Life Changer - Trader Joe's

My friends and family make fun of me because I tend to go a little overboard sometimes, well, ok, maybe all the time.  They call me "ok.com" which stands for "overkill.com."  If I am throwing a party or planning something, there is usually way too much food and way too much drink.  If there are 10 people coming, plan on there being enough stuff for 100!  Not sure why I am like this.  Anyhow - the rumor started about TJ's coming and I was very excited!  I no longer do my weekly shopping at Giant Eagle and my grocery bill has been cut in half.  I will most likely start a TJ's link because there are so many items from this store that have become an obsession.

This is a new purchase I just found - it is incredibly tasty and very good over vanilla greek yogurt (Thanks Helen).

Trader Joe's has made its way to the South Hills!

Balsamic Chicken With Lemony Mushrooms & Beans

This recipe is another dish from the April/May issue of Clean Eating Magazine (p. 75).  In my house, we love chicken (cooked any way), we love balsamic vinegar (Mike loves his veggies sauteed in it) and I LOVE green beans.  My Nunni always made green beans.  Its one of those memories of her cooking that I think about often. 

Another very easy dish to prepare and it was SO FLAVORFUL!  The combination of the tangy balsamic vinegar, the crispy beans and the meaty mushrooms was fabulous.  This dish is very high in protein (31g per serving!).  I will definitely be making this again!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb or more fresh green beans, trimmed and rinsed
2 tsp olive oil, divided
16 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced (I just bought white mushrooms already sliced)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
1 lb or more boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Steam green beans until tender-crisp. Set aside.
2. In large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil on medium then add mushrooms and saute’, stirring occasionally about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice and garlic, and saute’ for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add beans to bowl and toss well to combine. Cover to keep warm.
3. In large non-stick skillet, heat remaining 1 tsp oil on medium. Add onion and saute’ for 5 minutes. Add chicken, thyme, vinegar, and salt, and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes until the thickest part of chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and serve with beans. Makes 4 servings.


Nutrients Per Serving (4 oz chicken mixture and 7 oz. mushroom mixture): Calories: 235, Total Fat: 4g, Sat. Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Carbs: 19g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 8g, Protein: 31g, Sodium: 332 mg, Cholesterol: 66 mg


My Notes:

1. Very easy to prepare and took the 35 minutes it stated on the recipe.
2. The flavor of the mushroom mixture was DEVINE!  It was so tasty.  I could have just eaten a plate of that!
3. The biggest pain was trimming the beans.  So if you want - do that ahead of time.
4. The onion flavor mixed with the dried thyme was so good!
5. We ate this for two days!  I will definitely be making this again!  Very, very tasty!

Protein Salad

I love salads.  Any type of salad.  I could eat a salad from breakfast, lunch and dinner.  A lot of times Mike and I will just eat a giant salad for dinner and throw whatever we have in the fridge in the bowl.  If it is getting close to grocery shopping time, I will almost always make a salad the night before and "clean out" the fridge with all the veggies, any type of greens, meat, beans or fruit that I can find.

Someone once told me eating a salad at dinner time is a great way to detox (wink wink if you know what I mean) your body while you are sleeping.  It makes sense if you think about it - all those greens and fiber and protein churning away while you saw some logs.  You wake up feeling light and fresh.  At least I do.  I am a total nerd, sorry!

This particular salad was inspired by an item that is sold at Trader Joe's (I just accidentally typed "hoes" and giggled).





Mmmmm....yummy!



Close Up!

INGREDIENTS:

greens (mixed butter lettuce, spinach, arugula, mesclun greens, etc)
beans (garbanzo, edamame, pinto, etc, I used edamame)
fruit (any or dried, I used dried cranberries and fresh apple)
carrots
cucumber
organic beets
nuts (any, I used raw,organic almond slivers)
goat cheese
dressing - my homemade balsamic vinaigrette


DIRECTIONS:

Throw everything in a bowl and mix well!

Penne With Chile-Lime Shrimp & Red Peppers

Farfalle With Chile-Lime Shrimp & Red Peppers (Clean Eating Magazine, April/May 2012, p. 72)

The April/May issue of Clean Eating Magazine was one of my favorites.  There are a ton of delicious, flavorful and easy to prepare meals.  I made this meal for some friends who came over to watch a Pen's playoff game. 

What I love about most of the meals from CEM is if you have the ingredients in your pantry/fridge, you can always whip something up fast!  Everyone enjoyed it and it was relatively easy to prepare/cook.  The only problem is - for some reason some of the pictures I took did not save so I only have ONE! 

Red Peppers, Lime Zest and Fresh Cilantro

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz whole-wheat farfalle pasta (I did not have this so I subbed penne)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1/8 tsp plus 1/4 tsp sea salt, divided
pinch fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup frozen corn
5 scallions, thinly sliced (omitted these because I did not have any)
1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 packed cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, zested and juiced, plus additional wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook farfalle al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp oil on medium-high. Add bell peppers, 1/8 tsp salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions and transfer mixture to a large bowl.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tbsp oil to skillet. Season shrimp with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and chile powder and add to skillet. Cook, turning once or twice, until centers are opaque, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer shrimp to bell pepper mixture and add cilantro and lime zest and juice. Add pasta to mixture and toss to combine. Divide among serving bowls and, if desired, garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Serving Size: makes 4 servings 1 3/4 cups each serving

Lenten Recipe - Cilantro Tilapia

I am going to try and post a Lenten recipe each week.  I love cilantro.  I can eat it raw, I love it on my tacos, in my dips, on my salads, I make my own cilantro dressing, etc, etc.  I always have it in my fridge.

Since it was the first Friday of Lent, I bought some Tilapia.  I didn't want to make anything extravagant - I knew I was going to make some Quinoa and I had two bags of fresh spinach.  This dish is super easy to make and very filling/flavorful.  This is an original recipe.  Enjoy!

Cilantro Tilapia (or any other white fish could be used)

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 3 limes
3 pieces Tilapia
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and toss to mix.
Place Tilapia in bowl to marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Preheat saute pan to medium heat.
Add entire bowl into pan and cook for 5-8 minutes, turning fish once.
Serve hot with quinoa and sauteed spinach or anything else for that matter!

RIP Nunni

My Nunni passed away 2 years ago today.  As in my earlier post about her, she was/is a major influence of my love of food, cooking and eating great meals with family and friends.  I love and miss her so much.

Clean Eating Shrimp Awesomeness

Clean Eating Shrimp Scampi
(Googled "clean eating shrimp" and came to http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/)

1 pound package of frozen, small salad shrimp (I used a 1 1b. bag of frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's)
zest of two lemons
juice of two lemons
2 tbsp dried parsley (I omitted this for really no reason, I think I just forgot) 
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 lb whole grain pasta (I used gluten free, wheat free, lactose free pasta by Schar)
1 bag fresh, wild arugula (I added this myself, you could use spinach too)

Directions

Step 1 – Place frozen shrimp into a non-stick skillet with oil. Cook shrimp until they are mostly cooked and there is a nice bit of liquid in the pan (this will become your sauce)
Step 2 – Add everything else except the pasta.
Step 3 – When the shrimp is done and the flavors of your sauce have melded nicely, remove from heat.
Step 4 – Serve over pasta with a little parmesan, salt and pepper for taste.

My notes: This dish was VERY easy to make and VERY, VERY tasty!  The mix of the lemon zest and lemon juice with the garlic powder was so light and flavorful.  My home quickly filled up with a fabulous aroma!  It took me all of 15 minutes to prep this meal.  I added the arugula for some color and get some veggies in.  I have never cooked arugula but it was quite good.  For those of you who think arugula is too bitter for you - cooking it in the lemon sauce quickly gets rid of that bitterness (acutally cooking anything in lemon juice will reduce bitterness).  It adds great color and texture! 

My husband said...."You have outdone yourself with this meal!"  He is never one to really go crazy about my cooking (he likes it, he's just a man of few words).  I was thrilled to hear him say that.  So it must be tasty!

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

Shrimp and Cholesterol

Do you like to eat shrimp?  I sure do.  Especially grilled on skewers on a warm, lazy, summer night with some fresh lemon juice and a piece of corn and grilled veggies.  Haven't we always heard that shrimp is "bad" for you because of how high in cholesterol they are?  Well, there is some great new information that has come out of some recent studies about how the cholesterol in shrimp is actually GOOD for you!  Read below!  This info is from the "livestrong.com" website.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Many people who are watching their cholesterol intake are told to avoid shrimp because it contains quite a bit, up to two-thirds of your daily recommended intake, according to CNN.com. However, research indicates that consuming shrimp may be safe and could even contribute to a healthier heart in some cases. If you have high cholesterol or are at risk of developing it, talk with your doctor about whether shrimp has a place in your diet.

Types of Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, is considered the good cholesterol, and many medical experts believe its function is to carry cholesterol out of your arteries and back to your liver for removal from your body. In contrast, LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is the bad cholesterol and should be limited because it can clog your arteries and increase the risk of a heart attack. Increasing your HDL cholesterol intake can counteract the effects of LDL cholesterol in your body.

Cholesterol Ranges Get Advice On Cholesterol Ranges. Find Expert Tips & Tricks Now! ChewOnIt.com

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HDL Levels

According to MayoClinic.com, lowering your LDL levels may not be enough to protect your heart. Adding foods to your diet that increase HDL cholesterol is also important. A healthy HDL level is 60 mg/dL or higher, which can be achieved, in part, by making dietary changes, which may include adding shrimp to your diet in moderate amounts. Your doctor can order a blood test to determine your level of HDL cholesterol.

Shrimp

Your dietary cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 mg, and a 3-oz. portion of shrimp contains about 107 mg. Despite this, researchers at The Rockefeller University found that eating shrimp raised HDL cholesterol enough to counteract the increase in LDL cholesterol that occurred with shrimp consumption. HDL increased about 12 percent among participants of the study, while LDL increased only about 7 percent, the university researchers report. They conclude that shrimp can be part of a heart-healthy diet, and the results of the study are likely because shrimp is low in fat and contains omega-3 fatty acids, which support a healthy heart and may even increase HDL cholesterol levels.

Considerations

Eating shrimp may offer you heart-healthy benefits, but you must eat it in moderation. The way you cook shrimp also has an effect on its ability to raise HDL cholesterol. Shrimp that is deep-fried or smothered in butter is not going to have the same benefits because the fat content will be much higher, which may increase LDL cholesterol. Steaming or grilling shrimp are two cooking techniques that preserve the health benefits. If you have lipid problems, you may not get the same benefits from eating shrimp, report the scientists at Rockefeller University.

How To Lower Bad Cholesterol Dealing With High Cholesterol? Cholesterol Truth You Need To Know! fibroids.com

5 Foods you must not eat: Cut down a bit of stomach fat every day by never eating these 5 foods. Beyonddiet.com

Food To Lower Cholesterol It's Easy To Eat These Foods Get Cholesterol List. DiminishDiabetes.com

Low Cholesterol Foods Need To Lower Your Cholesterol? Learn About Foods That Can Help! StayingFit.com/low-cholesterold

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References

• The Rockefeller University; Shrimp OK for Heart Healthy Diets; October 1996
• CNN.com; Shrimp's High Cholesterol May Not Be So Bad; Eugenia Halsey; October 1996
• Cleveland Clinic: The Power of Fish
• MayoClinic.com; HDL Cholesterol: How To Boost Your Good Cholesterol; June 2011
• USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Shrimp, Raw
• MayoClinic.com; End the Guesswork with These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/488963-shrimp-and-hdl-levels/#ixzz1nAGl10WY

Simple Salad

This recipe was from a salad I made for myself back in October.  The girls were napping and I was starving.  I often make this.  It is very high in fiber, protein and the flavors mix so well.  You can find this at a lot of restaurants and it is so easy to make at home.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Half a bag of spinach
6 strawberries, chopped
1/4 cup taosted pine nuts
1 tbsp reduced-fat feta cheese
1 tbsp my famous balsamic dressing


Easy, delicious, filling and very good for you!  The flavors in this salad are so good.  My favorite part is the pine nut flavor.  Mixed in with the cheese and the strawberries - DELISH!

Another Smoothie Recipe

When I make my smoothies, I often just throw stuff in the blender without a recipe.  Sometimes they are delicious and sometimes not so much.  I made this one yesterday and wanted to make sure I posted it because it was very good and very filling.  I shall name it Bananas for Blueberries, corny I know.

Bananas for Blueberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana (I will usually take bananas that look a lil over ripe and chop them up and put them in the freezer).
1 scoop plain Whey protein powder (my favorite brand is "Now Sports" because it only has THREE ingredients)
1 cup plain Kefir
I cup unfiltered, pure apple juice (Trader Joe's makes a GREAT one)
1/2 cup oat bran (this will give the smoothie a little texture, but is a great ingredient to keep you full)

ENJOY!

Updates

I am a horrible blogger, I know.  I am not happy about my lack of posting, but the last few months have been a little heartbreaking, busy, challenging, stressful, crazy and some good mixed in too.  I have been cooking and taking the pictures, just have not found the time to acutally post!

So - get ready for a barage of recipes!  Sorry for the overload but I hope you enjoy them!