Spinach and Mushroom Ragout

Tags

dairy, eat local, gluten free, healthy, seasonal, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Spinach and Mushroom Ragout

Serves 3 as a main, 6 as a side

This is such a warm and rich dish that is vegan and can be made gluten free. It is also incredibly versatile. Serve it with quinoa or on toast with a poached egg. I used it to fill a roasted spaghetti squash for a filling, low-carb dish!

Ingredients:

• 2 8-oz packages of baby Portobello or button mushrooms, sliced or roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sage, chopped
• 1 ½ whole wheat flour or GF flour of choice
• 1 cup red wine
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 3 big handfuls of spinach
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan
2. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat without disturbing them until brown on one side, about 4 minutes
3. Stir and cook another 4 minutes
4. Add the onion, garlic and sage and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 7 minutes
5. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and the flour, stir until distributed
6. Add the red wine slowly, whisking as you do
7. Cook over medium another 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened
8. Add parsley and spinach, cover and cook until the spinach has wilted.
9. Give it a stir and serve!

Nutrition Info:

• Calories: 217
• Fat: 10 g
•             Saturated: 1 g
•             Monounsaturated: 7 g
•             Polyunsaturated: 1 g
• Total Carbohydrates: 18 g
•             Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 4 g

Early Mothers Day Brunch

Tags

breakfast, brunch, eggs, healthy, healthy recipes, israel, israeli, kosher, mothers day

This weekend my mom and I celebrated Mother’s Day, since next weekend I will be in the midst of final papers, projects and exams. We all know it’s not Mother’s Day without brunch, but I was so over heavy restaurant food and eager to cook! I decided to go with an Israeli inspired menu and thought back to our trip to Israel a few years ago.

Israeli breakfast is a thing and is traditionally a dairy meal. One dish that stuck out in my mind was shakshuka, eggs poached in a tomato sauce. When I was in Israel it scared the crap out of me. Wiggly, eggy eye balls surrounded by bubbling red sauce? No thanks, said I. Oh how wrong I was.

Shakshuka is delicious, filling and comforting. I used a recipe from Jewhungry and didn’t make any modifications, minus using one less egg and a little less olive oil. I topped the dishes with flat leaf parsley and a sprinkle of crumbled feta.

I also made a citrus salad, since one of Israel’s major exports is citrus fruit. I cut up a grapefruit, naval orange and tangelo then sprinkled on some fresh mint that came from the garden in the front yard. Huge props to my fabulous mommy and her amazing garden! The mint perfectly offset the citrus and I love eating things that are local in a major way. I also put together a super simple plate of cucumber, tomato and olives with just a little S+P on the cukes and tomato.

I finished the meal with a crusty sprouted grain loaf from Whole Foods to mop up all the yummy tomato sauce. I don’t eat bread very often but you really can’t underestimate how much a fresh loaf brings to the (literal) table. We ate out on the sunny back porch and I can’t remember enjoying a restaurant meal more than this. Reading the paper and drinking coffee is our go-to Sunday morning routine and the yummy food just made it that much better.

Lunch for the Week: Salmon Quinoa Cakes (gf)

Tags

clean eating, fast recipes, freezer friendly, gluten free, healthy, healthy recipes, protein, quick recipe, salmon, unprocessed, unprocessed foods, whole foods

Whoa, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted! It’s been hectic here, with three weeks left until graduation I am drowning in a heap of final projects, papers and exams. I’m reminding myself not to stress and have been keeping up with the gym and eating clean so that my body can keep up with my brain!

I visited cousins in Boston this week with my mom and my grandpa, who I call Opa. Traveling with my 87 year-old Opa was definitely a change of pace, but once I got used to moving more slowly I really enjoyed myself. We visited two cousins, one who is my age and graduating from Boston College this year and another who recently had a baby! Graeson is 10 months old now and so darling. My favorite part of the trip was our visit to the Museum of Fine Art, which currently has an absolutely amazing exhibit of modern Latin American Art called Permission to be Global/Prácticas Globales. As a Spanish major with a focus in Latin American history and culture it was inspiring and a unique way to look at recent history.

My flight home was cancelled so I didn’t end up home until about 1 am on Sunday, and had work the next morning at 8…wheh. I managed to make it to the grocery store on Monday afternoon and wanted to make something that wasn’t a stew/soup so I settled on these salmon quinoa cakes. They are so simple I feel silly writing a recipe. These will work in a pita, on a bun, on top of a salad or with a sweet potato and some sauteed greens. So versatile! I used canned salmon which is cost effective, high in Omega-3’s and one of the fish with lower mercury levels.

Salmon Quinoa Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 c. cooked quinoa
• 2 5oz cans of salmon, drained and liquid reserved
• 1.5 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Steps

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, adding the reserved salmon liquid a teaspoon at a time until the mixture is sticky. Form into patties and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until the patties are light brown on the top.

Makes 4 patties.

“No White Foods” Ebelskeivers

Tags

breakfast, brunch, clean eating, danish, Denmark, ebelskeiver, healthy, pancake, unprocessed, weekend, whole food, whole wheat

I spent this weekend at home, away from school, for a low key Easter with my mom. We aren’t really religious and since it’s just the two of us, we tend to keep things casual. This meant no big spiral ham or dozens of Easter eggs, but we do share a love of breakfast.

For Easter, we decided to go hiking in Patapsco Valley State Park, right outside of Baltimore. The park isn’t huge but we had beautiful weather and it wasn’t crowded. Of course, one cannot go hiking without a good breakfast.

I decided to make ebelskeivers, which are small, round pancakes made in a special pan. They come from Denmark and are served there around Christmas with powdered sugar and jam. I cook with a “no white foods” mantra in mind so I modified the recipe a little bit so it included all whole, unprocessed foods. I served them with an amazing strawberry rhubarb compote, that was easy and way lower in sugar than jam or syrup. The ebelskeivers can also be made the night before, because they are admittedly tedious, and warmed up in the oven for 10 minutes at 325.

No White Foods Ebelskeivers

Ingredients

• 1 c. whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp. apple sauce
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 c. almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt

2. In a separate bowl mix egg yolks, apple sauce, honey, milk and vanilla extract until well combined

3. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture

4. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into batter

5. To cook the ebelskeivers, grease your pan and place over medium heat. Fill wells 2/3 full and cook for a few minutes until bubbles start to form on the top. Using skewers flip the ebelskeivers over and cook another 2 minutes. For later batches, you may need to reduce the heat to medium-low.

Makes 20 pancakes

If it is your first time, I suggest finding a YouTube video on cooking ebelskeivers. Also don’t worry if they don’t look perfect, they will be yummy either way!

Give Hump Day the Boot: Tuna and Green Bean Salad, Tomato Soup and Crispy Chickpeas (gf)

Tags

clean eating, dairy free, gluten free, healthy, high protein, nourish, quick meal, real food, strong not skinny, unprocessed, whole food, workout

It’s been a quiet week and for once I don’t mind having a little bit of downtime. I am one of those people that likes to be on the go and get antsy when I sit still for too long. This week I have been stressing about the fact that I don’t have any work to do! Luckily, I’ve had time to push it at the gym and mix up my routine. This week I’ve focused on high weight, low rep lifting and body weight exercises. Oxygen Magazine has been my go-to for workout inspiration- those girls are intense, which really motivates me.

When I got back from the gym today I was hungry! I remembered seeing an article on Food52 about how to make tomato soup without a recipe and decided to put it to the test, since I had a 16 oz can of diced tomato and a spare leek. Seriously guys, it couldn’t be easier to make tomato soup from canned tomatoes. I chopped up my leek and a clove of garlic and sauteed them until the leek started to become soft and translucent. Then I added the can of tomatoes and about 1/2 c. of water and let it simmer for 20 minutes while I hopped in the shower. After the shower I let the soup cool a little bit then poured it in a blender. The result was rich, garlicky and still a little bit chunky soup and it totally rocked!

I also tossed 1/4 of chickpeas in a little EVOO and salt and threw them in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes and tossed them on top of my soup.

I rounded out the meal with a protein-packed green bean and tuna salad in order to make a dent in the huge bag of green beans sitting in my fridge.

Green Bean and Tuna Salad

Ingredients

1 c. green beans cut into bite sized pieces

1-2 medium radishes thinly sliced

A few slices of shaved white onion

1 tbsp. capers (feel free to use less, I love capers)

1 5 oz. can of light tuna, drained

1 tbsp. whole grain mustard

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Steps

1. Steam the green beans until they are bright green and still slightly firm to the bite

2. In a small bowl mix together the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice.

3. In a large bowl toss together the beans, onion, radishes, capers and tuna and toss with dressing

4. Add S+P to taste.

We are almost half way to the weekend. Enjoy this Wednesday and finish the week strong!

Lunch for a Week: Warm Lentil and Tempeh Salad (v,gf)

Tags

gluten free, healthy, healthy recipes, kale, nutrition, quick recipes, vegan, vegetarian

This week was long to say the least and I am looking forward to next week which will hopefully be a little less busy. It’s crazy to think that I graduate in 6 weeks! My professors keep mentioning how close we are to the end of the semester when talking about final projects and tests.

For this week I wanted to make something that didn’t involve quinoa as a base and I am so glad I stumbled across this recipe from The Flexitarian. I love quinoa but I think I’ve overdone it recently and am so tired of it. I changed the recipe based on what I had in my fridge and added kale because no meal is complete without a leafy green. This is also great because it is yummy served warm or cold, so no need to microwave.

Nutritionally, this salad is a superstar. It is vegan, gluten-free, full of protein and fiber and I am fairly certain its A-OK for passover for Sephardic Jews. Each serving packs a whopping 19 grams of protein and the kale and lentils are full of fiber to keep you full.

I try to experiment with a different grain or bean each week. With barley last week and quinoa as a staple of my diet I decided on lentils this week, without knowing much about their nutritional profile. I decided to do a little digging and found that they have a ton of folate, which is important for pregnant women in proper brain stem development in the fetus. They also supply iron and magnesium, both of which are important for blood flow. You can check out lentil’s full nutritional profile here.

Lentil and Tempeh Salad (v, gf)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. lentils
• 3 c. veggie broth
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1/2 bunch of kale, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 8 ounce package of tempeh, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 6 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp. whole grain mustard
• 3 tbsp. capers, drained

Steps

1. Cook lentils in the broth according to package instructions, or just slightly less if you want firmer lentils

2. In a large, thick bottom sauce pan, sauté onion and garlic on medium-low heat in EVOO until the onion begins to turn translucent. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

3. Add the leek, carrots, zucchini and thyme to the onion. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are almost cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in the kale and cook for an additional two minutes.

4. While the veggies are cooking mix together the balsamic vinegar and mustard.

5. In a large bowl combine cooked lentils, veggies, tempeh, dressing and capers. Toss gently to combine.

Makes 7 servings. 

Mid-Week Workout: Countdown when you’re short on time

Tags

burpees, college, countdown workout, fitness, fun, healthy, quick workout, workout

Phew, so my tests are over and papers are all turned in, and I am totally zonked. Luckily I got to finish off my very long Thursday with horseback riding in this beautiful weather. I was able to take off my fleece while riding for the first time in 2014! I was so glad that I had a few hours today to get outside and ride but I certainly don’t have the time to do that every day.

I am a total gym rat and working out for just a half an hour a day is the only thing that keeps me sane. It’s the time I take everyday to forget about school, work, and life in general and I can just sweat. I can take the time to connect with my body, feel the power in my muscles and then listen to them scream at me when I push the limit. There was a day this week where I had exactly half an hour to work out, which didn’t leave time to change, walk to the gym, work out and then walk home. So instead I set on a workout I could do at home.

I really love countdown workouts because each set gets a little bit shorter and by the time you have hit your fifth set out of ten, you are actually way more than half way through! This workout requires no fancy equipment, just a yoga mat or towel if you’re in a pinch. Heck, you don’t even have to wear shoes. So roll out that mat and get the music cranking and enjoy! If you have more time, this is a great supplement to a short run or sprint workout.

We’ve made it through Thursday, guys! Take it easy this weekend and take time to try out some new recipes or cook with a new veggie!

Mid-Week Meal: Asparagus and Escarole Salad

Tags

clean eating, college, fast meals, gluten free, nutrition, protein, quick meals, student, student nutrition, vegetables, vegetarian

Man it has been a busy week, between a full schedule and working 24 hours a week my last semester is far from relaxing. This week I have a neurology test and a Spanish paper due, which means I’ve logged my fair share of hours in the library. I am guilty of drinking too much coffee and not sleeping enough but I’ve managed to eat healthy all week.

Today I was trapped in my cubicle and kept finding myself staring out the window at the beautiful sunshine. I’m bummed that I couldn’t spend more time outside but enjoyed biking to the library at the very least. In honor of the gorgeous day I decided to throw together a spring veggie salad before dashing to the library.

In case you have never heard of escarole (I hadn’t), it is a bitter leafy green, closely related to endive. Like other leafy greens, it is high in fiber and vitamins A and K and is less earthy than kale or swiss chard.

Asparagus and Escarole Salad with a Runny Egg

Ingredients

• 1-1 1/2 c. chopped escarole
• 8 spears of asparagus
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. Apple cider, red wine or champagne vinegar
• 1 tbsp. greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. mustard
• A pinch or two of dried dill

1. Steam asparagus lightly, about 3-4 minutes and then cut into bite-size pieces

2. Cook your egg to desired consistency. For a runny egg, bring water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Place your egg in the water and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Mix remaining ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork until well combined

4. Combine escarole, asparagus and dressing in a bowl and toss. Peel and place egg on your tossed salad.

I really love using greek yogurt in salad dressing because I find that I don’t miss the oil and it gives a nice, creamy consistency for just a handful of calories. I also imagine that the salad would be amazing with a poached egg but I am still working on my poaching technique and was in a rush to get to the library. I also had a side of roasted veggies to round out my meal but would like to try adding lentils to the salad to make it a heartier meal.

Whole Wheat Waffle with Honeyed Cottage Cheese and Blueberries

Tags

breakfast, clean eating, clean foods, healthy, natural foods, quick meals, unprocessed foods, whole foods

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I am inclined to agree with them, mostly because I love breakfast foods. That being said, for a long time I was guilty of using breakfast as the meal where I tried to cut calories. It used to be a very simple, low calorie affair of plain cheerios, almond milk and a grapefruit, which added up to just a little over 200 calories. This seems healthy but what I was doing was giving my body 200 calories of carbs, with no fat or protein to back it up which left me ravenous by 11 am. And seriously, where is the fun in plain cheerios??

I’ve since revamped my breakfast to include a source of protein and a little fat so that I am actually full in the morning. I also want to keep the sugar content of my breakfast, a traditionally sugary meal, low. My favorite easy combination is plain yogurt, frozen berries and granola (I make my own). I also love oatmeal made with almond milk, which is so much creamier than oatmeal made with water and only 30 calories more if you use an unsweetened variety. I usually add ground flax, berries or a banana, and nuts.

This weekend I made yummy whole wheat waffles with orange zest and had leftovers! If you don’t happen to have homemade waffles laying around (who does) I like the Van’s Waffles, which includes a ton of gluten free varieties. I suggest a whole grain or flax variety. This morning I whipped up this waffle combo that included a healthy fat and protein source, whole grains and fruit! This will kick the nutritional pants off your standard Eggo with maple syrup.

For more news on the latest news about the importance of fat in your diet check out the Rethinking Fat: The case for adding some into your diet published on NPR’s The Salt.

Whole Wheat Waffle with Honeyed Cottage Cheese and Blueberries

Ingredients

• One whole wheat waffle, toasted
• 1/2 c. low or full fat cottage cheese
• 1 tsp. honey, preferably locally sourced
• 1/2 c. fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries

Mix the cottage cheese and honey together in a small bowl using a fork. Top your warm toasted waffle with cottage cheese and dump the blueberries on top. Enjoy with a big cup of coffee!

Lunch for a Week: Barley Risotto with Fennel

Tags

clean eating, health, healthy, quick cooking, recipe, vegetarian, wellness, whole foods

Sunday means cooking for the busy week ahead and I browse the web during the week to find some inspiration. On Friday I found a recipe for Barley Risotto with Fennel and felt that it would be perfect. Spring has finally come to Maryland and I am embracing it by buying and eating tons of spring veggies. I just discovered fennel a few weeks ago and I am obsessed. Seriously guys, it is perfect. The flavor is admittedly strong so if you’re not a fan of licorice it probably won’t be up your alley. 

I’ve been playing around with fennel because I had a whole bulb last week and wanted to use it before it went bad. I loved it shaved on a salad, especially with apples and walnuts over baby greens, but it is also great roasted! I roasted fennel and butternut squash the other day with EVOO, salt and pepper and it was so yummy! It crisped up nicely and the flavor mellowed quite a bit. 

This week I made this lovely Barley Risotto for dinner and I’m excited to have such a tasty lunch for the upcoming week. The recipe I used is from Delish and is actually a slow cooker recipe. I don’t own a slow cooker so instead I followed the steps but adjusted the cooking time to the cooking instructions on the back of the barley box. I also added a bunch of chopped swiss chard just 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. I love swiss chard and it brings a lot of color to a dish, along with filling fiber and important vitamins and minerals. 

Sunday is for cooking but since Spring has finally decided to grace us with her presence I went hiking with a group of friends. It was nice to catch up with the group, since they all graduated a year ago and have scattered around the state and are branching even further next year! One is starting vet school in Georgia and another has a job in Florida while I will be headed out to Salt Lake City in June. It’s definitely scary seeing everyone growing up but I am so excited for all of them and for my own job as well. Have a happy, healthy week!