Monday, August 31, 2009

Move Your Body

It's important to incorporate exercise into your life. Exercise helps to keep you in shape, lowers blood sugar and blood pressure, reduces body weight and body fat, helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression and can even improve your sex life!

Personally, I like the gym. I like to jog, walk, take classes and lift weights. I also enjoy yoga, Pilates and dance class. I try to get in 3-4 days at the gym and 1-2 day outside of the gym. Maybe you like to play soccer, swim, run outdoors, yoga, Pilates or dance...it doesn't matter just do it. Move that beautiful body of yours!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Black-Bean Quinoa Salad

I cooked again for my mother. This time I made black-bean quinoa salad. She loved it and wants the recipe!

Ingredients
Makes 4 cups

For the dressing:
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

For the quinoa:
1 cup dry quinoa
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 12-oz can black beans, drained
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the dressing:
Whisk all ingredients together and set aside

For the quinoa:
-Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Drain and set aside. (You can also buy the pre-washed and skip this step)
-Heat oil in saucepan over medium-low heat and add onion. Saute until transparent. Add garlic and saute another minute.
-Add quinoa, bay leaf and water or stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes (about 15 for pre-washed) or until quinoa is tender and fluffy. Remove from the heat.
-Remove bay leaf. Add black beans, tomato, cilantro and dressing then stir gently. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Spinach, Feta, and Tomato Quiche

My mother is visiting for a few days and I decided to cook for her. I told her I found a recipe for quiche and she was excited for me to make it.




I started with the crust. I usually buy the pre-made kind but I decided to make it myself. This was my first time using phyllo and I have to admit I was a little nervous. It's paper thin and kept tearing but it really didn't matter. It created a light, flaky crust that didn't overpower the rest of the dish.





I then cut up a red onion and mixed it with the spinach as directed. I put the feta at the bottom as the recipe instructs but I would have preferred it to be throughout the quiche. I topped the filling with regular tomatoes since I did not have cherry tomatoes on hand.



The finished product! My mom did not like the quiche. She said it tasted like spinach. I was not offended because I know her taste in food is more limited than mine. I thought the quiche was yummy and will make it again. The full recipe is listed below. Feel free to change the filling to include veggies and cheese that appeals to your taste. Enjoy!


Spinach, Feta, and Tomato Quiche (Vegetarian Times)
Serves 6

Crust:
6 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds


Filling:
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, all liquid squeezed out
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 cherry tomatoes, halved


Quiche Batter:
2 eggs
1 cup low-fat milk
Pinch ground nutmeg


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. To make Crust: Coat 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, and brush all over with oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds. Top with second phyllo sheet, and brush with oil. Top with third phyllo sheet, brush with oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds. Repeat phyllo and oil layers twice more. Sprinkle fifth phyllo sheet with remaining sesame seeds, and top with sixth phyllo sheet. Press into prepared pie pan; trim edges with scissors.

2. To make Filling: Stir together spinach and onion. Sprinkle feta cheese over Crust. Top with spinach mixture. Arrange tomato halves over quiche.

3. To make Quiche Batter: Whisk together all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour Quiche Batter over Filling in Crust. Set quiche on baking sheet, and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until top is brown and center is set.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Misto



One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is the Misto. I love to cook with olive oil but find that I tend to pour it on instead of using it in moderation. The Misto sprays a light coating of oil onto your food and/or pans. It's simple to use, easy to clean and lets you prepare your food in a healthier way. It's also good for the environment!




Sunday, August 9, 2009

Banana Ice Cream

Have you tried the banana ice cream recipe in the August newsletter? Well I just did. I took 2 frozen bananas slightly thawed and popped them into the food processor until creamy. I then sprinkled the creamy banana creation with almonds and dark chocolate. It was amazing! It was exactly the kind of after dinner treat that I needed. See the full recipe listed below and enjoy!

Banana Ice Cream
from The Whole Truth by: Andrea Beaman

Ingredients:
6-8 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen overnight
1/2cups walnuts

Freeze bananas overnight or 8-10 hrs. Remove bananas from the freezer and thaw 5-10 minutes. Put bananas in a food processor or blender and puree until you achieve ice-cream consistency. Serve immediately, topped with crushed, roasted walnuts. Serves four.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Capellini with Pine Nuts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Chicken

Just made this yummy recipe I found on www.mealsmatter.org. Give it a try!

Ingredients
• 4 oz Whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta
• 3 oz Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil
• 8 oz Chicken breast tenderloins, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 c Sliced fresh basil
• 1/2 c Pine nuts, toasted

Preparation
1. Prepare pasta per package directions without adding salt. Meanwhile, soak tomatoes in hot water 10 minutes or until soft. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of water, and chop.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat while pasta cooks. Season chicken with salt. Add chicken, garlic, and red-pepper flakes to skillet. Cook, stirring, until garlic turns golden, 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and reserved water and cook 2 to 3 minutes until chicken is completely cooked.
3. Drain pasta, add to skillet, and toss. Add basil and toss. Divide pasta equally among 4 bowls and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of pine nuts. Top with more basil, if desired.