Category: Healthy Recipes

SPAGHETTI SQUASH PARMESAN

This is one of my husband, Gene’s favorite meals, sans the cooked ground meat since he is a vegetarian. So easy to make and a tasty no pasta, all vegetable dish.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH PARMESAN
1 large spaghetti squash cooked (either baked at 350 until tender when pierced with a knife or microwaved until tender when pierced with a knife. Set aside until cool.
Veggie mix:
• 1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms
• 2 tbls. minced shallots
• 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
Water saute all above in a covered skillet until barely tender.
Add in EVOO, seasoning of choice and Optional ground meat until fully mixed.
• 2 tbls EVOO
• 2 tsp No Salt Italian Herb seasoning mix ( I like Frontier Brand Pizza Seasoning blend or Spice Hunter Pasta Seasoning blend.
OPTIONAL:
• 1 cup cooked ground turkey, chicken or beef seasoned with any no salt Italian blend herb mix.
Reserve the following ingredients until after folding in Veggie Mix:
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley (reserve a tsp or 2 for garnish)
• 1/ cup sliced black or green olives rinsed to remove salt
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Cut spaghetti squash in half, remove and discard any seeds. Shred flesh with a fork. This will produce “spaghetti-like shreds. Fold Veggie mix and Optional ground meat into spaghetti squash shreds. After well mixed toss in Parmesan, parsley, and olives. Microwave for 30 sec to 1 min. Plate and garnish with chopped parsley.
Serves 2-4 depending on if used as main course or side dish.

EASY HOMEMADE DOG FOOD

Sometimes I like to alternate my whippet’s “go To” Honest Kitchen meal with a week or so of homecooked. Below is a simple, easy to prepare recipe that sits well with my sensitive whippet’s GI tract. The Holistic Vet Blend vite/min mix is formulated to balance the nutrition needs of your dog.

RACIE AND REESE’S FAVORITE HOMECOOKED MEAL

1lb choice of ground beef, chicken or turkey

5tbls mix of finely ground spinach, yellow squash & apple

½ cup finely ground carrot

1 cup low sodium chicken broth (Pacific makes a good one)

1 tbls coconut oil

1 5/8 cup choice of well cooked basmati rice, long grain brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato or russet potato

2 tsp Holistic Vet Blend Limited Ingredient Vitamin and Mineral Mix formulated to balance above recipe.

Canine LIMITED Premix – Dog Supplement for Homemade Food

Saute ground meat in coconut oil, add cooked grain of choice and all finely ground veggies mixing well. Add chicken broth and cook down to desired consistency.

When cool mix in Vite/ Min so evenly distributed.

Makes about 6 cups food. Racie is 25 lbs and gets 2 ½ cups daily.

 

No Sugar Chocolate Or Carob Treats

Chocolate Or Carob Treats

INGREDIENTS (organic preferred)

  • Approx. 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder (add a bit more to form patties)
  • 2/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil
  • 1 tsp stevia powder.  I like 365 Brand in the small canister or 1/8 cup pure ground green stevia powder. VIP: Add stevia in small amounts and taste for sweetness as brands vary in taste/intensity.
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
  • 1 pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt (optional)

For variations choose from these additional ingredients:

  • shredded unsweetened coconut
  • raisins
  • dates chopped
  •  chopped pecans or walnuts
  • Crushed raspberries
  • Grated lemon peel
  • Cinnamon
  • Chopped banana chunks
  • Crispy rice cereal

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Melt oil in a small saucepan and fold in the stevia, vanilla/almond flavor, cocoa or carob powder, salt.  VIP: Add stevia in small amounts and taste for sweetness as brands vary in taste/intensity.

For Patties:

Pour onto a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet and refrigerate or freeze until semi firm for about 10-mins. Then fold in any variation ingredients and form into bite size balls or patties. You can also roll the balls or patties in any of the variations.  Store in a container in the fridge.

For Bark :

Pour onto a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet, add variations if desired and refrigerate or freeze for 20 min or until firm. Break into bite sized pieces and store in the fridge.

For Fancy Treats:

Use a chocolate mold in your favorite shape. Simply pour your batter in, refrigerate or freeze and pop them out when you are ready to enjoy.

*These treats will melt at room temp, so please remember to store in an airtight container in your fridge or freezer.

 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: SIMPLE SPANISH EGG SCRAMBLE

This is my husband Gene’s favorite Saturday breakfast. Also a quick satisfying dinner.
SIMPLE SPANISH EGG SCRAMBLE
1 1/2 cups Baby Spinach leaves cut into thin ribbons
1 medium jalapeno pepper minced
1/2 cup red pepper minced
1/2 cup low salt pitted black olives
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbls butter or 2 tbls olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
Garnish with choice of any of Heinz Wellness Line Ketchups
In a non stick pan quick saute all the above veggies with butter or oil. Add in a mix of 4 eggs well beaten and crumble in 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese. Stir above mixture until egg scramble cooked.
Plate with your favorite toast and garnish with Heinz Wellness Line Ketchup.
Serves 2
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KAAREN”S SIMPLY DELICIOUS RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Mushroom Immune Support Soup

Mushroom Immune Support Soup
(Original Recipe Courtesy of Dr. Maoshing Ni, www.taoofwellness.com)
I hope you like this simple Mushroom Immune Support Soup as much as me and my clients do.
This original recipe shared by Tao of Wellness is made by making a broth of cabbage, carrots, fresh ginger, onion, oregano, shiitake mushrooms (if dried, they must be soaked first), maitake, lion’s mane, turkey tail, any kind of seaweed, any type of summer squash(yellow crooked neck/zucchini/patty pan) in water or your favorite stock.
Combine and simmer on low heat for one hour.
My additions to Dr. Maoshing Ni’s recipe are:
1 tsp of Eden Mirin for a hint of natural sweetness. I prefer nappa cabbage, savoy or bok choy to regular green cabbage for a more delicate flavor and use shallots instead of onion. Sometimes I combine one or more of the three cabbages to add different flavors and textures. For those that like a heartier soup, use regular green cabbage.
I also use coconut water as my soup base and may add in shredded cooked chicken and cooked brown rice if I want a main course “soup” meal.
This soup is not only delicious, but provides  many health benefits. Cabbage can increase your body’s ability to fight infection, ginger supports healthy digestion, and seaweed cleanses the body.
I include this soup regularly as part of my Fall/Winter diet to build a strong and healthy immune system.
I highly recommend subscribing to The Tao Of Wellness newsletter for high quality TCM based natural healing information.
If you live near Los Angeles, be sure to schedule an apt. with either Dr. Daoshing Ni or Dr. Maoshing Ni for their excellent personalized herbal tea prescriptions and impeccable acupuncture.
To see more healthy weight loss recipes like this, as well as wellness hacks, please follow me on Instagram, @kaarenjordanwellnessauthor, and visit my website for great blogs, and check out my two books “Ageless Beauty From The Inside Out” and “Eat Your Way To Health”.
A new recipe and wellness book is in the works….” The Simply Delicious Weight Loss And Wellness Plan”.

KAAREN’S RECIPE OF THE WEEK:

 My husband Gene and I enjoy salads year round. With a bit of creativity, they need not be boring.

 Here is a simple layered salad that not only is packed full of nutrients and beneficial fiber, but has a variety of tastes and textures guaranteed to appeal to even the pickiest eaters.

 Feel free to substitute any ingredients available seasonally and/or add any of your personal favorites.

 Kitchen Sink Salad

 1/3 cup each of the following:

 Shaved raw crooked neck yellow squash

Shaved raw zucchini

Shaved raw red pepper

Shaved raw apple

Shaved raw carrots

 ¼ cup shaved raw golden beets

¼ cup shaved watermelon radish (any radish available is fine)

 ¼ cup sliced celery

¼ cup sliced mushrooms

¼ cup sliced rinsed pitted low sodium black olives

1/3 cup diced fresh tomatoes

 3 cups chiffonade mix of Little Gem lettuce, Spring Greens Lettuce/Baby spinach/Baby kale

 Marinated Fresh Mozzarella :

 Combine all below well and then add in 6 0z sliced fresh mozzarella

 3 tbls finely chopped fresh basil

4 tbls extra virgin olive oil

2 tbls fresh lemon juice

  4 tbls balsamic vinegar

2 tbls. Heinz ketchup (See the Heinz Health & Wellness line)

   1 tsp Dijon mustard

 Marinate above for 30 min or more. Toss all salad well and then fold in Marinated Mozzarella . Add balsamic to taste.

 Accompany with sourdough bread if desired.

 Serves 2

To see more recipes like this please check out my two books “Eat Your Way To Health” and ” Ageless Beauty From The Inside Out”  at  www.healingessences.com

Follow me on Instagram: @kaarenjordanwelllnessauthor for weekly posts on healthy lifestyle and  “Simply Delicious” recipes.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK…BLACK BEAN STEW

Here’s a quick and easy recipe for all you black bean lovers….

SPICEY BLACK BEAN STEW

2 cans no salt black beans can liquid included
1 1/2 cups chiffonade de-stemmed swiss chard leaves
1 1/2 cups chiffonade de-stemmed kale leaves
Stems from swiss chard and kale sliced finely
½ cup celery sliced finely
1 cup mushrooms sliced thinly
½ cup carrots sliced thinly
¼ cup sliced pitted low salt olives
½ cup diced red pepper
2 tbls minced shallots
2 tbls olive oil
½ cup Heinz Ketchup (See my faves in the Health & Wellness line)
3 tbls minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp oregano
Salt to taste
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sour cream to garnish
Empty beans and can water into a soup pot.
In a covered nonstick skillet, water saute stems from swiss chard and kale, mushrooms, celery, carrots, red pepper and shallots until soft. Then stir in olive oil, minced jalapeno, tomatoes, Heinz catsup, onion powder & spices. When well folded in, add in chiffonade of kale and chard leaves until wilted. Salt to taste. Fold entire mixture into the soup pot until evenly incorporated and heat thoroughly.
Ladle into soup bowls and top with cheese. Microwave for 90 sec. to melt cheese.
Top with sour cream and serve with favorite bread.
Serves 2-3..

CALIFORNIA CONFETTI SALAD

This is one of my husband Gene’s favorite salads that is packed with superfoods like cilantro, baby kale, cabbage and ginger.

Gene and I like this combo best, but feel free to substitute veggies or add more variety of veggies to this recipe.

Ingredients:

½ savoy or green cabbage finely chopped

2 large handfuls baby kale finely chopped

4 Persian cucumbers or 1 cup English cucumbers diced

1 red bell pepper diced

1 large handful cilantro rough chopped

1  medium apple diced (Envy, Opal or Pink Lady apples work well)

½ cup organic raisons

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or   1 cup  tomato diced (added at last minute after dressing)

Fold In Choice Of:

Shelled pistachios, peanuts, cubed cooked chicken breast, shrimp, white sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds

Toss all ingredients together until evenly mixed.

DRESSING:

2-3” fresh ginger peeled, rough chopped and then chopped finely in a food processor.  Add 3 cloves garlic or for subtler flavor, 1 tbls shallot, 4 tbls. mayo (or avocado mayo if vegan), 5 tbls rice vinegar, 3 tbls sesame oil and 2 tsp Dijon mustard to the ginger and process until smooth.

Cover the veggie mixture with the dressing and toss well adding  tomatos at the end.

Serve chilled.

CILANTRO…NATURE’S SUPERFOOD

CILANTRO…NATURE’S SUPERFOOD

Cilantro aka Chinese Parsley /coriander,has been a staple in cuisines around the world with it’s use dating back centuries. If you enjoy Mexican food, you’ve tasted cilantro in guacamole.

Here are a few of cilantro’s many health benefits:

Recent studies show that cilantro attaches to heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury in the bloodstream acting as a “bio absorbent”. This process, called chelation, helps our bodies eliminate metals from our systems through our excretory systems, to cleanse and purify our tissues, organs and blood. Cilantro leaves contain the bioactive components, flavonoids, saponins and fibers capable of absorbing and chelating heavy metals.

 The leaves of the cilantro plant also have potent anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antifungal, antimicrobial effects as well as the significant chelating properties mentioned above.

Researchers have found that cilantro may provide many other  health benefits in the form of reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and seizure severity, as well as raising energy levels and promoting healthy hair and skin.

 In Traditional Asian Mediciine, cilantro has a predominantly cooling and grounding effect and has been known to contribute to detoxification pathways within the body by stimulating the liver. By stimulating the liver and increasing bile production, cilantro helps contribute to the overall lowering of LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels

With it’s many health benefits, unique taste and versatility, cilantro can be an easy, low cost addition to incorporate into your wellness plan.

A Votre Sante,

Kaaren

PS  Stay tuned for easy, delicious cilantro recipes in the coming weeks.