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.

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. 

15 Minute Baked Salmon

Here is an easy to make Salmon recipe that will even please people who aren't big cooked salmon fans (like my mother and I... who happened to make the meal. 

While down in Florida this weekend my Grandma made sure to pick up some food to have in the house, one item was a GIGANTIC piece of salmon. Of course my mother and I NEVER cook salmon but hey, can't let good food go to waste. So we headed out to whole foods and grabbed some ingredients to make the best meal possible, and let me say we were both pleasantly surprised and my grandparents flipped over the meal!

Baked Salmon with Lemon-Thyme Flaky Salt 

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1 shallot, finely chopped

4 salmon fillets, skinless

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Sea salt and pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon flaky salt, such as Maldon sea salt

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle half the shallot in a baking dish large enough to hold all of the fish in a single layer. Rub each fillet all over with a teaspoon of olive oil. Lightly season one side of each fillet with cooking salt and pepper. Place fillets on top of shallots in the baking dish, seasoned side down, and sprinkle with remaining shallot. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until flesh is opaque and flakes with a fork.

While fish bakes, prepare the seasoning salt by combining thyme, flaky salt and lemon zest in a small bowl. Mix gently. The salt mixture will be slightly wet and clumpy. When fish is done, sprinkle a little bit of the seasoning salt over each fillet, making sure each portion gets a bit of salt, zest and thyme.

Serve immediately with any remaining seasoning salt if desired.

This simple dish of baked fish topped with a fresh citrus-herb salt mixture can be easily prepared on a weeknight. Serve with your favorite grain and vegetables.  

We opted for orzo with sautéed mustard greens (my favorite) broccoli rabe (my moms favorite) and cherry tomatoes (who doesn’t love those). 

This is a dish I will definitely be making again and again...

12 Minute Talapia

What I love about Tilapia is that it can’t take on many flavors, and what I love even more is its easy on the wallet!

This fish can be prepared with any side dish. As you know by now I love to try all sorts of greens so I paired it with Asparagus, Swiss Chard, Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes and Harvest Grains. 

Ingredients:

- 1 pc. Talapia

- 1/3 lb Cockles

- 1 cup Chicken Broth

- Oregano, Sea Salt and Pepper for seasoning

- 1 tbsp EVOO

Vegetables and Grain:

- Asparagus

- Swiss Chard

- Arugula

- Cherry Tomatoes

- 1/4 cup Harvest Grains

While oil is heating in a pan lightly season the fish. Place fish in the pan and lightly pan sear on each side. 

Once both sides are lightly browned add cockles as well as chicken broth. Cover and let cook until the clams open.

While the fish was cooking I followed the directions and cooked the Harvest Grains in a pot. I also sliced up all of the green veggies and sautéed them in a pan with EVOO and Sea Salt.

 

Once the fish was finished cooking I placed on top of a bowl filled with grains and veggies.

5 Minute Meal

2 Vegetables

1 Protein, 1 Pan, 

1 tbsp EVOO, Sea Salt and sauté

Ingredients:

Mustard Greens

Sweet Potato

Broccoli Rabe (of course an extra green)

3 oz chicken cutlet

1 tbsp EVOO

Heat pan with oil and add vegetables and sauté. Toss in chicken to heat and then serve warm.

See how easy and quick it is to make a fast easy meal! Just keep fresh vegetables around the house and a protein option or two and you are never a few minutes away from your next meal.

Fun Fruity Salad

I read a recipe in a magazine a few years back that incorporated Asian Pears into salad. I have since been addicted to the costly fruit, so I do try and put it to good use. Here is a recipe for one of my favorite salads.

Ingredients:

For Salad:

- Handful of Spinach Leaves

- Handful of Romaine Lettuce

- Handful of Pea Shoots

- 4-6 Strawberries

- 1/2 Asian Pear

- 1 stalk Hearts of Palm

- 1/4 Cucumber

- 1/4 Avocado

- 3oz Chicken

For Dressing:

- EVOO

- Balsamic Vinegar

- Water

- 1 Egg Yolk

For the Salad:

Well folks it’s a salad, so I will keep it simple. Cut up the lettuce, dice up the vegetables, slice the fruit and chicken and mix it all in a bowl.

For the Dressing:

I use this container to make measuring easy and so I have dressing for a few days. 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water, 1 part EVOO, 1 egg yolk... then SHAKEEEEEE!

Pour some dressing on top of the salad and enjoy!

Peak Inside the Fridge and Cabinets of a Health Coach

Eating food that tastes good and is good for you is much easier than people seem to think. I believe in simplicity and my fridge and cabinets reflect the way I eat. Every Monday I take an hour to go to the Farmer's Market and Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or Food Emporium or a combination of the three, I then go home and stock my fridge with all of my fresh ingredients. 

The reason I go the same day each week is because I am usually all out of food. In my fridge I keep foods that only have a shelf life of about a week. In doing so I make sure that I am having the freshest and most pure ingredients. The fewer the ingredients on the label the better, and I try to keep any labeled food out of the fridge.

Which brings me to my cabinets; I keep them stocked with staples, and items which have minimal items on the ingredient lists. 

Now, welcome to my fridge....

As you can see it is full of bright colors and not many packaged items are stored. Now let's go though shelf by shelf. 

Shelf 1: 

- Kale

- Broccoli

- Mustard Greens

- Mizuna

I always like to have ingredients for green juice in my fridge and Kale and Broccoli are two things that I always toss in the juicer. Mustard Greens and Mizuna I have been sautéing with EVOO, Jalapeño and Sea Salt and eating alone, as a side dish or mixing into salads, pastas or eggs. 

Shelf 2: 

- Swiss Chard

- Spinach 

- Crunchy Sprouts

- Sweet Pea Shoots

- Butternut Squash Cubes

- Orange and Red Cherry Tomatoes 

- Rotisserie Chicken Breast

Like the green vegetables on the shelf above I use Swiss Chard and Spinach the same way. I also use the Swiss Chard in my homemade Miso Soup. Crunchy Sprouts, Sweet Pea Shoots and tomatoes I add into salads or snack on by the handful. I always pick up a rotisserie chicken breast to have available if I am in need of a quick meal or quick protein fix before a morning workout. I picked up butternut squash cubes as well not for a soup this week but to roast with some other veggies as a side dish or addition to pasta.

Shelf 3:

- Asparagus

- Butternut Squash Soup

- Organic Miso

- Strawberries

- Pineapple

- Blueberries

- Raspberries

- Blackberries

- Kombuca

- Rice Vinegar

- Hearts of Palm

- Mayonnaise

It is important for me to have mixed berries, I snack on them throughout the day as well as evening and also use strawberries when making morning smoothies. Organic Miso, Rice Vinegar, Kombucha, Hearts of Palm and Mayonnaise are staples in my fridge. I enjoy making my own miso based soup filled with veggies, use rice vinegar on rice as well as salads and other dishes, kombucha is a great drink alternative to my ever favorite WATER, hearts of palm make it into every salad dish I make and mayonnaise comes in handy from time to time in salad dressings and other dishes. I made Butternut Squash soup a few weeks ago and portioned it out into containers and have been defrosting a container each week; it comes in handy to have homeade soup. I also picked up some asparagus to enjoy grilled with some fish for dinner and in other dishes throughout the week. 

Drawer 1:

- Bucheron - flakey, creamy goat's milk cheese

- Rustico Red Pepper - sheep's milk cheese

- Tilapia

- Branzino

- Cockles

Being allergic to dairy from a cow I like to try a new cheese now and then that is goat or sheep based and today while shopping I decided to pick up two. I had not tried either and am pleased with both the taste and texture alone and look forward to incorporating them into some dishes this week as well as enjoying plain. Fish is a great lunch so I decided to pick up two pieces as well as some cockles to add a little flavor to the tilapia. 

 

Drawer 2: 

- Carrots

- Apples

- Avocados

- Oranges

- Lemons 

- Beets

All of these items are staples each week in my fridge; I eat them as is add them to salads or use to make juice. 

Drawer 3:

- Sweet Potatoes

- Cucumbers

- Onion

- Garlic

- Lemon

- Lime

Again these are items that you can always find in my fridge, I stock up on cucumbers as most of the juice I make has 1-2 cucumbers. I also keep sweet potatoes available as a healthy addition to any lunch or dinner. Onion, garlic, lemon and lime add flavor to any dish and should be on hand when cooking.

Now that you see how I keep my fridge stocked it is time to look into my cabinet. 

Shelf 1:

- Whole Wheat Cous Cous

- Lipton Cold Brew Iced Tea

- Mixed Grains from Trader Joes

- Quinoa from Trader Joes

- Brown Rice

All low in ingredients these foods are not highly processed and good staples to have available for any meal. 

Shelf 2: 

- De Boles Organic Angel Hair with Whole Wheat and Flax

- De Boles Gluten Free Rice Fettuccini  

- De Boles Organic Spinach Fettuccini

- De Boles Organic Artichoke Flour Spaghetti 

- Organic Chicken Broth

- Israeli Cous Cous

- Walnut Halves

- Sunflower Seeds

- Almonds

- Brown Rice

Clearly when I find something I stick with it and De Boles is a new favorite brand of mine and I am not letting it go anywhere. Having been on gluten free diets in the past when testing allergies I have learned what is best for my body and that is staying away from white flour. De Boles has tons of gluten free and whole grain pasta options which are a great household staples. Chicken Broth should be a staple in any home, and try the low sodium option (your body will thank you). Nuts and seeds are great for snacking and adding to salads, and more brown rice never hurt.

How does your fridge measure up? What are your household staples?

Butternut Squash Soup

With Fall in full swing it is important to take advantage of both the fruits and vegetables the season has to offer. Fall is all about grounding foods and what is more grounding then a Butternut Squash?

Butternut Squash Soup

- Total Prep time 25 minutes - Total Cook time 45 minutes - Serves 4 (large bowls) 

Ingredients:

 - 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

-  2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

- Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.

 3. Puree soup in two batches.

*Note - When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender's lid, and cover with a dish towel.*

 

3. Stir in juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot,

Optional to top with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired, or try some Greek yogurt to maintain this healthy meal.