Best Power Meal!

Quick and Healthy Weeknight Dinner

This is probably not new to most people but a recent discovery to me and I love it! As a working mom, quick meals and healthy are essential!

Here is how it goes:

Veggie Burger! - your favorite recipe or frozen if needing fast. Fry an egg over easy and place on top. Cut up a whole avocado and some tomatoes! Bam! Filling and healthy!

Easy and Affordable!

Power Snack

Part of my 30-day challenge is getting my eating habits back in order! Here are a few changes I have implemented to continue on in life and eat in moderation.

• No fried foods
• No processed meats
• Limiting red meat
• Limiting desserts

With this said I think snacking is VERY important in our everyday lives. However, what is more important is what we snack on!

One of my favorite "Power Snacks" is a Banana Wrap Treat! I haven't had a microwave for years but I have one at work and I am bringing this protein/vitamin packed goodness back into my life!

Recipe:

1 over ripe banana
3 Tbsp (or more) of fresh ground peanut butter. I grind mine at Whole Foods.
1 to 2 Tbsp of honey. I use Copoco's Honey made right here in Fort Collins! You can use Agave too!
1 Whole Wheat Tortilla Wrap

You smear on the peanut butter, smooch in the banana and drizzle with love the honey. Wrap it tightly and nook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes in the micro! Careful the oozy goodness of honey will fall all over! This is such a great snack and pretty healthy!

Peace and Love! Happy Snacking!

Butternut and Pumpkin Soup

This is one of my favorite fall/winter soups! It is just so velvety and yummy!

1 butternut squash
1 pumpkin - sugar pumpkin preferred
Vegetable stock
Maple Syrup
1 cup of milk
Cayenne
Grated ginger- god I am in love with fresh grated ginger!
Roasted garlic - I usually roast for about an hour with the pumpkin and butternut squash!
Salt and pepper
Greek yogurt - if to spicy to cool it down

Here is a quick and easy way to make this yummy soup for an evening dinner. I turn the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the squash and pumpkin in half taking out the seeds. Then place in oven with olive oil and roast for about an hour. I put aluminum foil on the cookie sheet and over the top of the squash and pumpkin.

Once soft pull out of oven and scoop out all the goodness. Roasting it makes the pumpkin skin easier to peel. Place in a pot and add all the other ingredients to liking and blend with an immersion blender. Feel free to play with the flavors. Cook til warm and serve!

Peace and Love,

Carrot Soup - A Summer Favorite!

I made this soup earlier this summer and my mom #2, Kathy...Loved it so much she has been begging me for the recipe. It took a lot of digging but I found the recipe again! This soup once made needs to be put in the refrigerator. It is sooo good cold! It makes a great mid-day snack or healthy dinner option.

• 1lb of carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 potato, chopped into chunks (with the skin on)
• 5 cups of vegetable stock
• 2 celery, (with leaves? all the more better)
• 1 cup low fat buttermilk or Greek yogurt. I used Greek yogurt.
• 1 leek white and tender green parts only, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped roughly
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• pinch of saffron
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne

1. In a large pot, combine the stock with the carrots, celery, onion, leek, potato, cumin, paprika and cayenne and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor, then return to the pot. Stir in the buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Reheat gently. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Notes One Serving 115 calories, 1.0 gm total fat, 0.5 gm saturated fat, 18 gm carb

Here is the website I found this Spicy Carrot Soup.

Wheat Berries!!!

Oh I have seriously found a new love...wheat berries! They are fantastic!  There is so much that you can make with them or add them too.  Especially for someone like me who is always looking for ways to add more fiber to my diet.

There is so many benefits to our health from eating wheat berries. Of course, wheat often gets a bit of a bad rap in the U.S. This is, no doubt, partly due to the fact that Americans need to lose weight more than they need to gain weight. But there are other factors at play as well. “The fact that people have greatly overeaten refined and rancid wheat products that have been genetically altered for smut resistance continuously since 1926, partly explains the many common allergies to this vital food.” (Zachary Shahan). 

Here are the top three reasons to eat wheat berries!

1. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber.
2. Lots of protein
3. Essential vitamins, such as; potassium, calcium, iron and vitamin E to name a few.

Here is a site that can provide you more health benefit information about wheat berries.

I found this fantastic recipe (click here) and enjoy!