Turkey & 3 Bean Chili

It's chili time! I have been craving chili ever since I saw a very simple, single serving chili recipe in Women's Health and it made me so hungry! I used that recipe to get an idea, but mostly just started adding vegetables, turkey, water and spices to a big pot!

Turkey & 3 Bean Chili
(Serves about 5, 1 cup servings)

1 Can Chili Beans (Kidney, Pinto, Black), drained & rinsed
1 Can Black Beans, drained & rinsed

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, rough chop
1/2 large white onion, rough chop
3 Roma tomatoes, rough chop
2 ears of corn, cooked & corn cut off husks

In a large pot, add a drizzle of olive oil, and cook the onions on medium-low heat until translucent, then add green bell peppers. Cook on medium-low heat until bell peppers are sweating.

While the onions and bell peppers are cooking, cook 1-1.5 lb turkey breast seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper & red pepper flakes. Drain any excess fluids once finished cooking.

Once turkey and onion-bell pepper mixture are finished cooking, add turkey, beans, corn, and tomatoes to the pot with onions and green peppers. Keep the heat over medium-low heat.

In a serperate bowl, mix together 2-3 cups warm water, 1 packet chili seasoning , and 4-6 tablespoons ground flax seed. Mix until everything has dissolved, then add to the pot. It will look very watery at first, but after some of the water cooks off, it will become thicker.

Add the chili seasoning mixture to the big pot. Let this simmer for 20-30 minutes, until it is a thicker consistency.

After 20-30 minutes you're all set! Let the chili cool a little before serving because it will be very hot!

Green onions, rough chop, for topping
(Optional topping: nonfat plain green yogurt, in place of sour cream)

Final Product!

This was my first time making chili from scratch (except for the seasoning). And it turned out very well! I would love any suggestions for ways to make this chili even better or healthier then it was.

I will be having chili left overs for the next few days, and I am very excited. I have a feeling it will make even better left overs with letting the flavors marinate longer!

Enjoy! :)

Chicken Pesto "Taco"

Basil Kale Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves, quick chop
1 cup fresh kale leaves, quick chop
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon, juice
1/4 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup water

Put the above ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Pulse on low speed, and slowly add 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil as all ingredients start to blend together to desired consistency

Chicken Pesto "Taco"

1 small sprouted Ezekiel tortilla
1-2 Tbsp Basil Kale Pesto
1/2 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1/2 Roma tomato, sliced
handful of fresh arugula

To assemble "Taco"

Spread pesto all over tortilla, add chicken breast slices, then tomato slices and finally top with arugula.
Fold like a Taco & Enjoy!
It was too stuffed for me to call it a wrap, I really like arugula and tomatoes :)

Had this for lunch today with a mango, peeled & sliced. It was amazingly refreshing and easy to make! 

Breakfast Taco

I am definintely loving theses Ezekiel wraps. I will unfortunately have to stop eating them for a week when I try the Paleo Diet. I am so excited to try it! Maybe it will stick, maybe not, but it will be a fun experience either way.

Breakfast Taco

1 Small Ezekiel Tortilla

2 harboiled egg whites, chopped

1 Tbsp black beans, drained & rinsed

Assemble taco, with beans and egg whites, and microwave for ~20 seconds

Top with:

1 Tbsp red salsa

1/4 avocado chopped

Fold tortilla into a taco and enjoy!

That's it! Very simple, and I made my hardboiled eggs the night before so I didnt have to worry about them in the morning. Also, it is low in calories, good source of protein, healthy fats and fiber also! 

As a snack, I had a nonfat blueberry Oikos Greek yogurt and 2 hardboiled eggs. This snack is very high in protein so it kept me full for a long time!

Arugula Salad

Arugula Salad with Roasted Veggies & Grilled Chicken

(Recipe 2 servings)

                          

First thing to start is by roasting the vegetables:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. 

2. Peel and chop into cubes 1 sweet potato & 1 yam; boil in medium pot for 5-7 minutes until fork tender

3. While those are cooking, clean and trim 10 asparagus 

4. On a large baking sheet, add the asparagus and season with about 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1-2 garlic cloves, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste).

5. Once the sweet potato and yam are fork tender, transfer the cubes onto the same baking sheet. Season these with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, small amounts of cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sea salt.

6. Roast these veggies for 15-20 minutes, until potato and yam are browned and asparagus is tender. (Sometimes for the last minute I will put the oven on broil to make a nice crust)

Grill chicken breasts:

While the vegetables are roasting, season 2 chicken breasts with 1/2 of a lemons juice and sprinkle each side with fresh black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Cook each side on a medium-medium high heat grill pan for 7-8 minutes, until brown and cooked through.

Assemble salad:

1. For the greens, I used a bag of fresh arugula (1/2 bag for each person)

2. Once vegetables and chicken have cooled, top each serving of arugula with half roasted vegetables (chop asparagus spears) and a sliced chicken breast.

3. Top each salad with 1-2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds and 1-2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds.

4. (Optional) If you need a dressing, a mix of lemon juice, agave, olive oil, and pepper is a great option. However, I did not need a dressing since the chicken and veggies were all seasoned.

*This salad works very well without chicken as well if you are a vegetarian or vegan or also if it is being used as a side salad!*

Banana Almond "Crepe"

Yesterday and this morning were my days to hit the store! It was a big store run, since we just had our refrigerator worked on and had to get rid of most of our fresh food; which says a lot since most all of my food is in the vegetable and fruit drawers. 

I got most everything on my list with the exception of Coconut Flour and Chia Seeds. I also added Mangoes, they were 2 for $1 at Albertsons. I couldn't say no! My Uncle got my sweet potatoes and bananas also! I will be stoked up and ready for the next week.

Also, I couldn't find Ezekial Wraps BUT I found Ezekial tortillas, I am a bit obsessed now. The ingredients are clean and fresh. It tastes very similar to a regular whole wheat tortilla.

So with the tortillas in mind, I had a breakfast idea!

First though, I made a Kale, Onion, Turkey & Bell Pepper Scramble.

I sauteed onion in some olive oil, and added some spicy garlic chili paste (YUM!). I then added my orange bell peppers, kale, and turkey breast.

After the vegetables (and meat) were warm and cooked, I added 2 full eggs and 2 egg whites. I put the top on and cooked this over medium heat. I topped the final scramble with 1/4 avocado slices, and some medium Salsa Verde. It's just a simple scramble, but it was still good and filling!

While these were cooking away, my brain was thinking of a good way to use these tortillas. At first I was going to do a simple breakfast burrito, BUT I had just bought almond butter and I was craving it. Soooo... 

I present to you, Banana & Almond "Crepes"

Ingredients:

1 Ezekiel Sprouted Tortilla

1/2 small banana, sliced

1 Tablespoon Raw Crunchy Unsalted Almond Butter

1/2 Tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

1/2 Tablespoon Agave Nectar (for topping)

Simple, get 1 tortilla, spread almond butter all over, sprinkle flaxseed meal evenly, add 2 rows of banana slices, roll into a "crepe" form. I warmed the crepe up in the microwave for about 15 seconds and topped it with extra banana slices and drizzle with warmed agave syrup!

Final product!

Now, note that these need to be eaten quickly after warmed because the tortilla will get hard relatively fast (which didn't ruin the taste, just made it more difficult to cut through). 

I got my first half gallon of Trader Joe's Original Unsweetened Coconut Milk this morning too! I must say, after having a glass this morning, it may now compete with my love of almond milk. Thank goodness I have both right now so I can switch off.

 

Final breakfast was great!

Scramble + Crepe + Coconut Milk

The perfect way to get your day going :)

New Books & Bars

This morning my 2 new books came in the mail! I am so excited to read them as soon as school lets out. Thank you to my Uncle for getting them for me.

The first one is Bright Side Up by Amy Spencer. I read reviews about this book in fitness magazines and thought it sounded like a perfect book for me. It gives an inspiring and optimistic perspective while showing you to not take for granted what is right in front of you.

The second book is Main Street Vegan by Victoria Moran. My uncle and I were watching TV and the author was on the show talking about her book. I don't plan on being a full vegan, but I do find it compelling to eat clean and she writes about the practical "baby steps" to becoming a vegan. The author has lost 60 pounds and has been successful in keeping it off. The book also includes 40 vegan recipes! I didn't know this until I got the book, I am very excited to try some more vegan meals.

Yesterday I went to Mother's Market and found some fun bars to try! I had heard a recommendation for the Skout Chocolate & Coconut bar, but when I got to Mother's they had so many choices!

I ended up getting one of the Skout Apple Cinnamon food bar (middle in picture). The ingredients looked promising (which is what I was drawn to at first with the recommendation): Organic Dates, Whole Grain Organic Oats, Organix Dried Apples, Organic Almonds, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Cinnamon, & Sea Salt. Total 190 calories, good fats (1g poly unsaturated fat, 2g monounsat fat, 0g trans & sat fat), 6g fiber, 4g protein, 0mg Choleserol. 

I also got a Raw Crunch Energy Bar with Blueberries (bottom in picture). It is handmade, uncooked, and unprocessed, which doesn't sound too bad! Now let's look at the ingredients; Organic Sesame Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Cashews, Organic Blueberries, Organic Flaxseeds, Organic Pecans, Raw Honey, Organic Macadamia Nuts, Celtic Sea Salt. I can not think of one ingredient in this bar that is bad for you! With 150 calories, 10g Fat (1.5g sat, 0g trans), 0g Cholesterol, 10g Carbohydrates (5g sugar, 3g fiber), and 5g Protein. I am excited to try this one!

The top RAW bar pictured, was also blueberry, but unfortunately I ate it after my Coed Rec softball game and forgot to keep the packaging! My bad, I know; it was delicious though so I will just buy it again and update you!

Yes, I did just start in a Coed Rec softball team, with some girls I played with in high school. I played inter-murals in college also, so I have kept some skill. I just need to get use to slow pitch softball, since I played fast pitch for 13 years, I need to be patient (HA!). 

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes

New Protein Pancake Recipe! I adjusted it from other protein pancake recipes I had seen, used whatever I had around the house, and it turned out great!

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed

2 Tablespoon vanilla protein powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 apple, peeled and diced

6 Tablespoon egg whites

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1 1/2 Tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Combined all the above ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until ingredients have been

After the ingredients have been combined, put a small amount of coconut oil on a pan, add 1/4 of mixture per pancake onto the greased pan over medium heat. Cook until there is a light golden crust, flip and repeat. This recipe made me 4 medium sized pancakes.

In a small microwave safe bowl put1-2 Tablespoon organic pure maple syrup and microwave 15 seconds. I prefer my maple syrup warm. 

Once all the pancakes are done cooking, drizzle the warmed maple syrup over them and top with 1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts and 1-2 Tablespoon peeled and chopped apples

Final Product!

The kitchen  is a great place to be creative and think of new ideas.

Cinnamon Oats & Garlic Brussels Sprouts!

Prepping for the day!

Breakfast: Cinnamon, Apple, & Walnut Oatmeal with a side of egg whites

Lunch: Garlic Brussels Sprouts & Tomatoes

What is great about both recipes I posted? Both are vegan and vegetarian! If you are vegan and can't have the egg whites, you could make 2 servings of the oatmeal to have a bigger serving, or make a fresh fruit salad.

Cinnamon, Apple, & Walnut Oatmeal:

In a medium size bowl, add
•1/4 cup oats
•1/2 cup water
•1/4 apple, peeled and chopped
Microwave for 2 minutes

Add & Stir in:
•1 tablespoon ground flax
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Top with:
•1 tablespoon chopped raw walnuts

This recipe is for 1 serving.

Final Product!

Breakfast served. Pictured with cooked egg whites & red pepper flakes.

Garlic Brussels Sprouts & Tomatoes:

In a small sauté pan drizzle a small amount of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (~1/2 teaspoon), set heat at medium to medium low. Add 8 halved Brussels sprouts with the hard woody stem part cut off. Let this sauté for 5 minutes; until they start to brown a bit.

Then add 1/2-1 cup whole cherry tomatoes, 2-3 chopped garlic cloves depending on their size, and salt & pepper (to taste). Turn down heat to low and sauté for 3-4 additional minutes.

Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian spices. Cook this on low heat for 2 minutes and then it is ready to be served! I like to cook it until the tomatoes are bursting.

This recipe for 1 serving if a main dish, 2 servings as a side dish.

Final Product:

A great addition would be to top with shredded Parmesan cheese, especially of you are serving this to someone who does not love Brussels sprouts. I was also thinking next time to add some pine nuts as well.

Coconut Oil:

I bought my first jar of unrefined coconut oil from Whole Foods Market yesterday. This was my first time using coconut oil and it turned out really well. I had seen a lot of people using coconut oil, so I thought I could try it out, since I am an olive oil fiend! I used the coconut oil on my egg whites for breakfast and topped them with red pepper flakes.

Have a great day!

Oats & Kiwi with Greek Yogurt

Breakfast was kind of small the other day, but I made sure every nutrient counted!

*Wheat Germ is an excellent source of folic acid, as well as iron and zinc.

*Flax seed is an good source of omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, manganese and magnesium.

*Oats are heart healthy and contains soluble fiber. 

*The non-fat Greek yogurt is a good source of protein.

*Kiwi are a good source of fiber, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E.

More about Kiwis: http://www.superkidsnutrition.com/superfoods/sf_kiwi.php

Chia seeds would be a great addition to this as well, but I did not have any on hand. 

Oats & Kiws with Greek Yogurt:

Mix in a cereal size bowl:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 Tbsp Wheat Germ

2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed

1 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Top with:

1 Kiwi, peeled and chopped

1 container Trader Joe's non-fat Honey Greek Yogurt

Oat & Flax Protein Muffins

I adopted this recipe from Peanut Butter Finger's blog recipe for Chewy Granola Bar Bites!
Link: http://www.pbfingers.com/2011/06/29/chewy-granola-bar-bites/

They turned out great, and were delicious warmed up with some organic strawberry jam, or even by themselves.


Oat & Flax Protein Muffins:
 Mix together:
2 cups oats
2 tbsp cinnamon
4 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp wheat germ
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp vanilla protein powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix in separate bowl:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 egg whites

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring continuously

Spray muffin tins, evenly divide batter into 12 muffin tins

325 degree preheated oven for 12 minutes

They were a little dense, but I still enjoyed them a lot. I stored them in an air tight container and they lasted for quite a few days. I want to try these next time by adding some chopped up apples and apple sauce to add some moisture to them.

Turkey Burgers

Ground turkey is super cheap yet still high in protein and low in fat! I got 1.5 lbs from Trader Joes for $4.50 and was able to make 5 turkey burgers! I did not put my turkey burgers on buns because I was adding a small amout of BBQ sauce and did not want the extra carbs from the buns, so I ate it like a steak with a fork and knife. Another good way to go is a "protein" style burger with 2 pieces of lettuce.

Turkey Burger Recipe:
1.5 lb. ground turkey breast
4 tbsp panko bread crumbs
2 egg whites
2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 white onion finely chopped or 2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp black pepper or cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 5 patties, and make a nice indent in the middle of each patty (this helps so they cook into an even patty and are not raised in the center). Heat a grill pan, spray with cooking olive oil spray, over medium-medium high heat grill each side for 5-6 minutes.

While the burgers were cooking, I grilled up some asparagus, sweet potatoes, broccoli and onion slices! Seasoned the veggies with olive oil, pepper, garlic powder and sea salt.

I topped my burger with 1 tsp of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce (but they are great plain too!)

I had plenty of left overs which was great! I stored them in an airtight Tupperware container so they could last a few days in the fridge.

For breakfast I wanted another turkey burger, so I paired it with an egg white scramble with zucchini, white onions, spinach and red pepper flakes! To reheat the burger, I heated up a pan, added a little cooking spray and cooked on medium-high for 2 minutes on each side with the lid on.

Lemon Chicken

On Thursday night, my mom got 4 free tickets to the Angels, A's baseball game! It was so much fun, but unfortunately the Angels lost.

As a pre-game meal, I made baked chicken on a bed of fresh arugula with grilled veggies, asparagus, sweet potato, and onions.

To bake the chicken, I greased a baking sheet and placed 4 thin breasts on it. I brushed each breast with extra virgin olive oil, and topped with sea salt, ground lemon pepper, dried oregano, fresh minced garlic, and two slices of lemon for each piece of chicken. I put the chicken in a preheated 385 degree oven and baked them for 15-20 minutes (mine were really thinly cut so they cooked really quickly).

While the chicken breasts were baking, I used a grill pan, greased it with Olive oil spray and added fresh asparagus, thick white onion slices, and sweet potato slices (had already peeled & boiled these for 6-8 min previously).. Once on the grill, I seasoned lightly with cayenne pepper (or black pepper works also), and garlic powder. Once there were nice grill marks on the sweet potato and onions I flipped each carefully, and turned over the asparagus.

Once the veggies were done grilling, I turned off the heat. The chicken was done by now and I took the baking sheet out of the oven. I played the chicken on top of a bed of fresh angular and served with a side of veggies!

 

Veggies with grill marks:

 

Final Product!