Yummy Treats

I came across these recipes and wanted to share them. They are really good!

Courtesy of The Recipe Renovator

 
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Persimmons
Makes 4 main course servings or 8 side servings (double or triple the recipe if needed)
1 acorn squash
½ C. red quinoa
2 small persimmons (about 3/4 C. chopped)
1/2 C. Swiss chard (I used Kale)
1/4 C.  pine nuts
1/2 C.  Daiya dairy-free cheese or parmesan
3 sage leaves (1/2 t. dried sage)
1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 t.  chipotle chili powder
1/4 t.  cumin
1/4 t.  white pepper


Preheat the oven to 350F/160C/gas mark 4. Wash the squash, then slice off each end. Cut in half. (It’s a little easier to cut them in half lengthwise, but the finished dish looks more like an acorn if you cut it crosswise as pictured.) Scoop out the seeds using a grapefruit spoon. Put the seeds in a small bowl of water.

Place the squash cut-side down in an oiled baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes or until soft. Leave the oven on.

While it is baking, remove all the stringy bits of the squash from the seeds and rinse them clean. Place in a small saucepan with a cup of filtered water and 2-3 t. of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.

Rinse and drain the quinoa, then add 1 C. (250 ml) water or vegetable broth (add 1/2 t. (5 g) miso if using water). Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 minutes on low. Turn off and let sit, then fluff with a fork.

Chop the chard and place in a large bowl. Core the persimmons and chop into a 1/2” dice. Add to the bowl. Mince the sage leaves. Add the pine nuts, cooked quinoa, cheese, spices, and stir to mix.
When the squash is cooked, put the baking pan on your work counter (on a towel or hot pads) and flip the squash right-side up. Using a fork to hold it steady, scoop out the cooked squash with a grapefruit spoon, adding it to your filling bowl. Be careful not to poke through the skin. Leave about 1/2 inch of flesh inside.

Mix the squash evenly into the filling, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Pack it into a rounded 1 cup measure and invert it into the squash halves. You will have nearly two cups of filling per half. Put the squash seeds in one corner of the pan, adding a small amount of olive oil and some smoked paprika. Stir to coat the seeds.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. Top with the toasted seeds and a drizzle of garlic olive oil. Cut each half in half to serve four as a main dish, or in eighths as a side.

Bruschetta-Stuffed Mushrooms

Courtesy Spark Recipes

Ingredients

2 portabella mushrooms (or 6 baby portabella mushrooms)
1 shallot, diced
1/4 C red pepper, diced
1/4 C zucchini, diced
2 C baby spinach, stems removed
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 T flax seed meal
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 Roma tomato, sliced
1 oz mozzarella cheese
2 t Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

Using a spoon, remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms, which are the dark ridges on the underside of the mushroom. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over a medium flame. Add the shallot, red pepper, zucchini and saute for 1 minute. Add the cleaned and trimmed spinach and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Spray the bottom of each mushroom with nonstick cooking spray and place on a baking sheet pan. Place in the oven for 1-2 minutes just to heat the mushrooms. Rub each mushroom with the smashed garlic. Sprinkle with the flax seed meal. Divide the vegetable mixture between the two mushrooms, then top with tomato and cheese. Bake for 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Drizzle vinegar over cooked mushrooms before serving.

Caprese  Grilled Chicken

Courtesy addapinch.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6

What You'll Need

• 6 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 slices mozzarella cheese
• 6 slices tomato
• 6 large basil leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare chicken on the grill. As chicken is cooking, pour balsamic vinegar into sauce pan or skillet and cook until reduced by half. Add in butter and stir with a flat whisk until completely combined. Set aside.
2. Top chicken with mozzarella cheese, basil leaf, and then tomato slice.
3. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve warm.

I hope this becomes one of your favorites too! I would love to hear how you liked it!

More Good Food

      Bruce is working with a personal trainer twice a week. Yesterday was one of his sessions. He got the reweighing, measuring and come to find out the guy isn't eating enough. Hmmm, I guess in theory his body has gotten used to the amount it is getting and he needs to up his intake. Bruce is always complaining that he can't eat anymore, so the trainer put him on 2-3 more TLS Protien Shakes. That worked for him. Can't wait to see how this works out. He's already lost about 15% body fat and sculpting is what they are working on now along with the weight loss. He can smell that $5,000.00 check :)

Inner Goddess Detox Salad

This is one of the best salads I have found. 



Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed fresh kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
10 raw, unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
3 strawberries, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled & sliced
1/4 cup blueberries
1/3 cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced
1/4 cup raspberries
Olive oil based salad dressing
Directions:
1. Massage kale in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes, or until broken down and tender. Combine with spinach and cabbage, then turn out onto a plate.
2. Top with remaining ingredients, then drizzle with a good, olive-oil based salad dressing.



 Marzetti Simply Dressed Pomegranate Vinaigrette

 

Quinoa Pizza Bites 

 

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pizza sauce for dipping
Directions

1. Place the quinoa and two cups of water in a covered pot. Bring to boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (one heaping tablespoon each), and press down gently to compact.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Makes 24 mini muffin bites.

Bruschetta-Stuffed Mushrooms

2 portabella mushrooms (or 6 baby portabella mushrooms)
1 shallot, diced
1/4 C red pepper, diced
1/4 C zucchini, diced
2 C baby spinach, stems removed
1 clove garlic, smashed

2 T flax seed meal
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinager 
1/2 Roma tomato, sliced
1 oz mozzarella cheese
2 t Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

Using a spoon, remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms, which are the dark ridges on the underside of the mushroom. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over a medium flame. Add the shallot, red pepper, zucchini and saute for 1 minute. Add the cleaned and trimmed spinach and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Spray the bottom of each mushroom with nonstick cooking spray and place on a baking sheet pan. Place in the oven for 1-2 minutes just to heat the mushrooms. Rub each mushroom with the smashed garlic. Sprinkle with the flax seed meal. Divide the vegetable mixture between the two mushrooms, then top with tomato and cheese. Bake for 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Drizzle vinegar over cooked mushrooms before serving. 

Paleo Orange Chicken 

 

 Ingredients:

       1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite size pieces)

• 3 T fat (coconut oil works well here)
• juice of 2 oranges*
• zest from 1 orange
• 1 t fresh ginger
• 3 T coconut aminos or wheat-free soy sauce
• 1 t chili garlic sauce or sriracha
• 3 green onions, chopped
•  
• Directions: In a medium size sauce pot, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, coconut aminos and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Set over medium heat and let simmer to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks. In a saute pan, heat 3 T of the fat of your choice, over medium high heat. Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook until a nice brown crust has developed on the chicken pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce pot and stir to coat with the orange sauce. Serve topped with sliced green onions. *Taste your oranges. If they don’t taste orange-y, then neither will this dish. Use tangerines if you gotta or add a teaspoon of sweetener until you’re satisfied with the flavor.

 Roasted Red Cabbage

  Bruce doesn't like cabbage, but he sure liked this one. There is something about roasting or grilling vegetables that really bring out their unique flavors.

1 head red cabbage

Olive oil

1-2 oz of Gorgonzola

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425

Slice cabbage into ½ in. slices and brush both sides with olive oil

Roast for 25-30 min. until edges start to brown

Top with a few sprinkles of Gorgonzola and roast for about 5 more min.

Top with cracked pepper and enjoy!

The 2nd 12 Weeks

Bruce & I are on our 2nd 12 weeks. We held our own all summer long. We traveled over 4,000 miles and ate out all 4,000 of those miles. But boy did we eat  different! Veggie omelets for breakfast, chicken salads for lunch (dressing on the side, dipping our fork in it instead of pouring it on) and extend bars for snacks, along with almonds, TLS protein shakes and fruit. The good thing is when you are riding a motorcycle you can't eat :) while driving.

We got back from our travels 2lbs. less then we started. Then came the TLS Find Your Fit Fall Challenge. So we are on our second mission. Bruce signed up for the individual and me for the coach. I have several other people that have started on TLS and the FYFFC and there seems to be 2 challenges. The first being menus and recipes/cooking and the 2nd exercise. So I thought maybe I can help with them.

I have collected a lot of recipes over the last 8 months and I have changed some of the old favorites. I am going to post them here and I hope they help you. Sometimes it you just get a kick start it make things a little easier.

Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Medley

2 tbs. olive oil

1 large yam, peeled and cut into 1 in. pieces

1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1 in. pieces

1 cup baby carrots

1 zucchini, cut into 1 in. slices

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 in. pieces

½ cup roasted red peppers cut into 1 in. pieces

2 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 Tbls. Olive oil. Place the yams, parsnips, and carrots onto the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 min., then add the zucchini and asparagus, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake until all veggies are tender, about 30 min. Once tender remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 30 min. on the baking sheet.

Toss the roasted pepper together with the garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the roasted vegetables and toss to mix.

Serve at room temperature or cold.

 

Buffalo Hummus

 

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained

¼ cup buffalo wing sauce (can adjust to taste)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ cup tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup olive oil (more if you need to thin it out)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and turn on until smooth.

Serve with fresh celery & carrots

Spiced Chicken and Grape Skewers

 

2 Tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. salt

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾ in. cubes

1/ ½ cups seedless green grapes

Cooking spray

1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint leaves

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Marinate the chicken for 20 min. While the chicken is marinating, soak the skewers in water if wooden.

Thread 4 pieces of the chicken and 4 grapes onto the skewers, alternating them. Spray and preheat over a medium-high heat, or prepare an outdoor grill. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 3-4 min. per side. Sprinkle with mint and serve with lemon wedges.

Tuna Salad

1 6 oz. can light tuna

1 Tbsp.

Onion powder

1 inner leaf lettuce

1 Tbsp. Garlic powder

½ cup, chopped red bell pepper

Salt

¼ tsp. lemon pepper

2 Tbsp. fat-free mayo

Directions:

Combine tuna, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, lemon pepper, red peppers and mayo.

Mix well and place on lettuce leaf.

Serves: 1