These easy to make patties are so tasty! I serve them up on thin whole grain buns. I've tried to modify the recipe a couple times in regards to the bread crumbs and the cheese but it just doesn't seem worth it. I removed the salt from the original recipe and it still tastes great! Enjoy :)
Spinach Patties
Ingredients
1 bag of chopped spinach
3 eggs
¼ c diced onion
½ c shredded cheese
½ c bread crumbs
1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Cook spinach in a frying pan until wilted
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, including spinach
Shape into patties and cook over medium high heat in a non stick skillet with a small amount of olive oil
Patties are done when they are golden and firm (About 4-6 minutes )
Sources:
http://thevillagecook.com/
Modified version of original recipe
The first day of our diet clean up was
a success. Dinner last night was definitely a winner! All three of us thoroughly
enjoyed this dish and I will definitely be making it again.
I paired the rice and chicken with steamed brussel sprouts. I
was definitely thinking about adding some salt and olive oil to the
bland-ish green brains but I refrained myself because there is a bigger
goal in sight! Addie liked the plain brussel sprouts too :)
It is a
fast, easy and nutritious meal for anyone who wants a healthy dish with
little prep and clean up! If you are vegetarian, I would suggest
throwing in a couple more varieties of beans and obviously omitting the
chicken breast.
Click on the link to find my prep video for this recipe:Video
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can black beans (rinsed)
• 1 can pinto beans (rinsed)
• 1 can corn kernels
• 1 small jar salsa (your favorite variety)
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml cumin
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml chili powder
• 2 cups / 480 ml cooked brown rice
Preparation
Add to slow cooker: chicken breast,
beans, corn, salsa, cumin and chili powder. Mix and cook on low 8 to 10
hours. Serve with cooked brown rice.
To make a creamier version, add ½ cup / 120 ml plain Greek yogurt the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Sources:
www.eatcleandiet.com
Modified version of Original Recipe
The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
We want to clean up the foods we habitually eat!
We do not want to restrict the foods we eat to cleanse or detox. This is not a crash diet.
We want to challenge ourselves to eat an even more healthy and wholesome diet.
Here is how we plan on modifying our already existing diet in a way that is enjoyable and sustainable for us.
1. Eating more leafy green and colorful vegetables
2. No added salt/ limiting foods that contain high amounts of salt (ex. cheese)
3. No added sugar
4. All our grains should be whole grains (ex. brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats etc)
5. Ensuring 1-2 vegetarian meals per week
6. Ensuring 1 fish meal per week
7. Limiting processed foods (ex. pita chips, cereals)
8. Increasing seasonal, local and organic produce consumption (from local farmers market)
9. Favor cooking methods such as boiling, baking and grilling rather then frying.
If you do follow this journey with us you will notice some choices Jon and I have already made for our family (like not eating red meat or pork, only drinking almond milk, no butter or margarine, no juice or soda etc). Our diet will never be the perfect raw food, all organic, all homemade diet but we hope to challenge ourselves to be the best we can be.We are just trying to improve our eating habits even more. We truly enjoy eating healthy and it is a passion of ours.
Last weekend my parents, Marc and Jennifer, came down to VA for a quick visit from Montreal, Canada. My brother, who goes to school to New York, happened to be in Washington. We took the opportunity to all get together for a quick bite to eat so Eric could meet Addie!
This weekend Jon's parents, Bill and Leslie, came down to visit from Sterling, MA. Saturday morning we ran a 5K race benefiting orphan children in Sierra Leone. Jon pushed Adelynn in her stroller, it was her first 5K! Pop's won 3rd place in his division and his prize was a hand carved elephant from Sierra Leone!
Jon was definitely skeptical about trying this one! He was a good sport and dove right in... now I can't get him to eat regular pasta! It is a great alternative to having regular pasta, not to mention a wonderful way to increase your intake of vegetables. It is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Try it! I dare you :)
Jon had some of his buddies over this weekend for a poker night. One of his friends had tried my cocoa bites recipe and loved it! He even brought some to poker night! He suggested I give his bean salad recipe a try and yum!! It was delicious, fast and healthy- just the way i like it! I played around with it a little to make it into a dinner.. here is the final product. Give it a try and let me know what you guys think!
Bean Salad over Brown Rice
Ingredients:
- canned black beans
- canned corn
- canned diced tomatoes (i like fire roasted)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 1/2 chicken breasts (or two cans of chicken breast)
- brown rice
Boil or use crockpot to make pulled chicken. Place all ingredients in a oven safe dish. Warm up in oven and serve over brown rice.
I am loving these 4-5 ingredient dinners that take less than 30 minutes to whip up. Between fitting in our P90X workout, feeding, bathing and getting little Adelynn ready for bed and spending some time catching up with how Jon's day went, there is no time left for a big fancy dinner with it's big obnoxious clean up!
Jon had an exam this morning so he was busy studying last night on the computer- reason this post is coming to you now! He might as well be learning Chinese.. I can't believe the stuff he remembers and learns.
This recipe is a fun one! A healthy twist on a food item that is usually on the no-no list.
Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Butternut Squash
Ingredients: - 3 chicken breasts - 2 eggs - panko bread crumbs - butternut squash - olive oil - salt and pepper if desired
Cut chicken into small nugget sized pieces. Dip in egg and then in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet.
Peel and cut butternut squah. Place on baking sheet.
Bake both on 375 F for 25 mins. Leave chicken in for 3-5 minutes longer on broil to get your nuggets golden and crunchy! Serve with a green veggie and you've got a delicious, fun and healthy meal! Enjoy, and remember to make healthy choices! - Kim
It may be because it was the first day of Autumn yesterday, but I'm setting myself some new goals! A friend of mine, Marie, who also has a blog, posted about using this space as a journal, a way to document what you're up to so you can always look back and remember all the wonderful things that you've done! I loved that idea and have decided to set myself the goal of three blog or vlog posts a week. One would focus on fitness and my P90X journey (getting back into shape after giving birth!), the next on my family life as Adelynn's mom and Jon's wife and the last would touch on my love of healthy foods! I want to push and challenge myself in those aspects of my life and I think it will be fun and certainly motivating to do it with you.. as it is easy to sometimes let yourself down but with others supporting you I think you can really achieve some awesome things!
Jon and I decided to do the "Classic P90X" workout. We wont be following the nutrition plan that they provide because.. as some of you may know, I'm breastfeeding and so I don't want to restrict my nutrition in any way that could be harmful to Addie.. We won't be taking the supplements that they offer either. I'm really looking to push my physical limits but still keep a lifestyle that I think is realistic. Here's the breakdown in case you were interested!
CLASSIC P90X Workout
PHASE 1 - 1st month
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3
Day 1 - Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 2 - Plyometrics
Day 3 - Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4 - Yoga X
Day 5 - Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6 - Kenpo X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Week 4
Day 1 - Yoga X
Day 2 - Core Synergistics
Day 3 - Kenpo X
Day 4 - X Stretch
Day 5 - Core Synergistics
Day 6 - Yoga X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Phase 2 - 2nd month
Week 5, Week 6, Week 7
Day 1 - Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
Day 2 - Plyometrics
Day 3 - Back and Biceps, Ab Ripper X
Day 4 - Yoga X
Day 5 - Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6 - Kenpo X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Week 8
Day 1 - Yoga X
Day 2 - Core Synergistics
Day 3 - Kenpo X
Day 4 - X Stretch
Day 5 - Core Synergistics
Day 6 - Yoga X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Phase 3 - 3rd month
Week 9 and Week 11
Day 1 - Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 2 - Plyometrics
Day 3 - Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4 - Yoga X
Day 5 - Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6 - Kenpo X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Week 10 and Week 12
Day 1 - Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
Day 2 - Plyometrics
Day 3 - Back and Biceps, Ab Ripper X
Day 4 - Yoga X
Day 5 - Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6 - Kenpo X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Week 13
Day 1 - Yoga X
Day 2 - Core Synergistics
Day 3 - Kenpo X
Day 4 - X Stretch
Day 5 - Core Synergistics
Day 6 - Yoga X
Day 7 - Rest or X Stretch
Tonight I'm making chicken nuggets with a super healthy twist! I think you'll love them. Since this post is more fitness oriented, tomorrow will be my recipe!
Have a great night! And remember to make healthy choices!
I got inspired to make this craft after seeing a DIY mason jar soap dispenser post on pinterest! I didn't have a mason jar and did not want to have to spend anything to make this, so I got creative with what we had around the house. I am so happy with the final product! It works great and looks adorable in our bathroom!
Using an old peanut butter jar and the pump from an old soap dispenser I had purchased from the dollar store months ago...
... a little hot glue (wonderful, can't- do- without crafting tool) and my husband's drill I was able to get busy crafting!
First clean out your jar and drill a hole in the middle of the top large enough to slip the pump through.
Once you slip the pump through the top, use your hot glue to create a seal. I put the glue on the inside of the pump's cap so I couldn't see it once assembled.
Fill it up with your favorite soap. I added some raffia and an old key I had in my craft stuff to add some bling- and there you go! You're done!
Want a chocolate fix without the extra guilt? Here is a recipe for you!
Cocoa Bites
1 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup cocoa powder
dash of water
Blend all dry ingredients together in a food processor.
Add water slowly until desired consistency.
Roll into bite sized pieces.
Place in freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Store in refrigerator until eaten!
- 12 Cloth-eez® Newborn orange edge (12"x13"
when new) 11" x 11" when fully shrunk in white. Fits newborn to about
6 weeks, or fits about 5-10 pounds, 4-8-4 ply. Orange edges. Made in Pakistan,
100% "Indian" cotton. $24/dozen
- 12 Cloth-eez® Small Yellow edge (14"x15.5" when new),
12.5" wide x 13.5" long when fully shrunk. Fits 10 pounds to about 6
months old or about 15 pounds or so but this varies a lot. Fits in most size
small covers. 4-8-4 ply. Yellow edges, made in Pakistan. 100%
"Indian" cotton. $28/dozen
- 10 Cloth-eez® Workhorse™ Diapers are prefold diaper fabric in fitted diaper shape.
Note: The preemie or newborn size can be used a
doubler later on
Note: Prefolds "quilt up" after washing
Note: Fitted diapers need covers
What is "prefolded" about
"prefolds"? They have a thick center panel. Non-prefolded diapers are
huge one-layer old fashioned diapers, which need to be folded many times to get
them into a cover or onto a baby. We are going to Tri-fold our prefolds.
6 Snappis (You probably only need 1 or 2 snappis)
Great option to fasten
a prefold
Made of a stretchy
polyurethane and have grippers
Packaged individually, size 1 or size 2 also known as
Toddler size.
Note: Most babies will only need size 1 from birth to
potty training
$3.95 each size 1 single
pack or $7.55 each size 1 triple pack
6 Thirsties
Duo Wrap covers (aplix hook and loop/ snaps) $12.25
size one:
6-18 lbs (3-8 kg)
0-9 months
size two:
18-40 lbs (8-18 kg)
9-36 months
1 Litewrap
Newborn 7 to 10 lbs $8.00
2 Bumgenious
Newborn all-in-one $12.95
1 Planet
wise Pail liner in Seaspray $16.50
1 Happy
Tushies wet bag
1 Wet
bag Munchkin $5.99
1 Handmade
wet bag from online tutorial
Cj’s
Butter 8oz $13.97
Detergent Rockin Green $14.95
Wipes
and wipe solution
Also available:
Sized Thirsties covers (aplix hook and
loop/ snaps) $11.50
My mom and dad came to visit us this past weekend. We had a wonderful long weekend!
Our special treat was a dinner made by my father. We ventured out to Sam's Club to get all the ingredients we needed to make that night's feast!
One of the dishes on the menu for that night was dad's delicious tamari and ginger baked salmon.
Fresh ginger has many beneficial properties. It is found to have powerful cancer- destroying action and anti- inflammatory properties.
The active compounds are called terpenes and gingerols.
It is best to use fresh ginger root (picture below) rather than other forms such as ground or preserved because you will find the highest amount of beneficial compounds in the fresh form.
Tamari and Ginger Salmon
What you will need:
Fresh salmon filet
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1-2 tbsp ginger root, chopped
3-4 tbsp tamari sauce
aluminum foil
Pre- heat oven to 375 degrees
Line baking dish with aluminum foil
Place salmon filet on foil
Place garlic, ginger root and tamari sauce over salmon (these ingredients are all to taste, reason for the wide range in amounts)
This past Saturday we attended the Marine Corps Birthday Ball! It is so fun to get all dressed up with friends and go to a ball!! The men all looked smashing and the ladies looked gorgeous. Here are some pictures from the event that was held in Richmond Virginia.
We had a good time with great friends!
I am also so happy to say that Jon and I are close to wrapping up the submission of my immigration papers!
My friend Anna F (the beautiful pregnant wife in my photos) and I worked hard at getting our immigration medical, police record and fingerprints, official photos, flu and Td shots etc this week. I found myself making recipes I had previously posted because of time constraints! But last night I made a blog worthy recipe- Healthy Turkey Lasagna! This one is inspired by the recipe on the flip side of Ronzoni's healthy harvest whole grain lasagna pasta.
Healthy Turkey Lasagna
What you will need:
1 lb ground turkey
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1 container of small curd cottage cheese
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/4 tsp pepper
lasagna pasta (I use Ronzoni healthy harvest, in which case you do not cook pasta prior to making)
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Brown turkey in pan, add spaghetti sauce and water and let simmer for 10 minutes
In bowl, mix all cottage cheese, half of other cheese, 2 eggs and pepper
In a casserole, pour in 1 cup of meat sauce
Lay out 3 pieces of lasagna pasta uncooked (I always have to break them so they fit)
Pour in 1 cup of meat sauce, 1/2 of cheese mixture and 3 more pasta pieces
Pour in the rest of the meat sauce and sprinkle leftover cheese on top
Cover and bake for 45 minutes
Uncover and bake for 10 minutes so the cheese gets bubbly
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving
Enjoy!!
Thank you all for reading and I hope to see you here again soon. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think! I believe you need to have a google account to do so.
My dad would make the most delicious Chicken Cacciatore. I don't think he ever really had a recipe for it, he would just see what we had and worked with it!
And that is exactly what I did yesterday. Pen and paper in hand, to write down my ingredients, I was ready to experiment.
After 1 hour, the house started to smell amazing, I knew it was ready and I was so excited to see what Jon thought.
I was making a "big" portion of this chicken cacciatore because I thought it would be great to see it last a little while. So I threw in 7 chicken legs and 1 chicken breast, thinking to myself "we're going to be eating this for dinner again tomorrow!!"
I was SO wrong. Jon managed to eat 4 chicken legs and 1/2 chicken breast (along with all the veggies and 2 1/2 cups of brown rice on his plate) and I ate 1 chicken leg.
My goodness... there were only 2 chicken legs left and they were going in his lunch today. The pot was empty by 7:00pm.. I couldn't believe it! But this dish was a WINNER!
We ate earlier than usual yesterday because Jon had to fast after 9:00pm for tomorrows TBS blood tests. He was starving this morning! Because we were off schedule, I completely forgot to take a picture of this AMAZING dish!! So I borrowed one that looked most like it from the Internet.
You have GOT to try this recipe. It is so delicious and great for big families... or in our case little families that eat a lot! And it is probably the easiest recipe you will ever make.
Here we go, I hope you enjoy it! Please give it a try.
Chicken Cacciatore
What you will need:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 chicken breast, cubed
7 chicken legs, whole
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of salt
2 cups chicken broth low sodium
1 (794g) can crushed tomatoes (I have a BJ's can.. so make sure to read the grams on the can)
2 (411g) cans diced tomatoes
5 celery stalks, chopped
Drizzle olive oil in bottom of a large pot with a cover, when hot, add onions and garlic. Allow onions and garlic to cook and caramelize.
Add chicken breast and chicken legs and brown the meat.
Add the crushed tomatoes (1 can), diced tomatoes (2 cans), chicken broth, spices and celery.
Bring everything to a bowl and reduce to medium (4-6). Allow to simmer for 1 hour.
Serve over rice or pasta.
I LOVE this recipe, and I think you will too!
The picture above is taken from the Internet because I forgot all about taking one last night- it just smelt too good, we couldn't wait to dig in! haha! I will snap a picture next time I make it. We made ours with chicken legs and celery- so it will look a little different than the one above, but I still wanted to give you an idea.
Let me know what you think!
Make healthy choices everyone! Have a great Wednesday.
Some may think casseroles are boring and tasteless dinners, but I beg to differ!
The truth is, this type of dish can be easy, quick, inexpensive and healthy.
It can also make a little go a long way. If you are creative in the kitchen in the least, you are sure to create something delicious.
We only had 2 salmon fillets left in our freezer. Uh oh- this is never going to be enough to feed Jon and I!
I scrambled around the pantry and found some small potatoes. I also had some leftover cottage cheese from another recipe and we had just bought a dozen eggs.
There was my base for a delicious dish and my recipe for Potato Salmon Casserole was born.
Potato Salmon Casserole
what you will need:
dozen small potatoes or 3-4 large ones (about 1 potato per serving)
2 salmon fillets, thawed (about 1/2 salmon filet per serving)
6- 8 eggs (or egg whites) depends of how many you are feeding, I counted about 2 eggs per serving
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tbsp old bay
pepper
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese 1%
1/4 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
Panko bread crumbs (optional)
Wash, cube and boil potatoes until soft, place in casserole dish
Cut salmon into cubes and place in casserole dish
In bowl, mix eggs, milk, old bay, pepper, spinach, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese. Add to casserole dish and stir.
Top with panko bread crumbs
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until all egg is cooked.
Enjoy! (It tastes better than it looks, I promise!)
And we all know what that means... Candy, chocolate, chips and other goodies are making their way into our homes and into our bellies at an alarming rate. We cannot let this holiday get the best of us though! If we give in to Halloween, what will happen on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years!
Here are a couple game plan ideas that I think will work well and keep us all on our healthy paths...
Try to avoid buying the candy YOU enjoy the most in the world, you will be less likely to pick at the candy bowl. If you know chips are your weakness- then don't buy 80 small, easily accessible baggies of them.
But... if you love all candy, no matter the flavor, shape, texture or size- make yourself your own bowl and allow yourself one or two candies a day. No picking in the kids bowl!
Small toys, cars, glow in the dark necklaces or stickers are fun for kids instead of candy, taking the temptations away from you.
If you want to be the super healthy house on the street you can always opt for candy alternatives such as dried fruit, popcorn, real- fruit strips, granola bars, mints or sugar free gum.
And lastly, if you do get a little crazy one day and fall off the healthy train don't let it become a "I blew it" binge, tomorrow is a new day!
P.S. Do not , do not, do not keep leftover candy on top of the fridge, in the pantry or in a drawer after Halloween. It's bad news. We all know where that candy will end up... and at 100 to 150 calories a pop, after 5 trips back to our stash in a day we're talking 500 to 750 extra calories!! No thanks. Toss it, get rid of the leftovers! The 4 dollars worth of cheap Halloween candy does not deserve a spot in your life or in your diet. Say goodbye! This may sound a little bit harsh.. but it is all true and it is for your own good!
Now, for today's recipe! After some great feedback on my first attempt at healthy pumpkin muffins, I am excited to share the new and improved even healthier pumpkin muffins!
I have:
increased the fiber content by using oats
decreased the salt
decreased the sugar by using only 1 tbsp of honey and unsweetened applesauce
decreased the fat by replacing the canola oil with unsweetened applesauce, using egg whites instead of whole eggs and using skim milk instead of 1% milk
I love them! I hope you do too!
Even Healthier Pumpkin Muffins
What you will need:
Dry:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Wet:
2 egg whites
1 tbsp honey
3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
