One of my clients wants to eat more plant based. Her husband eats a lot of meat.
This is a salad I made for her, in addition to the Buddha Bowl. Both come together easy and she has the option to just have the salad or dip into some of the meat or chicken her husband is having too.
Enjoy this salad hot or cold
Southwest Quinoa Salad with black beans, cherry tomato, red pepper, cilantro
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed (I use Eden brand)
¼ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, diced (I used half a yellow and red one)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, black beans, onion, cherry tomatoes, diced red pepper, and chopped cilantro.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, ground cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and gently toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You can add more lime juice, cumin, salt, or pepper according to your preference.
Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve the Southwest Quinoa Salad chilled or at room temperature. You can garnish it with additional fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
Im half Armenian but I don’t make so many Armenian recipes. A lot of them contain meat, lots of dairy and butter.
But, if you do go searching like I did, you will find really healthy recipes. Many of them fit the Mediterranean diet.
Im so proud of this recipe because it’s Armenian, tasty and plant-based. It’s a nice celebratory dish that you can scoop up with pita. I like adding a little extra lemon on top before serving.
Hope you enjoy it!
Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Adapted from The late Armenian cookbook author Arto der Haroutunian,
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients
2 tablespoons raisins (not golden)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (4 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups cherry tomatoes
Pinch of crushed red pepper, sumac, and/or paprika (I used them all)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with water; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the oil. Add the cauliflower and sugar and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the cauliflower starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to moderate and cook until the cauliflower is lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper, season with salt and black pepper and cook until the tomatoes have begun to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the raisins to the cauliflower, along with 1/4 cup hot water, the pine nuts and chopped garlic. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the cauliflower for about 30 minutes, until it is very tender.
Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve the cauliflower warm.
This kid was inspired by the “seeduction loaf” I got at whole foods. It’s slightly sweetened with a little molasses and full of seeds. Use your favorite seeds. I share what I used below. See a picture of the loaf in the video at the bottom of this post.
Whole Grain Sourdough
Ingredients (makes 1 loaf):
• 100g active starter
• 350g water
• 350g bread flour
• 150g whole grain flour
• 25g molasses
• 40g mixed seeds (flax, poppy and sesame)
• 25g water
• 10g kosher salt
Directions:
WARNING: (This bread took 3 days because I choose to let it ferment 48 hours. I prefer to do this in the winter months because the weather is cooler. In the summer, I just do 1 day.)
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DAY 1-
MIXING- First, add the first 6 ingredients. Mix well and then let it sit for 45 minutes. This gives the yeast a head start before salt is added.
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After 45 minutes, add 25g water and 10g salt. Use your hands to break up the dough (squeezing) and help dissolve the salt.
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Let it sit at room temp for 2 hours and turn and pull it every 30 minutes. Then, store the dough in the fridge overnight. (Make sure there is room in the container for it to rise a bit).
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DAY 2-
SHAPING- Bring the dough out the next day for a couple hours or it comes to room temp. Then, shape it and place in a basket.
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Put it back in the fridge for baking the next day.
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DAY 3-
BAKING- The bread is ready to bake when it passes the poke test. Poke the bread and if doesn’t spring back right away its ready to bake. It might feel a little hollow because it’s airy. It’s ready. If it’s not ready, wait longer (2-3 hours).
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Preheat the oven to 500 F with your cast iron pot in there. When hot, place loaf in the pot. Cut a slit on the top of the bread. Cover with the lid. After 15 minutes, take off the lid and lower the temp to 475 F. The bread should have risen a lot. Continue cooking for 20-30 minutes or it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom (or reaches (200-205F) internal temp.
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Let cool at least an hour before cutting. (I don’t always do this because I can’t wait!)
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After I cut the bread, I wrap just the cut part it in foil to prevent it from drying out so fast. I don’t put it in plastic because the crust will get soft and I want a crispy crust.
This is a healthy Mexican recipe that I love. It’s really easy to make especially if you have already shredded chicken in the fridge.
Here’s a meal prep tip: I like to boil chicken breast the day before and shred it. Usually I’ll make chicken soup the first day. Then, I’ll shred the remaining chicken and use it for this recipe. I don’t use much seasoning, just some salt, onion and garlic in the broth. The chicken is pretty plain. The flavor from this recipe comes from the slaw and the salsa.
Note: If you’re short on time, you can buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it.
How to Make Baked Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients (for 4):
2 boneless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded*
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
½ avocado
1 lime
8-10 small corn tortillas
Cooking spray
*To boil chicken: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken. Pour water over chicken just to cover and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest 10 minutes. Shred chicken with two forks and use as desired.
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).(see below for air fryer directions)
Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds to make them pliable or on the stovetop.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken onto each tortilla and roll tightly.
Place the rolled tortillas seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Spray the taquitos with cooking spray, making sure to coat them evenly.
Bake the taquitos for 20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and lightly browned.
Top with cabbage, avocado and salsa. Squeeze lime over it if desired.
Follow the steps 2-4 above to prepare the taquitos.
Lightly spray the taquitos with cooking spray.
Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not touching.
Cook the taquitos for 8-10 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and lightly browned.
Serve with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo.
How to Make Baked Chicken Taquitos
This is a healthy Mexican recipe that I love. It’s really easy to make especially if you have already shredded chicken in the fridge. The chicken is pretty plain. The flavor from this recipe comes from the slaw and the salsa.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).(see below for air fryer directions)
Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds to make them pliable or on the stovetop.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken onto each tortilla and roll tightly.
Place the rolled tortillas seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Spray the taquitos with cooking spray, making sure to coat them evenly.
Bake the taquitos for 20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and lightly browned.
Top with cabbage, avocado and salsa. Squeeze lime over it if desired.
Alternative method using an air fryer:
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (205°C).
Follow the steps 2-4 above to prepare the taquitos.
Lightly spray the taquitos with cooking spray.
Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not touching.
Cook the taquitos for 8-10 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and lightly browned.
Serve with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo.
Notes
*To boil chicken: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken. Pour water over chicken just to cover and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest 10 minutes. Shred chicken with two forks and use as desired.
If you’re a breakfast person like me, if you go without it, you get irritable and groggy. But sometimes you just don’t know what to eat and it is so boring to have avocado toast AGAIN.
So here are a few tips to keep it fresh and healthy so you can wake up excited to eat breakfast!
In this blog post, I’ll share with you some easy, healthy eating tips for breakfast planning:
1.Plan your breakfast the night before
One of the easiest ways to ensure that you have a healthy breakfast is to plan it the night before. This can be as simple as setting out your ingredients or preparing a smoothie bowl that you can just grab and go in the morning. Overnight oats is another great option. This way, you won’t be tempted to reach for unhealthy options when you’re in a rush.
2. Include a variety of nutrients
Your breakfast should include a variety of nutrients to help you feel satisfied and energized. Make sure to include protein, healthy fats, and fiber in your breakfast. For example, you could have a veggie omelet with avocado and a slice of gluten-free toast.
3. Avoid processed foods
Processed foods are often high in sugar and unhealthy fats, and they can leave you feeling sluggish and tired. Instead of processed cereals, opt for whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (like oats). These foods will give you the energy you need to power through your day.
4. Make a smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to pack in a lot of nutrients in one meal. You can mix and match your favorite fruits, vegetables, and protein sources to create a delicious and healthy breakfast. Plus, they’re easy to take on the go. Cut up frozen banana and keep it in the freezer to make quick smoothies.
5. Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping breakfast can lead to overeating later in the day, as well as low energy levels and difficulty focusing. Even if you’re not a morning person, try to make time for a healthy breakfast each day. On busy mornings, try apple slices with some peanut butter and cinnamon.
6. Use weekends to prep
Preparing healthy grab-and-go breakfasts can be done on the weekends. Foods like homemade granola, trail mix, healthy breakfast muffins, and parfaits will keep for at least 4 days in the fridge. These are great to have for busy mornings.
7. Try new healthy breakfast ideas
Don’t be afraid to try new healthy breakfast ideas. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy something you’ve never tried before. Plus, trying new things keeps your breakfast routine interesting and fun. For example, have you tried Sweet Potato Toast?
Now that you have some healthy eating tips for breakfast planning, let’s dive into 7 healthy breakfast recipes for beginners:
Scrambled Eggs with Peppers and Avocado
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal with Flaxseed and Nuts
Mixed Berry Smoothie with Banana
Vegetable Omelette with Mushrooms and Spinach
Almond Butter Banana Toast
Spinach Frittata with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pumpkin Pancakes topped with Granola and Berries
All of these recipes are easy to make and packed with nutrients. They also include gluten-free alternatives and are perfect for those looking to lose weight.
If you’re interested in learning more about healthy eating and meal planning, I invite you to check out my online course. It’s packed with helpful tips and tricks to make healthy eating easy and enjoyable. Thanks for reading, and happy cooking!
Hey there, are you looking for a simple yet delicious pasta recipe that you can whip up with minimal ingredients?
Look no further than this twist on the classic Italian dish, Pasta Amatriciana. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you want a satisfying meal that won’t take up too much of your time.
So what’s the secret ingredient in my version?
Instead of Italian pancetta and red pepper flakes, we’ve used bacon and fresh Fresno chile to add a little bit of heat.
And if you’re like me and always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen, you’ll love this chef tip: Keep cooked bacon in the freezer and using it to crumble directly into the sauce.
See a quick how-to video at the bottom of this post. 👇🏻
Pasta Amatriciana
Ingredients (for 2):
Linguini or spaghetti Pasta for 2 (I use a pasta measure)
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
½ red Fresno chile, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ red onion, diced small
4 slices bacon, cooked crumbled (I cook batches and keep them in the freezer)
½ small jar marinara sauce (I like Rao’s)
¼ cup chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan (optional)
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil to cook the pasta. Make the sauce while you wait for it to boil.
2. In a large sauté pan or cast iron, place oil, Fresno chile, and garlic. Heat just until garlic turns golden. Then add onion, crumbled bacon and sauce.
3. Keep on a low heat and stir occasionally until pasta is ready.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. When ready, use tongs to grab pasta and put it directly into the pan with the sauce. Stir just to coat. Mix parsley in right before serving.
Top with Parmesan if desired.
Pasta Amatriciana! Spicy Bacon and Fresno Chile Pasta Recipe
This is an American spin on the classic Pasta Amatriciana with pancetta and red pepper flakes. Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
These were so delicious my boyfriend ate three right when they came out the oven.
This week, I’ve been eating them for breakfast with some yogurt and berries (Pictured above).
I like to drizzle a little maple syrup over the yogurt and muffin since the muffin isn’t too sweet.
It’s a nice healthy indulgence.
Be sure to get whole wheat pastry flour to get a light fluffy texture.
Hope you enjoy them like I did!
Why You’ll love ’em:
It’s a whole breakfast in a muffin!
Made with 3 carrots
You get healthy protein from the walnuts and yogurt
No refined sugars so won’t get sugar crash from them
The original recipe is from Cookie and Kate
Healthy Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet ingredients:
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup or honey
2 eggs,
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups peeled and grated carrots (from ¾ pound carrots—about 3 large or up to 6 small/medium)
½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins (I like golden raisins)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well with a whisk.
In a separate, small bowl, toss the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour so they don’t stick together. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and floured raisins to the other ingredients and stir to combine
In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, and eggs and beat well. Then add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)
Mix the carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins into the wet ingredients and mix to evenly disperse everything.
Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok).
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
Mix dry ingredients first and whiskIn a separate bowl, mix wet ingredientsWhat the batter should look like
Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.
Healthy Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins
A whole, healthy breakfast in a muffin. Make them for the week like I did. Packed with carrots, walnuts, raisins, and yogurt for a balanced breakfast.
2cupspeeled and grated carrotsfrom ¾ pound carrots—about 3 large or up to 6 small/medium
½cuproughly chopped walnuts
½cupraisinsI like golden raisins
Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well with a whisk.
In a separate, small bowl, toss the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour so they don’t stick together. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and floured raisins to the other ingredients and stir to combine
In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, and eggs and beat well. Then add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)
Mix the carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins into the wet ingredients and mix to evenly disperse everything.
Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok).
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
Weeknight vegetarian: Shirazi salad, roasted veggies, cilantro lime rice and hummusJump to Recipe
This week, I told myself I would eat cleaner Monday to Thursday.
To me, that means no meat, and little to no sugar.
So I made this meal half vegetarian, and half chicken for my boyfriend. (Ladies out there, you hear me? 😂)
I love that I could cook this all in the oven.
I made some Cilantro-Lime Rice on the stovetop while everything was cooking. In about 30 minutes, dinner was done.
Hope you give it a try and can add another easy dinner to your weeknight dinner rotation.
Sheet Pan Dinner | Portobello Mushrooms, Zucchini and Chicken
Ingredients (for 2):
2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced lengthwise
½ lb. Chicken breast, cut into small pieces
Sprinkle of shish kabob seasoning or your favorite chicken seasoning
Drizzle of soy sauce (about 2 Tbsp.)
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
Drizzle of olive oil
Squeeze of lime
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place all ingredients on sheet pan like pictured below. Separate them to control their cooking easier. Drizzle over a little olive oil. Season each with a tiny amount of salt, pepper, and splash of soy sauce. Season the chicken with your favorite seasoning. Toss them briefly.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Before serving, squeeze fresh lime over the chicken.
Serve with rice, pita and hummus if desired. Highly recommend serving with this salad Salad Shirazi
Prep to cookCooked
Sheet Pan Dinner | Portobello Mushrooms, Zucchini and Chicken
An easy weeknight dinner that’s complete with chicken and roasted vegetables. Serve with cilantro-lime rice for a nice gluten-free dinner.
Sprinkle of shish kabob seasoning or your favorite chicken seasoning
Drizzle of soy sauceabout 2 Tbsp.
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
Drizzle of olive oil
Squeeze of lime
Method
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place all ingredients on sheet pan like pictured below. Separate them to control their cooking easier. Drizzle over a little olive oil. Season each with a tiny amount of salt, pepper, and splash of soy sauce. Season the chicken with your favorite seasoning. Toss them briefly.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Before serving, squeeze fresh lime over the chicken.
Serve with rice, pita and hummus if desired. Highly recommend serving with this salad Salad Shirazi
I learned about something called the #Cookforiran project, and it warmed my heart.
Layla Yarjani started it to tell people about what’s happening in Iran.
She thinks cooking can help people understand and want to help.
What’s great is that she’s putting recipes on Instagram, so it’s easy to take part in. Just make this delicious salad and hastag #cookforIran on Instagram.
Yarjani is using food as a way to humanize the women and people in Iran. If we can glimpse into the culture through food, maybe we can be more open to supporting the people of Iran.
This salad is one of the recipes, and its the most delicious, addicting thing I’ve made in a while.
It was the first time I used dried mint, but I love the special flavor it gives. If you can’t get dried mint, using fresh will do.
If you love all things Mediterranean food and Mediterranean Diet like me, you will love this salad.
One of the best things is that it holds really well in the fridge. It can be a quick snack or a meal with some hummus and pita.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Salad Shirazi
Ingredients (for 4):
5 large Persian cucumbers. Skin on. Small diced
2 extra large or 3 medium Roma tomatoes small diced
1/2 small red onion small diced
4-4.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 med lime (if not juicy, use a lime and a half)
1 to 1.5 teaspoons salt (according to taste)
3/4 teaspoon fine ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon dried mint
few springs of fresh mint chopped
Directions:
Combine ingredients in order listed above. Adjust salt & pepper to taste.
I follow my mom’s recipe for Mexican rice because it’s the best. But, the recipe makes portions for a family of five or six.
Now I have to make it for two, so I halved the recipe.
I also made it vegan, omitting the chicken broth and replacing it with water instead.
The results were perfect and just as delicious.
Half recipe Mexican Rice (vegan)
Ingredients (for 3-4 servings)
¾ cup rice (I use Mahatma)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp. Oil
1 ½ cups water
1 tsp. Salt
1 tomato, halved
¼ onion, chopped
Directions:
1. In a small pot with lid, heat oil. Then add garlic clove and rice. Toast for about 5 minutes moving the rice frequently.
2. Meanwhile blend tomato, onion, salt and half of the water.
3. When the rice begins to look and smell toasted (a couple minutes), stand back and add the blended tomato mixture. (Careful it will splash). Add the reming water and stir.
4. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling place lid on top and lower it to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes at a simmer and do not open or disturb it.
5. After 25 minutes, let it sit 5 minutes after you’ve turned it off. Then fluff and serve.
In a small pot with lid, heat oil. Then add garlic clove and rice. Toast for about 5 minutes moving the rice frequently.
Meanwhile blend tomato, onion, salt and half of the water.
When the rice begins to look and smell toasted (a couple minutes), stand back and add the blended tomato mixture. (Careful it will splash). Add the reming water and stir.
Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling place lid on top and lower it to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes at a simmer and do not open or disturb it.
After 25 minutes, let it sit 5 minutes after you’ve turned it off. Then fluff and serve.
