My Journey to be Healthy & Happy

my-journey-to-fitness:

These make a great starter (served on a toothpick) or over rice/noodles for lunch or dinner

Hoisin-Glazed Turkey Meatballs 
Makes: 26 Meatballs. Active Time: 20 minutes. Total Time: 30 minutes.

1 WW+ Point per Meatball!

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium Tamari or Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root, preferably grated with a rasp-style grater
1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek sauce (see *ingredient note) or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 scallions, minced plus sliced scallion greens for garnish, divided
1/2 cup finely drained, chopped water chestnuts
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup purchased Hoisin Sauce (see *ingredient note)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (coriander)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice black and/or white sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk Tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sambal or crushed red pepper and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Stir in 2 minced scallions and water chestnuts. Stir in turkey until completely combined.
3. Drop turkey mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, gently re-shaping into ball shapes if necessary. Lightly coat the balls with cooking spray and transfer to the oven. Bake until the meat is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Stir Hoisin sauce, cilantro and lime juice in a large bowl. Add the cooked meatballs and gently stir to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining sliced scallions and sesame seeds and serve hot with toothpicks.

*ingredient note: Available in the Asian section of large supermarkets and health food stores.

(via fitforinfinity)

Grilled Portabello, Bell Pepper, & Goat Cheese Sandwich! Side of Asparagus & Skinny Girl White Wine (never had it before…) (Taken with instagram)

edit: what you can’t see is seriously how delicious this was! inspired by cooking light’s “dinner tonight” email. Made it for one, with 1/2T of EVOO for the peppers, mushroom, & asparagus. And I had bought 2 mushrooms, and misjudged the size of the first (cooked down really small) so I made a double decker of sorts with peppers in the middle (between 0.25-0.33oz of Mushroom total). The goat cheese was so so good. Used a George Forman grill and dried basil in with balsamic/oil mixture.

Delicious. Make it.

notanotherhealthyfoodblog:

Hummus & Avocado Toasts With Roasted Tomatoes

(click photo for recipe)

(Source: yummy-healthy-food)

notanotherhealthyfoodblog:

Blackened Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa

(click photo for recipe)

(Source: yummy-healthy-food)

carogetsfit:justwanttobehealthyandfit:

Curried Chickpea Salad

You can eat this in a wrap, on a sandwich, or by itself. Make it with any curry powder you like. 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of chickpeas, lightly mashed
• 1 cup of Granny Smith apple, diced
• 1 cup of red grapes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2/3 cup Vegenaise, or any mayo alternative
• 1 heaping tablespoon of curry powder
• 1 tablespoon of agave nectar 
• salt to taste

Mix everything in a large bowl and chill before eating. 

I’ll try greek yogurt instead of mayo!

(Source: healthytots)

healthiereveryday:

Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

4 servings (two slices per serving as pictured)
95 calories; 6 g carbs; 5 g protein; 4 g fat

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
• 1 whole egg, plus one egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
• Herbs and spices - whatever you love!
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients together [except oil] in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
• Line a Pyrex dish with parchment paper and use olive oil to grease the parchment paper.
• Spread and flatten the cauliflower mixture on the parchment paper evenly - about 1 inch thick. Square off the edges so it looks like a rectangle or square.
• Bake for 40 minutes until slightly dried out, browning, and firm to the touch.
• Remove from oven and using a spatula carefully peel away from parchment paper. Flip over and return to oven for 10 more minutes.

They are a little eggy, but the longer you cook them, the more bread-like and crispy they become. I really loved them!

Enjoy!

This sounds awesome! Saving this here…

tortoisehare:

CREAMY

Creamy Spinach Soup
Put 1 chopped onion, 2 peeled garlic cloves, 3 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add 10 ounces chopped spinach and 1/2 cup parsley leaves; cook until the spinach is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Greek-style yogurt and purée. Garnish: A spoonful of Greek-style yogurt and chopped parsley.

Squash-and-Ginger Soup
Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic and 4 cups chopped butternut squash for the spinach (it will take longer to soften). Skip the parsley and substitute half-and-half or cream for the yogurt. Garnish: A spoonful of cream.

Curried Cauliflower Soup
Substitute 1 tablespoon minced ginger for the garlic, 2 cups cauliflower florets for the spinach (they will take longer to soften), 1 tablespoon curry powder for the parsley and coconut milk for the yogurt. Garnish: Chopped cilantro.

BROTHY

Vegetable Broth With Toast
Put 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped onions, 1 small chopped potato, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 garlic cloves, 10 sliced mushrooms, 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine), 10 parsley sprigs, 1/2 ounce dried porcini, 8 cups water and salt and pepper in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 30 minutes or longer. Strain and serve over toasted good bread. Garnish: Chopped celery leaves.

Egg Drop Soup
Beat 4 eggs. Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add the eggs in a steady stream, stirring constantly until they’re cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped scallions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Skip the bread. Garnish: Chopped scallions.

Rice-and-Pea Soup
Boil the strained stock, lower the heat so it simmers and add 3/4 cup white rice. Cook until tender, then add 2 cups fresh or frozen peas; cook for a minute or two. Skip the bread. Garnish: Grated Parmesan

EARTHY

Bean Soup
Put 1 1/2 cup dried beans, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery ribs, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and 6 cups water in a pot over high heat. Boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the beans are soft, at least 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish: A drizzle of olive oil.

Chickpea-and-Pasta Soup
Substitute chickpeas for the beans and rosemary for the thyme and add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine). When the chickpeas are almost tender, add 1/2 cup small pasta. Cook until the pasta and chickpeas are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: A few chopped rosemary leaves.

Spicy Black-Bean Soup
Use black beans and substitute fresh oregano for the thyme. When the beans are done, add 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 dried or canned chipotle and the juice of a lime. Garnish: Cilantro and sour cream.

HEARTY

Minestrone
Sauté 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped celery rib and 1 teaspoon minced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups cubed potatoes and salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) and 5 cups water. Boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped green beans; simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish: Chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.

Mushroom Soup
Substitute 1 1/2 pounds sliced mushrooms (preferably an assortment) for the potatoes; sauté until they brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Substitute ½ cup white wine for the tomatoes, skip the green beans and add a fresh thyme sprig with the water. Garnish: A few thyme leaves.

Tomato-and-Garlic Soup
Use 2 tablespoons minced garlic and substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste for the celery. Skip the potatoes and green beans; use 3 cups tomatoes and 3 cups water. Cook the tomatoes for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish: Lots of chopped or torn basil

Notes:

All of these recipes serve four, and you’ll want about a 2.5-to-4-quart (medium or large) pot. Most can be cooked for a while — but not so long that the freshness is gone. Most will taste as good or better the next day, so consider making a double batch and refrigerating (or freezing) the leftovers. But never boil a soup after you’ve added dairy to it; instead, reheat gently.

If you want a supersmooth soup (and just about any of these soups can be puréed if you like), use a standing blender — let the soup cool a bit first — which creates a finer purée than an immersion blender does; you might even strain the soup after puréeing it.

Garnishes are all optional, though herbs add a dimension that will be lacking otherwise. If you taste as you’re cooking, you’ll be fine, because there is really nothing to go wrong here.

I love soup…

(via tortoisehare-deactivated2011060)