Zucchini Marinara

Zucchini Marinara is the perfect comfort food to throw in the oven at the end of a long day. Prep is minimal and it's nearly impossible to screw up. And because all you have to do is wrap the zucchini in tin foil and throw it in the oven for 20 minutes, you can save on time by taking a quick shower, checking email, etc while it cooks.

Zucchini: I was surprised when I saw how much of a nutritional powerhouse Zucchini is- It's a great source of Manganese, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Vitamin A, Fiber, Potassium, Copper, Folate, Phosphorus, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, a number of B Vitamins, Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Protein, Vitamin K... seriously the list goes on!


So, zucchini is a great source of a number of B Vitamins including Folate, B6, B1, B3 & B2. Question I'm sure you're asking- why are B Vitamins important? Quick break down: Folate (B9 aka Folic Acid) lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke & birth defects. It's also needed to make red blood cells and prevent anemia. B6 is necessary for proper function of neurotransmitters and, ladies, may reduce PMS. B3 can help increase energy and is necessary for DNA repair- that seems like a pretty important job.

So there you have it this recipe is easy to make, hard to mess up and super satisfying- I mean really, it sells itself :)

Zucchini Marinara:

1 Medium Zucchini (thinly sliced)
1-2 tbsp EVOO
1/4 c. Marinara Sauce
1 tbsp Crumbled Feta

Preheat the oven on bake to 400 F.

Place sliced zucchini on tin foil (enough to wrap). This does not need to be spaced out. Drizzle w/ EVOO and toss to coat. Season with Salt & Pepper if desired. Wrap tin foil so that it creates a pouch for the zucchini. Place in oven and let cook for 20-25 minutes. You can use your nose with this one, once you start to smell the zucchini that's when you know it's cooked!

Take out of oven and spread marinara sauce over the zucchini, sprinkle crumbled feta over top and place (don't need to re-wrap) back in the oven. Cook for another 5 minutes. Take out of the oven, throw on a plate and enjoy. Pair it with a glass of red wine for the ultimate end of day wind down.




http://www.fitsugar.com/10-Sources-Folate-2944377
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/the-benefits-of-b-vitamins

Quick Vegitarian Dinner in No Time

I've found myself super busy the past few weeks. Whenever this happens my eating habits seriously suffer. I have trouble eating enough food and end up consuming not-so-healthy, quick-fix options (A Luna Bar or Power Bar here or there is fine, but is not enough to suffice for a whole meal!). On Tuesday I was able to quickly throw together the below Broccoli Parm dish in no time. Not only was it perfect for my post-gym fatigue but it gave me a reason to slow down and actually enjoy a real meal :)

Broccoli: Where do I even start with this super-veggie. Broccoli packs a serious nutrient-rich punch: it's high in Vitamin C (Ounce for Ounce it has more than an orange!), Vitamin A, Folate, Vitamin K, Potassium, Manganese, B Vitamins, Protein... the list goes on further. It also has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers such as lung, colon, breast, ovarian, & bladder. How does it protect against these? Broccoli is rich in a phytochemicals called isothiocyanates. Research has shown that isothiocyanates stimulate the body's production of its own cancer-fighting substances called "phase two enzymes". These enzymes neutralize cancer causing free-radicals before they can damage the DNA of healthy cells.

Another cool thing about broccoli is that it contains a compound called sulforaphase which has been shown to actually boost the liver and skin cells' detoxifying abilities. And now, on top of this, new research is also coming out showing that sulforaphane can help repair sun-damaged skin cells. That's so awesome to me and makes me want to just go eat broccoli :)

Broccoli Parm

1/2 c. whole grain pasta (I like Barilla Plus for its high fiber & protein content)

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/4-1/2 c. Tomato Sauce (really whatever one you have in your pantry)

1/4 c. Shredded Mozzarella

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, place broccoli in veggie steamer, cover and cook until fork-tender.

Combine pasta, broccoli, tomato sauce in a dish top with mozzarella and place in the oven at 350 until cheese is melted.

Seriously it's that easy and it really is that satisfying, and now that you know how amazing broccoli I'm sure you're super excited to incorporate this killer ingredient into your diets too :)



http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/04/13/broccoli.benefits.wmd/

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9

Kale: I'm Kind of in Awe

I've been seeing Kale recipes popping up all over the place recently. This is no surprise. Kale really is somewhat of a superfood. And the below Kale & Green Bean recipe is a yummy way to incorporate it into your diet!

Kale: First and foremost, Kale offers only 36 calories for a full cup. Combine that with the fact that it contains about 10% of your recommended daily Fiber content, and you've got an awesome side dish that will fill you up on fewer calories.
On top of that Kale is a excellent source of Vitamin A & Vitamin K (which maintain eye health and heart health respectively.) Vitamin K is great, too, because it aids in the absorption of Calcium. Now, Kale has about 10% of your recommended daily intake of Calcium, because it's inherently consumed with Vit K in Kale, that means the calcium is actually absorbale and won't get flushed out of your system! Hello healthy, strong bones :)

Another thing that's so cool about Kale is it contains some surprise nutrients you don't normally associate with greens (on top of the calcium mentioned above). Normally you don't think of greens as being high in Protein or Vitamin C, but 1 cup of Kale contains about 5% of your Daily Value of Protein, and over 80% of your Daily Value of Vitamin C. That protein will help repair damaged tissues and the Vitamin C will help protect your heart and keep your immune system healthy.

After reading all that how could you not want to incorporate this nutrient dense green into your diet!

Spicy Green Beans & Kale
(Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis)

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 1/2 lbs green beans trimmed and sliced into 1'' pieces
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c. white wine
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch kale (1/2 lb) rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp grated parmesan

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38
http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-of-vitamin-k.htm