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BUTTERNUT SQUASH PIZZA (POSTED ON 11.3.18)

NUTRITIONAL STRENGTHS:  Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Folate, Manganese, Niacin, Potassium, and Thiamin

INGREDIENTS:

  • 16 oz Pre-made pizza dough

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup butternut squash

  • Pinch of salt and pepper

  • 1 garlic clove

  • 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 Tablespoons of Beringer White Zinfandel Wine

  • 2 ounces of goat cheese

  • 2 cups of shredded mozarella cheese

  • 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven according to the directions on the pizza dough.

  2. Peel, seed, and dice the butternut squash into tiny little pieces

  3. In a medium size pan put the olive oil in and heat over medium heat.

  4. After the olive oil has been heated, put the peeled and diced squash into the pan with the salt and pepper.

  5. Cook the squash for 8 minutes over medium heat, remembering to stir occassionally.

  6. After 8 minutes, add the garlic, thyme, and white zinfandel to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes

  7. Place the pizza dough onto a pizza baking sheet and spread the squash evenly over the pizza dough

  8. Cover the squash with mozarella and goat cheese .

  9. Place pizza in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.

  10. Top with parsley and slice into 8 pieces.

  11. Can be eaten hot or cold, so put any left overs in the refrigerator!

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SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALL SANDWICH (Posted on 4.30.17)

NOTE: THIS RECIPE USES A CROCKPOT, SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE BEFORE TRYING THIS RECIPE!

NUTRITIONAL STRENGTHS:  Protein, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Fiber, and Potassium

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 pineapple (medium size)

  • 1 red onion (medium size)

  • 1 garlic glove

  • 3 lbs 93/7 lean round beef

  • 1 tablespoon turmeric

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 1.5 cups almond meal

  • 1.5 cups water

  • 2 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 2 slices of Naan bread per sandwich

​

DIRECTIONS:

  • Slice the pineapple into small chunks, and set into a separate bowl.

  • Slice and dice the onions and garlic into tiny pieces, and set in a separate bowl.

  • Mix the almond meal, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin into a separate bowl.

  • Use your hands to mix the beef in thoroughly with the onion and garlic.

  • Pour the almond meal and spice mix into the bowl with the ground beef, and mix everything thoroughly with hands.

  • Coat the crockpot with the olive oil.

  • Form balls with the meat 1-2 inches in diameter and place half of the meat into the crockpot.

  • Place half of the pineapples in the crockpot and pour the apple cider vinegar into the crockpot.

  • Place the rest of the meatballs into the crockpot, along with the rest of the pineapple.

  • Add 1.5 cups of water to the crockpot.

  • Cook everything in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.

  • Use a meat thermometer to test meat temperature: 140° F = Rare, 155° F = Medium, 170 ° F = Well done

  • Once done, drain meatballs and pineapples before placing them on the Naan bread and serve.

  • You can also add any topping on the Naan bread you desire.

  • Place the remaining meatballs and pineapples into a container and store for up to 4-5 days.This should provide you with at least 3-4 meals.

MIKE’S HEALTHY TORTA (Posted on 10.15.16)

NUTRITIONAL STRENGTHS:  Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Copper, Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Protein

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 15 oz can of Organic Pinto Beans with NO added sodium

  • 3 oz of goat cheese

  • 1 multigrain baguette a minimum of 16 inches long

  • 1 red pepper

  • 1 banana pepper

  • 1 red onion

  • 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

  • 1 ripe avocado

  • 1 lemon or lime

  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage

  • 1/3 cup greek yogurt (for dipping-OPTIONAL)

​

NOTE:  I HIGHLY ADVISE ANYONE PLANNING ON MAKING THIS RECIPE TO PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS THE DAY OR NIGHT BEFORE YOU PLAN ON EATING IT.  THIS RECIPE IS QUICK ONCE ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS ARE COOKED AND PROPERLY PREPARED, BUT THE PINTO BEANS ALONE TAKE 2-3 HOURS TO COOK.  ONCE COOKED, THE INGREDIENTS SHOULD BE GOOD UP TO 3 DAYS, WHICH WILL SAVE YOU TIME BY NOT HAVING TO PREPARE LUNCH FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS

: )

DIRECTIONS:

  • Pour 2 to 3 cups of water into a small to medium saucepan and place over medium heat on a stovetop

  • Empty the pinto beans into a strainer and rinse the beans off for 10 seconds with cool water (this helps reduce the amount of sodium in the beans upon consumption)

  • Add the rinsed pinto beans to the saucepan, and pour out any excess water that might overflow once boiled into the sink

  • Once boiled, stir occassionaly for 1-2 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmering or low heat

  • Let beans stay in the saucepan over low heat for 2-3 hours

  • After beans are cooked, serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

  • While the beans sit over low heat, chop up the red onion, banana pepper, and red pepper into small pieces

  • Pour and spread out 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized pan, put the chopped onion and peppers into the pan, and place over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, using a spatula to flip the onions and peppers occasional

  • Once onions are light brown on both sides, take the saucepan off of the heat and let it sit and cool

  • Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

  • Halve, pit, and scoop out the avocado into a small mixing bowl

  • Slice the lemon or lime in half, place a strainer over the small mixing bowl with the avocado in it, squeeze the juice of each half of lemon or lime into the mixing bowl, and stir and mash together avocado and juice

  • Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

  • Rinse red cabbage with cool water for about 10-15 seconds

  • Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

  • Split the baguette into 3 equal pieces, and slice each piece in half horizontally

  • TIP:For a warmer, softer texture to the bread, place bread in an oven heated to 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes

  • Use fingers to pinch out the middle or center of the baguette, so that the outer layer of the baguette

  • If any ingredients have been refrigerated, they can be reheated or served cool.

  • Spread the goat cheese and beans over one half of the baguette, and the cabbage, onion, peppers, and guacamole (avocado and lemon or lime juice) on the other half of the baguette

  • Use greek yogurt as a dip for the sandwich and enjoy!

The Avocado Lantern (Posted on 8.18.14)

The Green Lantern is a popular superhero who uses a powerful ring to fly, have superhuman strength, and create a green colored object of anything he can visualize in his mind.  Likewise, this green meal is a powerhouse of nutrients that kids will enjoy eating (Don't tell them it's health ; ) ).

Nutritional Strengths: Folate, Vitamin E, Monounsaturated Fats, Glutathione, Lutein, Protein, Calcium, and Fiber

 

Ingredients:

  • 100% Whole Wheat Bread

  • 1 Avocado

  • 1 Lemon

  • Hard Goat Cheese

  • 1 cucumber 

  • 1 tomato

 

Directions:

  1. Split the avocado in half with a knife.

  2. Using a fork, scoop out avocado into a small bowl

  3. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice into the small bowl

  4. Mash up the avocado in the bowl using a large spoon

  5. Spread the mashed avocado over one side of each bread slice 

  6. Now we're going to make the Green Lantern's superhero logo.  Start by thoroughly wash cucumber 

  7. Place one cucumber slice on the avocado side of one of the bread slices

  8. Cut two rectangle shaped pieces of goat cheese

  9. Place one slice of goat cheese so that it is touching the top of the cucumber slice

  10. Place the other slice of goat cheese so that it si touching the bottom of the cucumber slice

  11. Thouroughly wash the tomato, slice it, and cut it into tiny pieces.

  12. Place the tiny tomato pieces above the cucumber and goat cheese so that you form two eyes and a smile using the tomatoes.

  13. Cover the other slice of bread with goat cheese, cucumber, and tomato, and place this slice directly underneath the previous slice

  14. Serve.

 

 

VEGGIE WRAP (Posted on 2/24/13)

 

Nutritional Strengths:  Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium, Fiber

 

Ingredients:

  • Joseph's Lavish Bread Roll Ups

  • 2 tablespoons Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus

  • 1/4 cup cooked quinoa

        >1 cup quinoa

        >2 cups water

        >Olive oil

  • 1 medium shredded carrot

  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced

  • 1/4 avocado, sliced

 

Instructions:

  1. Place a drizzle of olive oil in a saucepan and place on a stovetop set for medium-high heat

  2. Put 1 cup quinoa in a strainer and rinse with cool water.

  3. Put the rinsed quinoa into the saucepan, add 2 cups water to the saucepan, and stir

  4. Cover the saucepan, stirring occasionally, and let the water heat to a boil.

  5. Once the water in the saucepan boils, reduce heat to lowest setting, stir, cover, and let it sit for 15 minutes.

  6. Once the quinoa is cooked, you can use some now and store some in the refrigerator to be reheated for later

  7. While the quinoa is cooking, thoroughly wash the carrot, cucumber, and avacado.

  8. Now that all ingredients are prepared, set down one lavish bread roll up and spread 2 tablespoons of hummus across it.

  9. Put 1/4 cup of quinoa (hot or cold) onto the bread roll up

  10. Use a grate or peeler to spread carrot peelings on top of the bread roll up

  11. Use a knive to slice cucumber pieces onto the bread roll up

  12. Slice the avocado onto the bread roll up, then wrap up the content and serve.

 

FISH SANDWICHES (Posted on 11/29/13) 

 

Nutritional Strengths: Protein, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, B Vitamins, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Iron, Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Zinc

 

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 frozen Tilapia fillets

  • ½ cup Trader Joe’s Just Almond Meal

  • ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs will work)

  • 1/2 cup wheat germ, unsweetened

  • 1 and ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 Tomato

  • 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread

  • 1-2 tablespoons tartar sauce

  • Cooking Spray or Oil

 

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

  2. Pour Almond Meal onto a plate and spread it around

  3. Combine bread crumbs, wheat germ, and salt in a bowl and stir

  4. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray

  5. Take each frozen Tilapia fillet and run it under cold water for about 15 seconds

  6. Cover each Tilapia fillet with the Almond Meal first by dipping the fillet and rolling it around on the Almond Meal plate, dipping it into the wheat germ and bread crumb bowl second, and placing it on the oiled baking dish last

  7. Set the baking dish on the top rack of the oven for six minutes

  8. After six minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven, flip each fillet over using a spatula, and place the dish back on the top rack of the oven to cook for another 6 minutes

  9. Repeat the above step 1-2 more times to cook the fillets for a total of 18-24 minutes, or until the fillets flake easily by lightly pressing a fork against them

  10. Thoroughly wash the tomato and remove the stem from the center

  11. Slice the tomato and dice each slice into tiny pieces if you desire to do so

  12. Place the bread slices into a toaster or toaster oven and lightly toast the slices

  13. Once the fillets, tomatoes, and bread slices are prepared, place the fillets on top of one of the bread slices

  14. Place the tomato slices/pieces on top of the Tilapia fillets

  15. On the other slice of bread, spread the tarter sauce across one side of the bread and cover the sandwich so that the side with the tarter sauce touches the tomato layer of the sandwich

 

ROASTED TURKEY WRAPS (Posted on 10/29/13)

 

Nutritional Strengths:  Protein

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 whole-wheat wraps

  • 4 tablespoons honey mustard

  • 1 pound roasted turkey, thinly sliced

  • ½ pound Brie cheese, cut into 4 equal slices

  • 1 green apple, halved and thin sliced

 

Directions:

  1. Spread a tablespoon honey mustard onto 1 side of each whole-wheat wrap

  2. Put ¼ pound of roasted turkey in the center of each whole-wheat wrap

  3. Place a slice of Brie cheese on top of each ¼ pound of turkey

  4. Put apple slices over each layer of Brie cheese.

  5. Fold the wrap to cover the content, and tuck the wrap like a burrito to keep the content sealed. 

RAVIOLI SOUP (Posted on 9/25/13)

 

Nutritional Strength:  Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Iron, Calcium

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·   2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced

·   2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

  • 1 15-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • 1 1/2 cups hot water

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen ravioli, cheese or meat

  • 2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Put olive oil into a saucepan and place it over a stovetop on medium heat.

  2. Add the pepper and onion mix and garlic to the saucepan

  3. Stir the content in the saucepan for a minute

  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, water, and basil, and turn up the heat to high

  5. Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions

  6. Reduce the heat until there is less boil bubbles, and add the zucchini

  7. Cook the content in the saucepan until the zucchini is tender, which will be about 3 minutes

ORANGE YA GLAD IT'S MAC N' CHEESE? (Posted on 9/20/13)

 

Nutritional Strengths:  Vitamin C, Folate, Calcium, Manganese, Protein, and Fiber

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped

  • 3 medium to large sized carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks

  • 3-4 tablespoons of water

  • 1/2/ 8 ounces of macaroni

  • 1 1/2 cups of milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups grated low-fat colby or cheddar cheese

  • Cooking Spray

 

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Fill a medium pot about half full of cold water and heat until boils.

  2. Once water boils, reduce heat and place carots and yams/sweet potatoes into pot and cook for 20 minutes

  3. Drain carrots and yams/sweet potatoes and place them in food processor with two tablespoons of water.

  4. Puree on high until content is no longer chunky.

  5. Stop occasionally to push contents from top to bottom of the food processor.

  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  7. In another large pot, or the same pot washed and cleaned, boil salted water in a large pot over hight heat

  8. Add macaroni, and cook and stir until firm. 

  9. In a different bowl, put milk, pureed carrots and yams/sweet potatoes, and salt, and whisk these ingredients in the bowl.

  10. Spray a 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray

  11. Put half of the macaroni into the baking pan, and put half of the cheese on top of this macaroni layer.

  12. Put the rest of the macaroni on top of the cheese layer, and pour the milk and carrot mix on top of this macaroni layer

  13. Place a final layer of the remaining cheese on top, and place the pan in the oven until golden and bubbling, which typically takes about 30 minutes.

SARDINE SURPRISE  (Posted on 9/11/13)

Nutritional Strengths:  Omega-3s, Reduced Mercury, Protein, Folate, Tryptophan, Magnesium, and Iron

Ingredients

  • 1 15 ounce can white beans

  • 6 oz CHUNK LIGHT tuna

  • 6 oz sardines

  • 2 tablespoons white bean puree

  • 2 tablespoons of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise With Olive Oil

  • 2 slices bread

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain the beans.  If beans are dry, soak them overnight.

  2. Empty the beans into a blender or food processor.

  3. Pulse the beans on and off until smooth, adding two tablespoons of water when necessary

  4. Add 3 oz tuna, 3 oz sardine, 2 tablespoons white bean puree, and 2 tablespoons of Mayonnaise into a bowl and mix everything together

  5. Once mixed, put the ingredients from the bowl between two bread slices and serve.

  6. Store the tuna and sardines in the refrigerator for a second sandwich the next day.

  7. Store the white bean puree in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days, placing on whatever your heart desires!

GRILLED HAM N' CHEESE  (Posted 9/6/13)

Nutritional Strengths:  Calcium, Reduced Fat, Protein

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 8-ounce Loaf French Bread

  • 6 slices reduced-fat swiss cheese

  • 12 slices Hillshire Farm deli-sliced ham

  • 8 sandwich sliced dill pickles

  • PAM cooking spray

 

Cooking Directions:

  1. Cut the French bread in half long-ways/horizontal.

  2. Spread mustard across both bread halves.

  3. Put ½ of cheese on one half of the bread, then put 6 slices of ham on top of that half.

  4. Repeat above step for the other bread half.

  5. Top each half with the pickle slices.

  6. Connect both halves of the sandwich and cut the bread perpendicular so that there are four equal parts of the sandwich.

  7. Turn a stovetop or skillet to medium-high heat and spray the pan or skillet with PAM

  8. Place the sandwiches in the pan/skillet, and heat each side of the sandwiches for 2 minutes.

THE HEALTHY ELVIS

(Posted 8/27/2013)

 

Nutritional Strengths:  Fiber, Potassium, Protein, Reduced Fat

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread

  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter

  • 2 slices turkey bacon

  • 1 banana

  • Optional: Honey

 

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Spread the peanut butter on one side of one slice of bread.

  2. Top with sliced banana, then slices of cooked turkey bacon.

  3. Cover with the other slice of bread.

  4. Spread butter on the outside of the sandwich.

  5. Heat a skillet over medium heat.

  6. Fry the sandwich on each side until golden brown and peanut butter is melted, about 4 minutes total.

Packed Pizza Bagels (Posted 8/20/2013)

Nutritional Strengths:  Vitamin A, C, and K, Folate, Potassium, Iron, Fiber, and Calcium

  1. Rinse and drain the can of beans.  If using dry beans, then soak them overnight before draining them.

  2. Place beans into food processor

  3. Using pulse in on/off turns, puree the beans with two tablespoon of water until smooth.

  4. Store content in refrigerator (3 days max), or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers until ready to use.

  1. Fill a medium pot about half full of cold water and heat until boils.

  2. Once water boils, reduce heat and place carots and yams/sweet potatoes into pot and cook for 20 minutes

  3. Drain carrots and yams/sweet potatoes and place them in food processor with two tablespoons of water.

  4. Puree on high until content is no longer chunky.

  5. Stop occasionally to push contents from top to bottom of the food processor.

Cooking Directions

White Bean Puree

Orange Puree

  • 1/2 cup store-bought tomato sauce

  • 1/4 cup White Bean Puree

        >1 15-ounce can white beans

        >2 to 3 tablespoons water

  • 3 tablespoons Orange Puree

       >1 medium sized sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped

       >3 medium to large sized carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks

       >3-4 tablespoons of water

  • 4 mini bagels, sliced in half

  • 1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

Ingredients

  1. Mix the tomato sauce, White Bean Puree, and Orange Puree

  2. Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce on each bagel half and place 1 tablespoon of grate chees on top of the bagel.

  3. At this point, the bagels can either be covered and refrigerated, or placed in a toaster oven on high for 5-6 minutes. 

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