Category: Diet

Easy Pesto

Ever wonder would could be an easy option to spice up a lot of different foods? Try Pesto. Here’s a quick and easy recipe that took me, seriously, about 5 minutes to make.

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Basil
  • Olive Oil
  • Fresh Garlic – peeled
  • Nuts – if you want them, pine nuts are the usual, but you could use walnuts or pecans instead.
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

The Cooking Part …

I just made this the other night – it was quick, easy and great for days. I like a lot of garlic and we did not use any nuts in our pesto blend.

First, peel the garlic cloves. I put about 3-4 in my blend. Put in a food processor or blender and chop. Then pull the basil leaves off the stems, add to the food processor and begin to blend on low. While blending add some olive oil to the processor. Add just enough oil so that it blends well, but is still chunky. I add salt and pepper to taste. Done. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week or so.

What to serve with …

I added mine this week to spaghetti  squash for a fantastic side dish. We eat it on crackers, cucumbers, with tomatoes and cheese, eggs. The options are endless if you like basil and garlic 🙂

Quick Fried Lemon Tilapia

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • Whole lemon – 1 per fillet
  • Tilapia fillets – enough for each person eating. 1 serving is typically 3 oz

The Cooking Part …

Add olive oil to your pan and heat. When the oil is hot, add your tilapia fillets. Cut lemon in half, and squeeze half over the fillet. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, not too much here. Fry on one side for about 5 minutes. Then flip. It should not take long, but use a fork to make sure the fish is cooked through and flaky. Flip as needed to keep the sides browning but not burning. 

What to serve with …

Kale salad with grape tomatoes and rice like I did last week, or serve with any kind of rice or salad you like. I also like my fish with veggies like broccoli, green beans, or potatoes. Enjoy!

Simple Power Snacks – Avocado and Sunflower Seeds

This super simple snack packs a punch and lots of energy for the rest of your busy day.

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Avacado
  • Roasted and salted sunflower seeds without the shell

The Cooking Part …

  • Cut the avacado
  • Remove the Seed
  • Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top – about a handful or so
  • Spoon it out of the avocado shell and eat it
  • You can add salt, pepper, garlic salt, chili powder, etc for some extra flavor and spice.

What to serve with …

This goes well with all sorts of stuff: tuna fish, tomatoes, salads of all sorts, crackers, celery

Easy and Impressive Egg Fritta

Want a breakfast that looks great, tastes good, and is easy to prepare? It can feed just one or two people or a whole bunch of you. If you don’t want to share save the leftovers for lunches or future breakfast meals.

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Butter or other cooking oil – olive or avocado oil works well here – enough to cover the bottom of your pan
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Scrambled Eggs – 6 to 12 depending on the number of people eating and how big your pan is.
    • optional: Milk or half and half for scrambling
  • Broccoli – 1-2 crowns
  • Shredded Carrots – 3-4 large

Garnish Items – if you want:

  • Shredded cheddar cheese – enough to cover the top of the fritta.
    • Amount will depend on personal preference and size of the pan.
  • Sliced grapes tomatoes, pico de Gallo, or salsa
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado

The Cooking Part …

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In an oven safe pan, melt the butter in the pan over the stovetop.
  • While it melts dice the onions and garlic.
  • SautĂ© the onion and garlic in the butter.
  • Chop the broccoli into small pieces, eliminating the hard parts of the stems, and shred the carrots.
    • Amount of carrots and broccoli will depend on your preference and how many eggs / people you are feeding.
    • You want enough to have the fritta feel hearty but not so much that it drowns out the egg.
  • Add broccoli and carrots to the butter, onion, and garlic.
  • Cook on medium to low heat until the onion is transparent and the broccoli and carrots are soft, but not withered looking. About 5-10 minutes.
  • Scramble the eggs and pour over the mixture and cook until the egg sets up.
  • Transfer pan to the oven until the egg is cooked through. The top begins to set.
  • Add cheese if you want and return to the oven. Place on high broil for 5 minutes to melt the cheese
  • Top with the tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado

What to serve with …

All sorts of breakfast foods – toast & jam, fried potatoes or hash browns, fruit, breakfast salad, juice, coffee, tea.

This meal will keep in the fridge, it is also great as a left over for lunch the next day or you can freeze and reheat as needed for future breakfast meals.

Fresh and Tasty Pico de Gallo

Looking for something fresh, tasty, and easy to serve with all sorts of things. Can be a side dish, appetizer, or a meal in itself. Then try Pico de Gallo

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

This makes a lot and plenty to share with friends and family. Decrease each ingredient if you do not want to share with anyone or save for later.

  • 10-12 Tomatoes
  • 1-2 Jalapeños
  • 1 large or 5-6 small Orange Bell Peppers
  • 1 bunch of Cilantro
  • 1 Lime
  • 3-4 Garlic cloves or garlic powder if you do not want to eat the chunks
  • Salt and Pepper

The Cooking Part …

Dice all of the above ingredients. Mix together in a big bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze over the top all other ingredients. Mix well. Salt and Pepper to taste.

What to serve with …

The picture above is what I served mine with today – over the top of my breakfast salad. The salad itself includes: 2 kale leaves, 1 chard leaf, 1 scrambled egg, 1 slice of bacon, and 4 sautĂ©ed brussel sprouts. Topped with pico and Newman’s Own oil and vinegar salad dressing. More traditionally, put this stuff on just about anything. I like mine on tacos, over sourdough toast, or with sliced cucumber chips / tortilla chips.

Easy Alfredo Sauce with Shrimp, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Zucchini

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Butter
  • Parmasean
  • Pepper
  • Pre Cooked Shrimp 
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Zucchini 
  • Olive oil for sautĂ©ing
  • Parsley to color and garnish

The Cooking Part …

In a sauce pan melt the butter over low to med heat, when it is melted add the heavy whipping cream and parmesan. Stir off and on while the cheese melts and the ingredients blend. 

SautĂ© the broccoli and cauliflower in olive oil. I like mine al dente . When you feel like they are done enough for you, add the zucchini and cook a few more minutes. While these cook, I stir the sauce and thaw the shrimp. Add the shrimp as the last piece and sautĂ© just long enough to heat through. Mix all together on the plate and garnish with parsley. 

What to serve with …

Sometimes I also add a pasta, if I am feeling like I need some extra carbohydrate. It’s been good over all pasta (regular and gluten free) options we’ve tried. A little French bread with butter and garlic was yummy too, … And of course … salad goes with everything.

Eggplant Chips

Eggplant is not high on my list of foods I should make sure to eat, However these were delicious! Plus after we ate the first batch the second took about 10 minutes. Quick, healthy, and easy. What’s not to love.

From the kitchen of my friend Claudia …

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 eggplant
  • Olive oil
  • Salt &pepper 

You can also add other spices – chili powder, turmeric, etc. 

The Cooking Part …

Cut the eggplant into small thin pieces. Coat in olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or so. I also like to broil instead of bake to get the crunchy option. However, make sure you pay attention. Broiling on high makes it really easy to burn them very quickly. 

Hormones Help Our Mood

Looking for some ideas on balancing or boosting testosterone? Last week we were discussing how testosterone and estrogen can impact our ability to manage and discern our and others’ emotional states. Here’s a guest post from the folks over at www.testosteronerd.com

Looking for some ideas on balancing or boosting testosterone? Last week we were discussing how testosterone and estrogen can impact our ability to manage and discern our and others’ emotional states. Here’s a guest post from the folks over at www.testosteronerd.com

Steamy Creamy Cinnamon Milk

Looking for a yummy sugar free alternative to hot creamy drinks this winter. Try this super simple sugar free option.

As I write this, my town is predicted to get 2 feet of snow over the next few days – YEAH! And this is the perfect sugar free drink to sip while the blizzard roars outside my window.

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

  • Half and Half, Heavy Whipping Cream, or Whole Milk
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Turmeric

The Cooking Part …

Mix all the ingredients to your liking. Heat on the stove or in the microwave. Drink while warm.

I like half and half. Heavy whipping cream is good too, but sometimes to heavy for me. You could also use whole milk and a little coconut oil to add more body and a little more silk to the drink.

What to serve with …

I like it all by it self. A great drink to sip, especially when it’s cold outside.

Cream Cheese, Cucumber, and Pepper Snacks

I am not a great cook, I’m good when I want to be, but honestly my mind is usually somewhere else and following recipes is really, really hard for me. Any distraction – 3 kids, the dog, a friend, a flower – and boom, we are having “blackened” food again … usually without the Cajan part. So I started making my food simple. Really simple. I wanted healthy and easy.

Ingredients:

Get as much of each as you want to eat

  • Crisp Cucumbers
  • Cream Cheese
  • Bell Peppers
  • Garlic Powder
  • Salt and Pepper

The Cooking Part …

  • Slice the cucumbers
  • Slice the bell peppers
  • Spread a little cream cheese on each cucumber slice
  • Top with a pepper or two
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Eat and enjoy!