Chocolate Almond Milk Shake

This is a delicious, lighter, and healthier alternative to the classic chocolate milkshake.  I came up with it one night when i was having one of my chocolate cravings!  It tastes like a light and airy chocolate shake, but doesn't have all of the fat that the traditional one does.  Try it!

Pour 2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk into blender
Add Two tablespoons of Hershey's chocolate syrup
Add a few icecubes
blend in blender until smooth
pour into glass and drink up!  Its soooo good and is under 200 calories!

Taboule and Hummus Pita

I'm trying to stay below 1400 calories/day for the next few weeks to hit a weight loss goal.  This was a tasty sandwich I thought up today for only 180 calories:

stuff a whole wheat pita with 2 tablespoons of Taboule and 2 tablespoons of hummus (I used scallion flavored hummus)

It hit the spot!

Directory of CT farms where you can pick your own fruits and veggies

Connecicut crops will be ready for picking in May!  Find a farm near you and support your local farmers! This site is GREAT!

http://www.pickyourown.org/CT.htm

Red Quinoa for breakfast

I cooked Red Quinoa two days ago and have been reheating a cup of it in the microwave for breakfast. Just adding a little olive oil, salt and pepper makes for a very satisfying savory breakfast. Red Quinoa is sweeter than white, and has a delicate nutty flavor.

1 serving gives you:
170 calories (20 calories from fat)
6g protein
20% of the daily fiber you need
20% of the daily magnesium you need

That's pretty good!

Spinach and Cucumber Tortilla Wrap

I made this refreshing wrap for lunch today.  Very satisfying and didn't weigh me down for the rest of the afternoon. 

1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 tsp chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped spinach
1 tsp grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
dash sea salt
dash cracked pepper
3 Tbsps cooked brown rice (left over from last night's meal)

combine all ingredients and wrap in 1 large whole grain tortilla.  Serves 1

Perfect Brown Rice

Trying to fit whole grains into my family menu can be a challenge sometimes.  The kids prefer white rice to brown rice, but this brown rice recipe is a winner with them.  So simple, and you'll get perfect brown rice every time!

1 cup brown rice (I use nature's promise organic, but any brown long grain rice will do)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp ground rosemary

Combine all ingredients, cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Ginger Carrot Soup

I made this soup this afternoon because I wanted a healthy comfort food snack. I found it in this month's issue of Woman's Day magazine

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 lb carrots (thinly sliced)
1 1 inch piece of ginger (thinly sliced)
2 pitas, split horizontally
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 425
Heat one tablespoon of oil in large sauce pan over medium high heat
Add onion and season with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
Stir until onions are softened, about 4 min.
add carrots, ginger, and 4 cups of water and bring to boil
reduce heat and simmer for 20 min
pour vegtable mixture into blender and puree until smooth, then pour back into saucepan

brush the cut sides of the pia with remaining Tbsp oil and sprinkle with curry powder and 1/8 tsp salt
Cut each pita into wedges and place seasoned side up on baking sheet
bake until golden brown and crisp (about 8 min)

Ladle soup into bowls and top with sour cream
season to tast with salt and pepper
serve with pita chips

The Naked Salad

I've never been one to enjoy dressing on my salad, so I am always coming up wtih ways to make it taste sweet or acidic without the heavy oil or cream.  No Dressing Needed on THIS Salad! 

I made this today for lunch - YUM

1/2 cup chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 of an avocado - chopped

Sweet Potato and Cumin Hummus

Wow! I made this recipe today for a snack, and I couldn't stop eating it! I'm in love with this Hummus. It's a recipe that I found on the Martha Stewart website - you won't be disappointed.

The original recipe calls for steaming the sweet potato, but I prefer baking it in the oven as baking it will bring out more flavor.

1 medium sweet potato baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes  - cool and chop into chunks
1 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon should do it)
1/4 cup Tahini
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove chopped
dash of coarse salt and dash of pepper

whole wheat pita bread triangles

Blend all ingredients except pita in food processor and puree for 1 minute.
add a little water if hummus is too think

Serve with Pita bread triangles.


Will keep in the fridge for up to a week

Blueberry Flaxseed Smoothie - Dairy-free

I experimented a bit and now love this breakfast smoothie. In it's original form, it calls for lowfat yogurt. These days I'm tending away from too much dairy (and feeling better for it!). So, for me, when I see yogurt in a smoothie recipie, I switch it out for Almond Milk (which is only 60 calories in a cup) and it usually comes out great.

Blend the following together in a blender.  Makes 2 servings.

1 cup frozen blueberries
4 tsps flaxseed
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 cup almond milk (or you can use lowfat plain yogurt)

Don't Throw your Leftover Coffee Away!

If you love coffee and chocolate like I do, you'll flip over this smoothie.  The secret?  Frozen coffee cubes!  Yes, that's right.  You'll need to plan ahead for this smoothie.  So the next time you have some left over coffee, pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze in the freezer. Cubes will be ready for use the next day.

To make "Day-Old Coffee Smoothie":

Blend following ingredients until smooth:

1 1/2 cups chilled Almond Milk or Soy milk (you can use substitute cow milk if you prefer)
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp agave syrup (you can substitute honey if you don't have agave)
1 1/4 cups strong brewed coffee (frozen into ice cubes)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa!

Pineapple is in season!

Care of Martha Stewart:

In a medium bowl, combine:

1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded and minced
3 Tbs finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
season with coarse salt

Makes 4 cups

serve with tortilla chips
can store in fridge for up to 3 days

Cracked Pepper and Fennel Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Tonight's dinner was a simple Pork Tenderloin - I love the taste of cracked pepper and fennel mixed together, and the texture of this rub was a nice compliment to the tender pork. I served this with a kid favorite: mashed potatoes.

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)

Whisk the following ingredients in a small bowl:

3 Tbs minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbs coarsley crushed black peppercorns
1 1/2 Tbs Fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsps Lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt

When the ingredients are combined, rub mixture all over the pork tenderloin.  Let rest for 5 minutes.
Put tenderloin in a roasting pan in a 425 degree oven.  Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

For more recipes visit my website at http://www.foodchirps.com/.  Submit your own recipes on the site and have them published in the 2011 edition of "The Best Food Chirps of 2011!"

Food Chirps has it's own website!

Check it out at http://www.foodchirps.com/ and let me know what you think! 

great article in the nytimes today about soups. The recipies look so easy - I can't wait to try them!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/magazine/06eat-t.html?ref=dining

Blueberries in Almond Milk

I needed a bit of a sugar fix this afternoon, so I whipped out my favorite - Blueberries in Almond Milk.  No added sugar needed.  I also love that I get to eat them with a spoon out of a bowl, just like I would cold cereal - which I have given up as of late.

Simple Tortellini Salad - a favorite light dinner or lunch

I don't normally like pasta salads.  I find that most that I come across are too acidic and loaded with mayo (I'm not a big fan of mayo either).  This recipe is mayo-free.  It has been a favorite of mine for a few years now.  In it's original form, the recipe had 3 Tbs butter (instead of olive oil) and regular white pasta (instead of whole wheat) If you prefer to add the butter and white pasta instead, it's not as healthy, but still delicious.

3 Tbs of olive oil
2 pounds broccoli, stalks removed, heads cut into small florets
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds frozen whole wheat cheese tortellini
3 plum tomatoes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Heat 1 Tbs oil in large skillet over medium
Add broccoli and garlic; season with salt and pepper
Cook, tossing occasionally, until broccoli is crisp tender (6-8 min)
If skillet gets too dry, add a little water

Cook tortellini in boiling water until al dente.
Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water
Return tortellini to pot
Add broccoli mixture, tomatoes, and remaining 2 Tbs oil
Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine
Gradually add enough reserved pasta water to create a sauce that lightly coats tortellini
Serve immediately

Mango Smoothie

This is one of my favorite smoothies.  It's dairy-free.  Don't let the swiss chard scare you away!  It is a satisfying breakfast. These ingredients make two servings; refrigerate half for later (but not longer than 24 hours), or halve the recipe.


1 1/4 cups soy-free almond milk
1/2 cup coconut water
2 leaves Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup mango chunks
1/2 cup ice
Blend together until smooth.

Spicey Cauliflour - even Sean, my 12 year old loved this!

Sean is a picky (very picky) eater.  What I've found recently though, is that he loves anything that I cook with Indian spices in it!  Go figure.  So, this recipe is right up his alley.  This is a substantial side dish for dinner. I bring leftovers to work for lunch, and that's all I'll need.

Serves 4

3 tbsp grapeseed oil
3/4 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 large onion (sliced very thin)
1/4 cup finely shredded peeled ginger
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 medium head cauliflour cut into large florets
3/4 cup water
1 cup cooked chickpeas


Heat 1 tbsp of the oil over high heat in a large skillet
Add spices and cook until fragrant (about 30 sec)
Stir in onion, 3 tbsp ginger, 3 tbsp garlic, and 3/4 tsp salt. Cook until onions are tender (4-6 min)
Remove from pan and set aside

Wash and dry pan, and return to medium high heat.
Add 1 tbsp oil, heat until shimmering
Add half of the cauliflour and brown on one side (3-5 min)
Remove from pan and repeat with remaining oil, cauliflour, ginger, and garlic

Combine batches of cauliflour in pan and add water and remaining salt
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender (5-7 min)
Stir in chickpeas, and cook uncovered until chickpeas are heated through and liquid is gone (3 min)
Stir in onions and serve

Clam Chowder - Without the Potatoes!

Watching your carbs? This soup will knock your socks off.  The depth of flavor is fabulous.  I found this recipe on-line during one of my low-carb recipe searches.  Only 10 net carbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 strips bacon, chopped
• 3 large celery stalks, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) bottled clam juice
• 3 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) chopped or minced clams, drained, juice reserved
• 6 cups cauliflower, steamed of boiled until very tender (about 1 large head)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional))

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook cream until reduced by half, about 20 minutes.In a large saucepot over medium heat, cook bacon until slightly crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove 2 tablespoons bacon and set aside for garnish. Add celery to pot and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, bottled clam juice and reserved clam juice and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes, until celery has completely softened.In a blender, puree cooked cauliflower and 2 cups of soup broth until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Return to saucepot. Stir in clams and bring soup to a simmer for 4 minutes.Turn heat off and stir in reduced cream, Worcestershire and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with reserved bacon and parsley and serve hot.

Makes: 6 servings

A "Whole" breakfast smoothie!

While kitchen testing, I discovered the most delectible breakfast smoothie last week. Not only is it satisfying and delicious, but it is also 100% non-dairy and all natural! I'm hooked!

Recipe:

1 cup ice
1 cup Almond Milk
2 Tbsps Flax seed
1/4 cup whole rolled oats
1 ripe banana
1 Tbsp Agave Syrup (or you can use honey)

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.  This makes enough for two servings.