I like veggies and salad. And while I am not a strict vegetarian any more… I still love veggies. Given the choice 9 times out of 10 I will reach for grilled veggies, a salad, fruit, you name it. So here are some salads I made. My family loves them and devours them. I hope you and your family loves them too.
Pear Walnut salad
This is a pear, walnut salad. I made rice and lemon pepper tilapia to go with it.
If you have have never had a savory salad with fruit in it? If you have not I really suggest you try it. The savory flavors and slight sweetness of the fruit are a great compliment.
This is a vegan, gluten free, dairy free salad. It is healthy nutritious and delicious. I hope you get a chance to try it.
Recipe for pear walnuts salad:
1) 8 cups baby greens 2) red onion sliced to taste 3) 1 Bartlett pear sliced 4) 2 or 1 cup baby cucumbers sliced 5) 1/4 cup toasted walnuts 6) lemon zest
Honey Lemon Soy dressing 1) 1 tbs honey 2) 1 tbs soy sauce/or aminos 3) 1/2 lemon juices about 1 tbs 4) salt and pepper to taste 5) 1 tbs Olive oil
You see this picture… pretty huh? Who has time for that bow nonsense? I don’t! I am a busy woman. I generally make my oats and attach my reusable spoon with a produce rubber band I have recycled. Very much like this.
I use a rubber band
In order to make sure I eat on time. I have started back up making overnight oats. But I found a protein oat mix that simplifies things instead of having to add protein powder.
This has protein, carbs, is vegetarian, can be vegan, and very tasty!
Here is an updated version of overnight oats the way I make it with more protein. Enough of the chatter on with the recipe:
Protein Packed Overnight Oats with Cinnamon Apples and Cranberries
yield 1 serving
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of protein oats
1/2 cup of milk of your choice, I use non dairy milk
1/4 cup of Skyr or Icelandic yogurt
1 tbs chia seeds or 10 grams
1 tbs of sweetener of choice, I use local honey
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tbs of probiotic dried cranberries
1/4 cup of water
6 grams or a hand full crushed Freeze dried cinnamon apples
Directions:
Add everything to the jar, or container, and stir really well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
Note:
I add more water because I am using dried fruit and freeze dried fruit.
You can add fresh fruit instead of the dried fruit
You can add unsweetened cocoa powder
You can even add chocolate chips
Calories and Nutrition Information:
calories 353, fat 7.1 g, fiber 9.5 g, carbs 55.5 g, sodium 74.4 g, protein 17.4 g
ingredients I used
almond milk
eating breakfast outside
Let me say this… yesterday was a bit of a bust. I ate within an hour after waking good. Then I ate at the next designated time also good, but then got super busy not good. So missed the 3rd and 4th eating time. Ended up not having a lunch type meal till 7 hours after. That is no bueno for me. Hey but I was able to eat at some of the times I planned out.
I hope you get a chance to try this out. I love it… I am weird and love that freeze dried apple reconstituted in water or milk taste. It reminds me of my childhood.
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So in this time of toilet paper, and hand sanitizer shortages. Shortages on meat, shelf stable staples (rice, noodles, beans, canned goods), and water. (This is the case at least in the good old U.S.A.) I noticed the foods that are readily available still are the highly processed granola bars, terrible chips/snacks (although those are going quickly too), fresh veggies, and the healthy food section.
I am going to put up recipes in this Fueling My Body During COVID-19 Shortages, that utilize the health foods (such as chia, vegan protein powders, quinoa and the likes), veggies that are getting left behind, and other products it looks like people are not using.
Interesting to note, the first pastas to go were the spaghetti and angel hair pasta. The linguine were left behind, people were not buying it. Do they not know you can still use that pasta in many pasta dishes? Even substitute it in spaghetti dishes. It may not be traditional but it will still feed you and your family.
So for today I made a berry chia coconut pudding. Aside from the coconut milk which I was out of. All these ingredients I regularly have in my pantry. Because I love to use them in my foods.
Enough with the expounding or lets be honest my prattling on, here is the recipe.
Berry Chia Coconut Pudding
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons/ 60grams of Chia seeds
1 tablespoon/23 grams of honey
1/4 cup/20 oz of coconut milk
1 whole/108 grams of ripe banana
1 cup/131 grams of frozen berries
Optional Toppings:
1 tsp/15 grams yogurt (omit for dairy free, vegan)
2 tbs/20 grams frozen berries
pinch of desiccated coconut
Directions:
Blend together a banana, and a cup of frozen berries. If you need to splash a little coconut milk in it to allow for better pureeing.
Measure out chia seeds, and milk and mix together in a bowl.
Pour in fruit blend. Taste… it is plenty sweet with the fruit, but I wanted a more dessert like taste for this so I added the 1 tbs of honey to the mixture.
If you are going to make it pretty spoon it in to the individual serving cups
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight like I did.
Serve alone, it is delicious, or add berries, yogurt if you have it and desiccated coconut.
Yield: 6 servings
Calories 696, Fat 37 g, Fiber 35.8 g, Carbs 85.1 g, Sodium 9.5 mg, Protein 14.8 g
It is delicious. My entire family loved it. This is a great thing to make ahead of time, for meal prepping. It will last covered for up to 7 days in the refrigerator, if it lasts that long, because my family will eat it all before 7 days are up.
This is gluten free, vegetarian, and without the yogurt dairy free and vegan.
Lets use this time, when we are unsure of what is happening in our world. When the normal foods we eat are not around, or being snapped up fast. Lets try some new things if this is new to you. If its not help your loved one try out the “new healthy” foods. They may like them, and we will come out of this pandemic hopefully healthier, and with healthier eating habits.
Thank you for reading and I will post more recipes of healthy foods I make with what I can find at the grocery store. Tell me what you think and if you have any questions. Stay kind to each other, and help your neighbors. Stay safe and strong.
Who needs take away when you can make beautiful tacos at home? Remember fitness is a way of life, a journey. So learning how to cook well for yourself is very helpful, and you don’t have to rely on take away.
I am a professional chef, and have a Culinary degree, with a specialization in Baking and Pastry.
This is what I make for my family at home. We love taco night and my kiddos love to eat my tacos. Currently my son and daughter are asking for another taco. He ate three already. I would say that is a good sign. These are all whole foods, and things I know where they came from.
The recipe includes the Pico De Gallo, and ground beef mixture. I have noticed that I have readers from all over the world so I will try to add appropriate measurements where I can to help you out. Some may wonder what a Pico De Gallo is, it is similar to a salsa, however, it is not as liquid and sauce like as a salsa. Pico De Gallo is also very fresh and you can add what you like to it.
I set up a taco bar, and let the kiddos decide what they want on their tacos. They both request all of the toppings. I love that my kiddos will eat lots of veg. Starting good habits early will carry them through life. That is the hope at least.
Pico De Gallo Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 onion small dice
2 small tomatoes diced or about 25 heirloom cherry tomatoes
1/2 seeded jalapeno
1/2 lemon juiced or a lime
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs or Euro 1/2 oz of cilantro chopped – (if you don’t like cilantro leave it out)
Directions:
Dice onions, dice tomatoes, small dice the jalapeno, add all ingredients to bowl. Squeeze lemon over your clean fingers to catch the lemon pips. You want to make sure to add lemon or lime as the acid really will brighten the flavors of your Pico.
Ground Meat Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb or Euro 454 g of ground beef or I also like ground turkey
1/2 onion diced
1 tbs or Euro 1/4 oz ground cumin
1 clove garlic
1 tsp or Euro 1/4 oz paprika
1/2 tsp or Euro 1/8 oz of cayenne pepper or ground chipotle pepper (add more if you like spicier)
1/2 cup or Euro 4 oz Beef stock or Turkey stock or Vegetable stock to taste
1/2 seeded small diced jalapeno
oil enough to coat bottom of pan
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Dice the onion and saute on med/high till soft and caramelized, add meat, while it is cooking add spices on top. Brown the meat and cook till thoroughly done. Drain extra fat from pan, and add stock. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Tips:
I take corn tortillas and toast them over the open gas flame on my stove.
You can add more ingredients to the meat mixture. Granulated/Ground garlic, Cilantro, and ground coriander.
I prepped only three lunches this week for myself, because I
knew I would have time to make food for myself at lunch time on Tuesday and Thursday.
I wanted to make one of my favorite meals.
It has 10.9 grams of protein in it and is so flavorful. It is made of whole foods except the soy sauce. That can be left out if you wish, and substituted with just a pinch of salt. Not only is this super tasty but is so pretty to look at.
This is quick and healthy fast food. =) You don’t need a culinary
degree to make this, just a pan, and a few minutes.
One of the rules in culinary school you learn is that you
eat with your eyes first, then your nose, and you mouth. What that means is if
the meal looks appealing to you, you will enjoy it much more. Just take a look
at those garish colored foods. They do not automatically make you think mmm I
want to tuck into that.
Anyway, here is what I made, the recipe and the stats for food:
Fried Egg on an Avocado half, and tomato cucumber salad
Recipe:
Yield: 1 serving (to scale up just multiply by the amount of people you have)
201 g heirloom cherry tomatoes sliced in half ( I used approximately 10 tomatoes
155 g cucumber, chopped into bite size pieces ( I used approximately half of an English cucumber.)
9 g of green onion chopped (I used one whole green onion, green and white parts)
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp soy sauce (alternately you can use a pinch of salt)
1/4 tsp of Olive oil (I used an EVVO that had garlic in it as well)
1/4 tsp lemon juice
Lemon Zest to taste
I large egg fried
1/2 tsp veggie oil
Directions:
Cut avocado in half, and score avocado, and sprinkle with sea salt if you wish
Cook egg, with a 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil
Cut heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion, add to a bowl.
In another bowl assemble, the balsamic vinegar, soy, olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
I hope you get a chance to enjoy this recipe. I have also alternately just made the salad and had a boiled egg with it or, eaten two avocado halves with two fried eggs on it. Change it and make it yours. Enjoy and keep eating well. Let me know what you think.
Tips:
Acidulate the other half of the avocado, and put it in a ziplock bag. You can use it the next day or later for a snack and the acid will keep it from turning brown.
Score your avocado before placing egg on it. This will make it easier to eat if it is just under ripe.
This meal was only 300 calories and it did not meet my protein requirements for this meal so I added another egg. As with any recipe alter it as you need for your body.
Alright… diets and dieting are a sensitive subject for most
people. I have done my share of dieting, yo-yoing up and down. Trying out each
new fad. I even tried that grapefruit diet. Do you remember that one? Maybe I am
just showing my age. If you want to read
more about it. You can find it on Web MD.
I know some of my friends have done keto and have gotten such
great results. Other friends have gone paleo, and had some great results. If
you have something that works for you I say keep doing it. However, if you feel
like your diet is not sustainable than maybe look into what makes your body feel
good.
I prefer to try to eat whole foods now. The emphasis is on
whole minimally processed foods. For instance if you look at the ingredients in
a package of chips and there are more than 3 ingredients and many that you
cannot pronounce that is something to avoid. Cooked or raw your body processes
those whole food nutrients much more efficiently than it does those foods processed
with chemicals.
Nutrigenomics
There is some interesting research going around nutrigenomics.
The New York Times has a great article about it. Where scientists and doctors
are approaching peoples diseases based on genetics and what they eat.
“There is a buzz around nutritional genomics at the moment, which is partly a matter of timing. A sea change is under way in the approach scientists are taking to disease — they’re looking less to nature or nurture alone for answers, and more to the interactive symphony of ”systems biology” that nutrigenomics epitomizes.
At the same time, chatter around this new science has been amplified by a controversy. The idea of the biological relevance of race — even its very existence — is hotly debated. And the assumption of real genetic markers that distinguish one ethnic group from another is at the philosophical heart of nutrigenomics.
At the same time, chatter around this new science has been amplified by a controversy. The idea of the biological relevance of race — even its very existence — is hotly debated. And the assumption of real genetic markers that distinguish one ethnic group from another is at the philosophical heart of nutrigenomics.
Here’s the most familiar example: If you’re of Northern European ancestry, you can probably digest milk, and if you’re Southeast Asian, you probably can’t. In most mammals, the gene for lactose tolerance switches off once an animal matures beyond the weaning years. Humans shared that fate as well — until a mutation in the DNA of an isolated population of Northern Europeans around 10,000 years ago introduced an adaptive tolerance for nutrient-rich milk. The likelihood that you tolerate milk depends on the degree to which you have Northern European blood.
”That, essentially, is the model — a very dramatic one,” says Jim Kaput, the founder of NutraGenomics, a biotechnology company. ”As humans evolved, and as our bodies interacted with foods on each of the continents, we sort of self-selected for these naturally occurring variants. And certain populations have variants that, when presented with Western-type food — which is usually fatty and overprocessed and high in calories — pushes them toward disease rather than health.”
I have noticed based on just experimentation, my body does better with more plant based foods, less animal proteins with emphasis on fish and seafood, and avoiding lots of dairy. I am half Japanese and I am lactose intolerant. I still like pizza though!
Eat Whole Foods, Don’t Starve Yourself
I strive… to eat using only whole foods, but I still allow myself to enjoy life. Do I eat things that are not whole foods. Yes! Do I do it all the time? Nope! During the holidays you should let yourself have fun. What is life without celebration? Eat whole foods, don’t starve yourself.
I am the kind of person that can be strict enough with myself to limit myself to 500 calories a day. Please don’t do this. It is not healthy and really messed up my metabolism for a long time. It messes with your hormones and many other body processes. I can tell you it feels painfully boring. It is going to a party and saying nah I can’t even take a bite of anything because I had my apple, boiled egg and saltines I have already allotted for this meal. Its feeling left out. Its the constant guilt about food. When I feel guilty about food, I know I began to resent food. However, if you snack, and eat everyday with health in mind. You can indulge occasionally. It is good for the soul and good for your spirits.
With that said I will stop rambling and get on with the healthy snacks. Eat these nummy things on a normal day and feel like you are treating yourself. Then when a special celebration comes around let loose and have fun.
Banana Almond butter and Grape
Yeild: 1 bowl
Ingredients:
1 banana sliced
2 tsp of almond butter
10 grapes
1 tsp of desiccated unsweetened coconut
Directions:
Slice bananas, and place all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.
Smash the bananas, mix in the oats, and then rest of the ingredients. Roll the mixture into a ball and then place on a greased parchment paper lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
Thinks with Spinks 