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

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!

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

Scallion Sweet Potatoes

Clearly sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods and one of my favorite things to post about, but another one of my favorites is Scallions. Put these mild, bright onions on anything and I'll eat it. So, you can imagine how excited I was to discover the below recipe that really showcases Scallions! And even better the whole thing is only 5 ingredients w/ super easy cleanup!

Sweet Potato: Check out my in-depth comparison of Sweet Potatos vs. Yams to see all the amazing health benefits that come from this truly awesome root vegetable

Scallions: I was kind of shocked to see how nutritious this mild onion actually is. The green parts of the scallion contain Vitamin A & the white parts contain Vitamins B & C! Scallions are an onion and therefore belong to the allium family. Alliums have been shown to stimulate immune responses, battle cancer cells & viruses, as well as act as antioxidants in the body which protect cells from free-radical damage.
And, on top of all this, scallions also contain certain phytonutrients (allicin & quercetin) which help maintain a healthy heart & lower cholesterol levels- That's awesome!

With all these amazing health benefits and the fact that a medium sweet potato only contains about 115 calories, you can feel good about indulging in this hearty side dish :)


Scallion Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine 1 1/2 lbs chopped, peeled Sweet Potatoes, 1 bunch Scallions (cut into 2'' pieces), 6 crushed Garlic Cloves, & 1 tbsp fresh Thyme in a bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 c Olive Oil, and season w/ Salt & Pepper to taste. Toss. Place on a sheet of foil on top of a baking sheet and fold sides up. Bake in oven for 20-25 mins(Until Potatos are tender). Stir the Sweet Potatoes around mid-way through baking.


http://dietblurbs.com/leeks-and-scallions-green-onions-health-benefits-sources-of-vitamin-a-c-quercetin-and-allium/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45