English muffin with a slice of tomato (and sometimes an egg or egg white). The patties can be made in advance so I usually make four English muffin sandwiches at once and four days of breakfast is done. I use organic chicken or turkey (preference), 1 tablespoon of regular syrup instead of the sugar free (preference) and leave off the cheese (allergy).
Poached Huevos Rancheros Tostada - One of my favorite reasons to wake up when I can sleep is this breakfast. Poached egg, refried beans and avocado work so well that I don't even miss cheese. The ingredients below are for one tostada so just multiply by how many you need. Simply heat the tortilla in the toaster, oven or on the open flame from the stove (if your my husband). Then top with the refried beans, poached egg, salsa, avocado and cilantro. Serve with some fruit on the side.
1 taco sized corn tortilla
1/4 cup refried beans
1 poached egg
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons salsa or pico de gallo
1/2 avocado (sliced)
1 taco sized corn tortilla
1/4 cup refried beans
1 poached egg
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons salsa or pico de gallo
1/2 avocado (sliced)
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas - One of my favorite appliances has to be the slow cooker. It's so easy to make healthy meals by simply adding everything to the pot in the morning and letting the slow cooker do the work. These fajitas are so versatile because you can use so many different meats, vegetables, beans and spices to yield mouth watering results. Simply add the meat, veggies and spices to the slow cooker for 8 hours on low. I prefer to shred the chicken and throw back in with a rinsed can of beans about an before it's done if I'm home. You can serve this dish over rice or in tortillas with whatever toppings you like. I usually go with avocado, salsa and cilantro. This yields about 4 decent sized portions.
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 onions (sliced)
4 bell peppers slices
Spices (I used 1/4 teaspoon each of black and cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon each of chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and Goya adobo)
I used some of the leftovers the next morning to make a fajita frittata for two. Heat a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil, add about one serving of the fajita mixture and stir to warm, add 1/2 cup of egg whites and let sit on low flame until no longer runny and flip or fold in half. Cook one more minute and then serve with salsa and avocado on top.
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 onions (sliced)
4 bell peppers slices
Spices (I used 1/4 teaspoon each of black and cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon each of chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and Goya adobo)
I used some of the leftovers the next morning to make a fajita frittata for two. Heat a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil, add about one serving of the fajita mixture and stir to warm, add 1/2 cup of egg whites and let sit on low flame until no longer runny and flip or fold in half. Cook one more minute and then serve with salsa and avocado on top.
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Copyright 2014 Rachel Molina
Copyright 2014 Rachel Molina