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As always thank you for all of your support, I look forward to sharing new recipes and healthy tips with you for years to come!

Turkey Meat Sauce

Turkey meat sauce is a recipe I have been making for years but I never make it the same way I am always doing some editing, until now! Why I hadn’t thought to utilize my food processor before is beyond me! This quick easy delicious and not to mention healthy recipe is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. 

Ingredients:

- 1 28oz. can of Whole Plum Tomatoes with Juice

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 1 clove garlic

- 2 tbsp. EVOO

- 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

-1/2 cup celery, chopped

- 1 package of ground turkey meat (can substituent with any ground meat)

- white wine

- basil (if desired)

- oregano (of desired)

- salt and pepper

-heavy cream (if desired)

Directions:

Pulse the carrot and garlic in a food processor until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the tomatoes and their juices, oil and a 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped.

Transfer sauce to a pot and simmer until thickened 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of EVOO in large pan. Saute celery and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. 

Add turkey meat to pan and break up into small pieces, about 4 minutes. Next add in 1/2 cup dry white wine and bring to a simmer.

Next stir in the tomato sauce (this is when you would add the cream as well if you so choose) next season with oregano and basil and it is ready to be served.

I prefer to eat this dish prepared with zucchini linguine or occasionally some whole wheat pasta with of course some leafy greens or other green vegetable.

Healthy Shrimp Paella

I am always looking for a healthy spin on my favorite dishes and I recently came across this recipe by Daphne Oz in People Magazine. 

Growing up I loved eating Paella, it was a dish my mom would make every month or two and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While it is filled with fresh vegetables and seafood it is not always the healthiest of meals, so this recipe was a great find as it really fills the void I had for my rice heavy Paella.

Ingredients: 

- 1 cup pearl barley
- 3 cups water
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (1½ cups)
- 1 cup thin red pepper strips
- 1 cup thin yellow pepper strips
- 1 small fennel bulb, stalks removed and cut into strips (1½ cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 pinch saffron
- 2¼ cups hot vegetable stock
- ½ tsp. salt 

- ¾ lb. shelled large shrimp (about 16 shrimp)
- 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 marinated artichokes, drained and quartered (1 cup) 

-15 pitted Kalamata olives, halved (¼ cup)

Directions:
Bring barley and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover and boil for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat. Let sit, covered, for an hour, until water is absorbed.

Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat and cook onion until softened, 5 minutes.

Add peppers and fennel. Cook until vegetables soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Mix in barley and cook for 2 minutes. Add vinegar, saffron, 2 cups stock and salt. Bring to a vigorous simmer.

Stir and cook until liquid reduces by half, 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard.
 

Stir in shrimp, peas, tomatoes, artichokes, olives and remaining ¼ cup stock. Simmer for 2 minutes, then turn off heat. Cover tightly and let rest 10 minutes until shrimp are just cooked through. Divide among 4 bowls. Serve.
 

Brussels Sprouts Two Ways

I came across this recipe in January's issue of Bon Appetit Magazine and have made it a dozen times since reading it. As a child I did not grow up eating Brussels Sprouts so now that I know I love them I am always looking for a new recipe to spice them up and this recipe really hit the mark.

Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Chile

Ingredients:

- 4 cups halved brussels sprouts

- Kosher salt

- 1/4 cup vegetable oil

- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

- 1/4 cup oyster sauce

-  4 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, preferably Thai thin soy sauce (such as Healthy Boy)

- 2 teaspoons sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon (or more) 1/8"-thick slices of red Thai chiles

- Pinch of ground white pepper

- 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

Directions:

Blanch brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 15 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl.

Increase heat to high; add brussels sprouts. Stir-fry until they begin to soften, 2–3 minutes. Add oyster sauce and next 5 ingredients. Stir-fry for 30 seconds; add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes; add more chiles, if desired. Stir in garlic.

If you are looking for something a little less spicy then here is a recipe for you...

Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Shallots

Ingredients:

- 1 pound Brussels sprouts

- 2 large shallots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings

- 2 medium crisp, firm apples (such as Gala, Honeycrisp or Braeburn), cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

- 1/2 cup water, divided

- 1/4 cup cider vinegar, divided

- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Rinse Brussels sprouts well and pull off any loose or yellowing leaves. Trim the stem ends and then quarter each sprout. Set aside.

Heat a large high-sided sauté pan over high heat. Add shallots to the very hot pan and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add apples and 1/4 cup water, scraping any brown bits from the bottom as the water sizzles. Cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes. 

Add Brussels sprouts, remaining 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sprouts and apples are tender enough to be pierced all the way through with a fork, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Uncover, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and the leaves pulled from sprigs of thyme. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan as liquid sizzles and reduces until nearly gone. Transfer to a serving bowl with any of the remaining liquid and serve immediately.

Chia Seeds

When I used to hear the word Chia I would immediately think of the pet, but since learning more about this powerful seed I think less of the pet (though the jingle does still come to mind) and more about OMEGA-3's!!!

I know, who would have thought a plant that was fun to grow as a child would one day become something I well planted in my own body. 

A few months ago I started reading articles and seeing features on TV shows saying, "Super Food: Chia Seeds, the New Flaxseed" 

At this time I had been incorporating flax seeds into my diet for a few months and was curious as to what was so great about chia seeds. Here are a few key items. 

- Chia is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seeds

- Chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don't deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. And, unlike flax, they do not have to be ground to make their nutrients available to the body

- Chia seeds provide fiber (25 grams give you 6.9 grams of fiber) as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc.

- When added to water and allowed to sit for 30 minutes, chia forms a gel. Researchers suggest that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, slowing the process by which digestive enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them into sugar.

- Chia has a nutlike flavor

Some ideas on how to incorporate them into your diet:

- Sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, in yogurt or salads, eat them as a snack

- Grind them and mix them with flour when making muffins or other baked goods

- Add to a smoothie or a juice 

- Mix seeds in water and add lime or lemon juice and sugar to make a drink known in Mexico and Central America as "chia fresca" 

- Or toss them in a bottle of water when going for a run

Any way you add these to your diet will be beneficial! I like to start my day with a fresh green juice with a tablespoon of chia seeds!

 

Kale Waldorf Salad

I found a basic salad recipe while looking through the Whole Foods App on my iPhone, I highly recommend this app, it has great healthy recipes that are easy to prepare. I have made a few changes to the original recipe and find it to be heavenly. The dressing works so well with the Kale as well as on other salads or used as a dip or marinade.

Serves 4-6 people 

Ingredients:

4 cups packed finely chopped raw kale

1 large red apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, chopped, divided
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons craisins, divided

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided

 

For Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water, more if needed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt 

Directions:

Place kale in a large bowl. Add half the apple to kale along with celery, 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Put remaining apple in a blender along with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts, remaining 2 tablespoons raisins, mustard, water, vinegar and salt. Purée until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed to thin. Pour dressing over kale salad and toss to combine.

*place the salad when dressed in the fridge for 15 minutes once dressed, it allows the kale to soak up the dressing and the leaves fill with flavor. 

Pea and Beet Salad

This unusually warm winter in New York has me eating plenty of salads lately and I decided it was time to think of some new recipes. This one is quickly becoming a favorite! 

Ingredients:

- Arugula

- Sugar Snap Peas

- Pea Shoots

- Cucumber

- Roasted Beets

- Goat Cheese

For dressing:

- EVOO

- Balsamic Vinegar

- Egg Yolk

- Water

Directions:

Well folks, this is a salad, not reinventing the wheel so I will make this short and sweet.

Place arugula in a large bowl, dice up the peas, pea shoots, and cucumber and add to bed of arugula. As for the beets I bought prepared beets at Trader Joes and diced them up and tossed in the salad. You can also roast your own beets it time permits.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle with goat cheese (feta also works well). I also like to sprinkle some roasted flax seeds on top as well for added benefits.

For the dressing add 1 part EVOO,  1 part water, 2 parts vinegar and an egg yolk to a bowl and whisk until it all turns to a balsamic vinaigrette.

 

Toss dressing into salad and serve.