Southwest Salad with Avacado Cilantro Dressing

Summer is fast approaching which means recipes that are light and bright. Salads are a great option but for someone like me who is not a fan of cold salads, it has to be something interesting and creative. I have always found Southwest salads interesting and paired with this avocado cilantro dressing, it truly is a summer salad dream come true. I ho

Ingredients

• 1 medium lettuce, chopped
• 1 can black beans, washed and drained
• 2 medium tomatoes, pitted and diced
• 1-2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced

Dressing

• 1 large avocado, ripe
• 1 oz cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, squeezed
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup plain almond milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill. In a food processor, combine all ingredients for dressing and pulse or puree until smooth adding salt and pepper to taste. Prior to serving salad combine dressing with salad and mix until evenly distributed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Creamy Dreamy Oatmeal

If you're used to rolled oats, steel cut oats can be an acquired taste. The texture tends to be more chewy and it can take longer to cook. This recipe is my way of addressing both of those issues and creating a rich and creamy bowl of oatmeal.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

● 1/4 cup steel cut oats

● 1 tsp ground cinnamon

● 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

● 1 tsp brown sugar/maple/honey

● 1/2 medium apple or pear diced

● 1 cup almond milk

In a measuring cup whisk almond milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar together. Add fruit and oatmeal. Place in an airtight container overnight or for up to three days. This process of soaking the oats in the milk and spices is what creates a well textured and richly flavored oatmeal. Once you are ready to use, place in a small saucepan on low heat for 5-10 minutes or until oatmeal has assumed a creamy texture. Enjoy!!!

10 Minute Tomato and Kale Soup

If you're like me, you have those days where you are short on time, but don't want to sabotage your eating by going out. This recipe is perfect for those times. Not only is it quick and healthy, but it is light on calories while being extremely filling.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup frozen or fresh okra
• 2/3 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn
• 1 cup all natural canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• pepper to taste

Simply combine all the ingredients into a small non-stick saucepan and let simmer on low heat for 6-10 minutes until all ingredients are cooked.

BBQ Tempeh Salad

Made from soy, Tempeh with its nutty flavor is a great source of protein. You will typically find it in the cold produce section at your grocer. Here we pan fried three ounces in a tablespoon of olive oil, added some BBQ sauce and paired it with some veggies. With 16 grams of protein and 10 grams of carbs, it is perfect for a light lunch or dinner in under 15 minutes.

Stove Top Garden Frittata

Under the supervision of my trainer and nutritionist, I have decided to perform an experiment in carb restriction this week which means staying away from breads, most grains and one of my go to fruits (bananas). This means more dark leafy veggies like spinach and kale, along with other veggies like zucchini and spaghetti squash.

This stove top frittata is the first of my attempt to incorporate more of the above mentioned ingredients. It turned out to be just what I needed for a post workout because it is packed with protein, is low on carbs and is actually quite light and refreshing.

Ingredients (Serves 1-2)

• 1 whole egg
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup mozzarella or  cheddar
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1/3 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced zucchini
• 1/3 cup diced onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 oz low fat milk
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• garlic powder and black pepper to season

In a mixing bowl whisk whole egg and egg whites together. Next combine all other ingredients and pour into a non-stick pan (covered) on low heat for approximately 10 minutes or until eggs are cooked.

Chicken Pesto with Kale and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

It's been a couple of weeks since I've made chicken or meat of any kind. It wasn't a conscious decision, but mainly driven by all the awesome vegan recipes I've been trying lately. I have to say that I am intrigued by the number of substitutes that are available for my traditional protein choices. Especially since my failed attempt of going vegan as a teenager resulted in a protein deficiency. 

Anyway, I'm not vegan today, hence this awesome chicken dinner. I love it because it can all be accomplished in less than 30 minutes, making it ideal for those busy week nights.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 8 oz chicken strips/breast
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 8 cups fresh kale
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup traditional pesto (store bought or homemade)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic gloves
• 1 cup chicken/vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Peel and slice sweet potato into slices as pictured below. Place potato slices in a bowl with one tablespoon olive oil and shake lightly until olive oil has covered sweet potato pieces. Place on a pizza pan or other vented pan as pictured below and place in oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes on each side. You will know the pieces are ready to be turned because the bottom will be crispy sort of like french fries.

Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. In a mixing bowl combine chicken with pesto. I like to do this a few hours before or even the night before to let the flavors from the pesto soak into the chicken. Next,  simply cook the chicken in a non-stick pan or grill (indoor or outdoor) at medium heat until cooked. 

Last but not least is our yummy kale. In a non-stick pan, sauté onions and garlic in one tablespoon olive oil until slightly cooked. Add kale and chicken or vegetable stock and let simmer until liquid is gone. Unlike spinach, the kale should still have a fresh un-withered appearance when done.

Celebrate Your Today

This morning as I looked myself in the mirror, I paused for just a few seconds longer than usual. Why…? Because I realized that I loved the person staring back at me. Yes, I am starting to see the inches shed because I have been working hard in the gym and in the kitchen to make that happen. I am excited to see the small yet marked improvements, but the love wasn't just about the physical. 

As I looked myself in the mirror, I saw my soul, both beautiful and imperfect all at once. Then, just like I was proud of myself for the marked improvements in my physical being, I was proud of myself for the improvements in my humanity; in my spirit and in my character. No matter how small the improvement, knowing that I am a better me than I was yesterday is worth celebrating. I guess that is why the wise ones say "life is about the journey and not the destination."

As we reflect on our lives and our goals, be they physical, spiritual or even seemingly superficial, we should ask ourselves "Have I grown? Am I a better person?" If the answer is yes, then at least we know that we are headed in the right direction and we will leave this earth better than we found it. That is peace of mind.

Carnival Salad with Tropical Skewers

It is freezing here in Texas, so getting me to eat a traditional salad is not a likely event. However, if you dress it up and make it reminiscent of drive around my native Eastern Caribbean, there is certainly room for negotiation. Hehe... While it does not include all these things, this salad reminds me of mangoes, bananas, pineapples and all the healthy yet yummy things that grew on my grandma's farm and in her garden. You probably realize that there is a reoccurring theme of me talking about my grandma, but it's because it was at her feet that I learned how cook. So, she is a huge part of the way I view food. Now let's talk about how I made this...

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• 1 package tofu/tempeh or 1 large chicken breast(stripped)
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
• 1/2 yellow zucchini squash( about 200 grams)
• 1/2 pear (about 200 grams)
• 1 vine ripened tomato
• 3 mushrooms
• 1 cup sliced red and/or yellow peppers
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• a small bunch of ciliantro
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp. vinaigrette dressing
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 bamboo skewers

 Directions

Cut the zucchini and pear into spears as seen above. Slice tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers. Chop cilantro.

Combine all ingredients into a salad bowl with salad dressing and place in refrigerator to marinate while preparing skewers.

Skewer tofu, tempeh or chicken onto bamboo skewers with pineapple as seen below. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the skewers, add salt and pepper to taste and grill in a non-stick stove top pan until cooked.

Add skewers to salad and serve it up.

Choco Morning Energy Bowl

Have you ever met someone who just seems to be their happiest in the morning? Meanwhile, you on the other hand have to execute an internal argument to pry yourself out of bed. Some people do coffee or even green tea in the morning to get their days going. However, I'm not a big coffee or tea drinker, but I like the idea of something to stimulate the brain and the body in the morning. Enter my chocolate smoothie bowls...

The cacoa is the main ingredient that makes this bowl a great energy boosting treat because as you may know it is a stimulant. Made from bananas, this bowl is my newly found favorite way to combine my post workout carbohydrates, protein, while getting two daily servings of fruit and energy to kick start my day.

Blend the following ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1-2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 1 scoop protein powder- I use a powder that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates
• 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
• 1 oz almond milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 handful cacao chips or cacao nibs 

Warm Quinoa Porridge

I love Cream of Wheat (also known as Farina). It was a staple of my childhood as my grandmother made it for breakfast several times a week when I was growing up. The way she balanced the cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar was mere perfection and for a child it was a warm and delicious way to start the day. I went home to the Caribbean about a month ago and this grandma's girl was sure to special request my Cream of Wheat. It was bomb!!!

Anyway, now that I am trying to shed some pounds, I am staying away from wheat products for a while but was craving that warm, creamy cinnamon taste. So, I decided to try it with Quinoa and while I will admit it is not quite the same, it is a worthy alternative. Here's how I did it...

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp. greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. brown sugar

Direction

Like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I batch cook my Quinoa (enough for 5 days) to avoid having to prep it for every dish. If you would like to see how I achieve that beautiful fluffy texture, please see a few posts back for my Blackbean and Quinoa Garden Burger. Once your Quinoa is cooked, everything else is a breeze.

In a bowl or measuring cup, combine and mix all ingredients together. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or even the evening before you intend to make the porridge. This will allow the cinnamon, nutmeg and almond flavor to set into the Quinoa. The next and last step will be to pour the mixture into a small saucepan on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the porridge has thickened. Serve in a bowl by itself or with fruit and nut toppings.