Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado

It's Cinco de Mayo this week and that means margs & Mexican food! The only problem is so many of the Mexican dishes we cook are loaded with ingredients that are calorie dense and low in nutrients- gross.

To avoid these unhealthy traps, try inviting friends over for drinks and dinner. Make skinny margaritas and pair it with the below amazing Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado. The flavor is killer and because it's a lighter option you won't have any regrets the next day!

Avocado: Some people avoid avocados because they're high in calories but that's absurd given that they are nutritional powerhouses! Avocados are a great source of Vitamin K, Fiber, Potassium, Folate, Vitamin C, & Vitamin B6 (to name a few).

Avocados also contain oleic acid, a monosaturated fat (You know, the good kind that every body needs in moderation). Monosaturated fats help lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise your HDL (good cholesterol). Monosaturated fats also lower the level of triglycerides, which is the amount of fat circulating in your blood. Another awesome benefit of oleic acid is that it aids in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, E, D, & K! All these awesome benefits, how could you not want to incorporate avocado into your diet through the below recipes :)

Enjoy!

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

(Courtesy of Cooking Light)

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
32 peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 16 slices
3/4 cup salsa verde
Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add shrimp, tossing to coat.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from heat.

3. Heat tortillas in microwave according to package directions. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; arrange 4 shrimp on each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 avocado slices, and 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa.




http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-avocados.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5#healthbenefits

Marissa's Awesome Lentils

I'm lucky to have a sister who loves cooking even more than I do. She's currently attending the French Culinary Institute and has sent over some seriously inspired, health-conscious recipes. I just got the below lentil recipe from her and cannot wait to try it out! While lentils are higher on the caloric scale if you eat a lot of them, 1/2 a cup is only about 115 calories- a great side to a simple chicken dish or the perfect pairing with some broccoli. Try the below and I promise you'll be left feeling super satisfied!

Lentils: Lentils are a powerhouse when it comes to nutrients & vitamins. First off they're an excellent source of fiber which, as I mentioned in my Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, is great for lowering overall cholesterol & also in aiding in the process of elimination.

Lentils also offer almost 90% of your RDA of folate. Why is folate important? Folate is a B Vitamin and is necessary for the formation of red blood cells as well as for the metabolism of proteins. It is especially important for pregnant women because of it's role in the formulation of genetic material in every cell in the body and it's role in the prevention of neural tube defects.

Because folate is a water soluble vitamin (Meaning it is not stored in your body it is used as needed then eliminated), it is important to make sure you continually incorporate it into your diet.

Marissa's Awesome Lentil's

1) cook and drain lentils (enough to serve 2 people)
2) put lentils back in pan and add about 1/4-1/3 cup chicken stock and 1 tbs Olive Oil
3) reduce till almost no liquid left
4) once chicken stock is reduced add 1/2 cup red wine and reduce that until no liquid is left
5) add 1 tbs plain yogurt and chopped fresh mint leaves

Season to taste with Salt & Pepper and enjoy a super satisfying side dish!

Great Snack Idea from Women's Health Mag

I'm always looking for healthy afternoon snacks that will give me an energy boost and steer me away from the coffee pot. I just ran accross the below Apple w/ Cinnamon Peanut Butter 'recipe' on Women's Health and am so excited to try it out! I always reach for an apple when that 4:00 energy lull stirkes, but adding Cinnamon & Peanut Butter offers such a fun way to kick it up.

This is great also if you have a workout coming up later in the afternoon. You'll get some protein and carbs in your stomach to fuel your workout and keep you on that treadmill longer!



Apples: A favorite of mine since I was a kid, apples are loaded with great health benefits. The thing that stands out the most for apples is their high fiber content. According to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy, the avg American consumes 15 g of fiber though the RDA is 38g for men & 25g for women. Eating 1 apple a day will get you 15% of your RDA for fiber- it's so easy!
Fiber is important because it helps regulate weight and keeps your digestive system functioning optimally. There are two types of fiber & apples contain both- Soluble & Insoluble. Soluble Fiber helps maintain cholesterol & blood sugar levels while Insoluble Fiber helps with digestion and protects against colon cancer.
Apples also are rich sources for flavonoids. I know, why does that matter?... Flavonoids offer antioxidant protection from free-radicals that seek to damage cells' integrity. Other flavonoids regulate blood pressure and over production of fats in your liver cells- gross right? So grab an apple and do your body some good!

Cinnamon: The dash of cinnamon (or more if you're like me and love this spice) can help with any inflammation you might be experiencing from arthritis or even just inflammation that effects sinuses when you have a cold.

Apples w Cinnamon Peanut Butter

1 Apple cut into thick slices
1 1/2 tbsp Peanut Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

In a bowl combine peanut butter & Cinnamon (you can add more or less as you like but the more you add the greater the health benefits!).
Cut apples into thick slices and serve w/ PB mixture

See super easy, super delicious, and super fast! There's no reason to not try this out :)

www.whfoods.com

Host a Healthy Superbowl Party

Superbowl Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year. One of the top reasons I love this day so much, aside from being able to watch Peyton Manning play this year :) , is because of all the yummy food you get to eat! However, we all know how notoriously unhealthy game day food can be.
In an attempt to not deny any of us these delicious indulgences, below are a few recipe makeovers to help lighten up the day. Shaving off 20 calories here or there can really add up!

Nachos: Lighten up nachos by cutting out the fatty ground meat, excessive cheese, and calorie-dense sour cream. Instead top with reduced-fat shredded cheddar (I like Weight Watchers brand) to add a calcium boost. Black beans which contains super high fiber content to lower cholesterol and prevent blood sugar levels from spiking. And last throw on some fresh Pico de Gallo- the tomatos in here offer a good deal of Vitamin C to give your immune system a boost!

Pico de Gallo
* 6 medium Tomatoes diced
* 1 medium Onion diced
* 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro chopped.
* 2 to 4 Fresh serrano or jalapeño seeded and minced
* garlic powder just a pinch * Salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a bowl add 1/2 cup of cold water, mix well. Let set a few minutes.

Chips & Dip: Greesy potato chips and dairy/cheese based dips will leave you feeling super-gross on Monday morning.. Completely not worth it!! Swap out the greesy chips for some homemade whole grain pita chips. Cut pita bread into triangles, drizzle EVOO over sprinkle some course sea salt and toss into the oven at 400 F until they're crisp. Doing this will cut calories & fat while adding fiber!
As for the dip, why would you eat a creamy dip drenched in calories and fat when you have the option to pair those killer pita chips with yummy hummus! I love all Trader Joe's brands. Chick Peas make up the foundation of this great dip and pack in even more fiber to keep you regular as well as a decent amount of iron which helps blood cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissue cells which need this to function!

Sweet Tooth: For anyone with a sweet tooth, swap out heavy cakes for some dark chocolate covered strawberries! This way you can satisfy any sweet or chocolate craving while packing in some great antioxidants from both the Strawberries & Dark Chocolate! I mean really, have you every met anyone who DIDN'T like chocolate covered strawberries?

So there you have it! Everything you need to lighten up your game time noshing. Enjoy & go Colts!!

Warm Up With Eggplant Lasagna!

It is freezing in NY this winter. The below eggplant lasagna is the perfect food to warm up with! My favorite thing about this recipe is it's cheap to make and it makes tons of food so you can invite a bunch of friends over, break out the red wine and have a great night in!

Eggplant is a heart healthy, nutrient rich veggie and of course it's got plenty of phytonutrients! The phytonutrient in eggplant we benefit the most from is Nasunin. This acts as an antioxidant in the body and protects cell membranes, particularly those in the brain (I know right, talk about "brain food"!). Nasunin has been shown to protect the fats (lipids) in the brain cell membranes. This is important because these lipids let nutrients in and wastes out of these cells. Help protect these from free-radical damage to keep those brain-cells at peak performance :)
Eating eggplant not only helps protect those brain cells, but also keeps your heart healthy too! Phytonutrients help lower cholesterol and they help relax blood vessels which improves blood flow I think that is soo cool! The dietary fiber in eggplant also lowers cholesterol as well.

So there you have it, 1 food that keeps both your heart and brain- two of the hardest working organs in the body- healthy!

Eggplant Lasagna

2 Large Eggplants, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 Links lean Turkey Italian Sausage
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 c. diced Yellow Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 c Marinara Sauce
2 Egg Whites
15 oz. Fat-Free Ricotta Cheese (Approx 1 container)
2 tsp Italian Herb Seasoning
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2/3 c Shredded Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly coat an 8''x8'' baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside
Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray them lightly on top w/ cooking spray. Broil the eggplant (You can also grill) for approx 8 mins (Until tender and lightly browned. Set aside to cool
To prepare the meat sauce, cook the sausage in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat for about 3 min, stirring occasionally to break up clumps. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook for about 4 mins longer, until the meat is no longer pink. The juices should be cooked dry. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 mins, stirring frequently. The sauce will be very thick.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, ricotta, italian seasoning, and black pepper until well combined.
To assemble the lasagna, spread half of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer on half of the eggplant slices, followed by half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 mins, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 5 mins before serving.

Per Serving (Serves 8) 210 cals, 18 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 340 mg sodium


http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/301005/health_benefits_of_eating_eggplant.html?cat=5

It's Pomegranate Season!!

The holiday season brings some stellar ingredients to the table. Pomegranates just happen to be one of my favorites. They have great flavor, are filled with antioxidants, and let's face it- even if they make your fingers red they are still super fun to eat :)

Pomegranates (like MANY of the foods i discuss in this blog) are rich in antioxidants. These help keep LDL Cholesterol (the bad kind!) from building up in your arteries. On top of that More recent research has found that eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily for three months improved the amount of oxygen getting to the heart muscle of patients with coronary heart disease (American Journal of the College of Cardiology, Sept. 2005).- Who knew eating heart healthy foods was so easy!
Researchers are also exploring the possibility that pomegranate compounds might prevent prostate cancer or slow its growth. In mice, treatment with pomegranate extract delayed the development of tumors and improved survival (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sept. 26, 2005).

Try adding Pomegranate to your diet with the below super easy, absolutely delicious Salad recipe!

Pomegranate & Arugula Salad:

nocoupons

• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups lightly packed arugula, leafy hydroponic - if available
• 1 pomegranate, seeds only
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Directions

To make vinaigrette, combine molasses, lemon juice, honey and vinegar in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while you whisk to emulsify. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Toss salad ingredients together and dress with the vinaigrette .

Butternut Squash Soup With A Kick

There's nothing I love more than a hot bowl of soup for dinner on a cold fall or winter night- the below Butternut Squash Soup is super satisfying, low in calories, and has an awesome kick that will warm you up from the inside out!

Butternut Squash is very high in Vitamin A which helps keep your eyes healthy and has antioxidant properties that help neutralize free-radicals in the body that can cause tissue & cellular damage. Butternut squash is also a good source of potassium (for healthy bones) and dietary fiber (supports a healthy heart).
Butternut squash is also a great source of beta-carotene, a nutrient that promotes heart health. This is actually pretty cool- Beta-carotene helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. Since oxidized cholesterol is the type that builds up in blood vessel walls and contributes to the risk of heart attack and stroke, getting enough of this nutrient can help with prevention of heart disease and stroke. (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=63) Kind of awesome right? So this soup is both delicious AND healthy


Butternut Squash Soup w/ a Kick

1 bag frozen butternut squash
2 cups chix broth (veggie broth to make this vegan)
2-3 tbsp grated ginger (or more for even more heat)
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil, add in frozen butternut squash, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, cinnamon, curry, & cocnut milk and reduce heat to low salt & pepper to taste. Let simmer for 25 mins. Puree either in a blender or using an immersion blender in the pot. Serve in bowls & sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon for garnish & enjoy!!

(This recipe is super fun to play around with. I personally LOVE ginger-no surprise there- so i add 1 or 2 more tbsp of ginger for more spice. Play around with whatever spices you have in your kitchen at that time- cloves, red pepper, nutmeg all could work. If you like a thick soup, add more squash & less broth... This soup is completely adaptable to anyone's individual tastes- get a friend or two together and have some fun cooking it!)