Healthy Eats: Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti Squash

I loooove me some shrimp scampi!! Not only because it's high in protein and full of flavor, but it's also a relatively light dish, and also light on calories if you prepare it right. I used to make this dish all the time and serve it over whole wheat pasta, but then I thought using spaghetti squash would really elevate this meal on the healthy spectrum and take it up a whole new level. Because you're practically eating a plate of veggies and seafood -- you can feel 100% guilt free for over indulging or getting that second glass of white wine :)

// Ingredients // serves 4

2 spaghetti squashes
4 tsp olive oil
1 1⁄4 lb medium shrimp , peeled (tails left on)
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
lemons for garnish

// Directions //

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Sauté the shrimp until just pink, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon transfer the shrimp to a platter, keep hot. In the skillet, combine the broth, wine, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half; spoon over the shrimp. Serve over already prepared spaghetti squash (more how to prepare the spaghetti squash here) garnished with the lemon slices and sprinkled with the remaining tablespoon of parsley. A little sprinkling of red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese if desired. And boom! There you have it, one of my favorite go-to weeknight meals :)

I hope you definitely give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

 xo Steph

Healthy Breakfast: Egg & Avocado Toast

In attempts to lose weight for the wedding, and just to be overall healthier, I have been trying to make better food choices (notice I didn't say diet!). For a person who loves to eat, this can be difficult. But for me, it's all about finding healthy meal options you actually like, and sticking to them. 

Enter: the egg and avocado toast.

This breakfast or really anytime meal/snack is so quick and simple, it can be made before work. Now there is no excuse to hit up Dunkin' Donuts drive through. Here's what you need as well as the calorie counts, because counting calories on the My Fitness Pal app has really helped me as well. 

// Ingredients //

1 egg, over easy, medium or to your liking (70 calories)
1/4 avocado  (62 calories)
1/2 Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel Thin (55 calories)
dashes of hot sauce to your liking (Zero calories. I love Frank's Red Hot Sauce - I really do put that shit on everything!)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook your 1 egg to your liking while sticking half the bagel thin in the toaster. I season the fried egg in the pan with salt and pepper while it cooks. When your bagel is toasted, mash up a quarter avocado onto the bagel thin with a fork. You can obviously use toast too if you want, I just love these whole wheat bagel thins since they are lower in calories. Once your egg is cooked to perfection, place it on top of the avocado, and season with a dash (or more) of hot sauce. Nix the hot sauce if it's not your thing. I love it because it gives it a ton of flavor with no calories. But you could also top it with salsa if you want. And voila! A healthy breakfast/snack option that takes virtually no time to prepare. 

**Also a helpful tip for saving your avocado: keep the pit in the avocado and wrap it in plastic wrap. Your avocado won't turn all nasty and brown and will last you through 4 breakfasts of making this quickie dish**

Are you avocado obsessed like me? What are your go-to healthy breakfasts?

xo Steph

HEALTHY EATS: TUSCANY CHICKEN PASTA

Today's #tbt is perfect for the healthy lifestyle I am trying to reestablish if you will. I don't like the word diet because it insinuates that at some point it will end when you reach your ideal weight or goal. A healthy lifestyle means it's something you can keep up long term. And this dish, I assure you, will be eaten in my home for the long hall. If you didn't get a chance to check this out last year…..enjoy the delishiness!  This recipe in particular is one I created when I was literally throwing things together that I had in my fridge -- and the results were a hit! I made this a few years ago for my roommates who loved it, D loves it....and the best part is that it's relatively healthy and guilt free. I named it Tuscany Chicken pasta (don't ask me why, it just seemed like a good name) and the rest is history. Here is the recipe (sorry I don't measure anything) but you'll get the gist if you want to make it for yourself.

 What you'll need:

chicken breast (cut into chunks)

zucchini and squash (diced up)

2 cans of dice tomatoes (I like Hunt's basil, garlic & oregano)

minced or fresh garlic

lemon juice

salt & pepper

parmesan cheese (for sprinkling or loading on like I do!)

pasta of your choice (I like whole wheat bow ties or rotelle)

 First, you'll cut up the lean chicken breasts into small manageable chunks (remember this is being tossed over pasta so whatever size you want) and dice the zucchini and yellow squash. Here I realized I only bought zucchini so I had to make due. But the beauty of cooking is it doesn't matter. You make due with what you have.

 once everything is diced and prepped, saute the garlic (fresh or minced will work -- whatever you have on hand) with a little bit of olive oil in two separate pans. After the garlic browns a little add the chicken in one pan and the veggies in another to cook both shown below.

 salt and pepper everything to taste as they cook.

once the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink) transfer the chicken into the pan with the veggies.

add the two cans of seasoned dice tomatoes. If you only have plain diced tomatoes you can always season it up yourself during this step using a little dried basil and oregano.

Add a little lemon juice (fresh or bottled -- whatever you have on hand) to give the flavor a little depth.

PS. nevermind my crazy chipped nail polish. Blogger FAIL!

 Saute and simmer.

At this point, get a pot of boiling water ready for your pasta. As I mentioned before, I like using a whole wheat pasta option just because it's healthier but feel free to use whatever you like.

Once the pasta is cooked al dente -- remove pan from simmering, and spoon it out over your pasta.

Don't forget the Parmesan cheese!! Or omit if you're trying to cut extra calories.

And bon appetite! 

Enjoy a healthy meal with fresh and simple ingredients : )

Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do -- and if you have a questions feel free to ask!

xo Steph

Healthy Eats: Spaghetti Squash & Meat Sauce

I'm currently trying to jump start my healthy eating/living lifestyle again as spring is right around the corner. You know how they say summer bodies are made in the winter? Yeah well, this winter was a little too long and cold in my opinion, so eating indoors was one of my favorite hobbies. So spring will have to do for prepping my body for bikini season! First off on the menu, Spaghetti Squash! I was so pleasantly surprised how this came out and I love how it's relatively guilt free because you're substituting a veggie for a pasta. Once you realize the versatility of this sneaky little veggie, the possibilities are endless!

 

What You'll Need:

1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed (more on that below)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Any ingredients you need to make your favorite sauce. Mine include:
1 jar spicy tomato and basil sauce

1 can small tomato sauce (Hunts)

lean ground beef (you could use ground turkey too)

spices (basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity)

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

So the hardest part of this dish will be trying to cut this sucker open!! I have a pretty nice knife set we got from D's aunt and uncle last Christmas (thanks Aunt Pat and Uncle Joe!) and even then I had to really work this thing! If you have a samurai sword, great! If not, put some elbow grease into it. I actually have a little trick where I cut a sliver off the side of the squash so it will lay flat on the table as I cut it. That may work for you too. Once you cut it in half, you need to scrape all the seeds and gunk out, much like when carving a pumpkin. Hint: Use an ice cream scooper like I did. Super easy.

Put both squash halves on a baking sheet, and brush on EVOO and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to your liking. Stick that in your oven and bake for 45 min -- 1 hour, or until tender. I liked mine more "well done" so I went the whole hour. And while that's in the oven, take that time to make your favorite sauce. I made a meat sauce (seen below) but you can really make any kind of sauce you want, including ground turkey, meatballs, veggies, or meatless.

Once your squash is completely roasted, take out of the oven and scrape the inside of the squash with a fork. You'll see like magic, spaghetti like strands will form. Continue scraping the squash strands and remove them and place in a large bowl. If you want to get fancy or creative, you could even keep them inside the squash and serve it a bowl.

Plate it and serve with your sauce. 

And a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if you're feeling naughty ;) I opted out because I'm trying to be good. But then I added a piece of garlic bread.....so scratch that!

Voila! Spaghetti Squash and meat sauce. A lightened up version of your favorite pasta staple.

Anyone else loving on the spaghetti squash right now?

How else do you prepare this dish -- please share with me! 

xo Steph

Follow Up: Cleanse & Detox in Photos

As a follow up from this post on my cleanse & detox, I wanted to share some pictures of what it looks like. If you're a visual person like me, having colorful photos of what you're getting yourself into can help, can offer some food inspiration, and can make the cleanse seem much less scary and easier to tackle. These are photos I took last year when I cleansed - take a look!

Breakfast

This was the least painful meal since the last 2 weeks I've gotten into this green smoothie kick.

Granted this one had no greens and less fruit - so I have to admit less filling.

It also incorporated peanut butter (and don't get me wrong, I love peanut butter) but I didn't care for it mixed with the shake. Believe it or not, I'll stick to the spinach, kale and fruit smoothie.

Lunch

Okay, I'm going to admit right now D and I did some cheating. But it's not what you think, I swear! We weren't sneaking in scoops of Ben and Jerry ice cream or anything, however I was taking our "two snacks" during the day and incorporating it into our lunches and dinner. Mainly because I wasn't hungry for a snack during "snack time" but also because it bulked up our meals. Yeah, maybe it defeats the purpose of following an exact meal plan, but hey -- at least I'm trying right?

As you can see above, I used the cup of cucumber allotted for a snack and made a salad that included a spring mix and broiled chicken that I seasoned with garlic and onion spices. And the dressing was made with olive oil we were allowed to have, mixed with balsamic vinegar.

Dinner

Similar to lunch we "cheated" and made our asparagus snack as a side for our dinner. This time I topped the chicken on a bed of arugula which has a nice peppery flavor. I did the best I could to make these meals look appetizing, and I think I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself. 

Did anyone else try the detox? What did you think of this plan?

xo Steph

2014: The Perfect Time for a Cleanse & Detox

With the new year and new resolutions, this is the perfect time to restart your body with a cleanse & detox. It's kinda like a fresh start (physically and symbolically) for your body to get rid of all the bad stuff we ate during the holidays (I know I overindulged!!) and get back on track to a healthy lifestyle. I acutally did this cleanse with D back in May of last year and I really felt the benefits. Not only did I feel  cleansed, but energized and excited to eat cleaner. So what did I use?  I picked up this book "Look Better Naked" by the editors of Women's Health magazine which gives you a 6 week plan to basically look, well hot! They suggest using the 2-day cleanse to kickstart your 6 week plan but you don't have to use it. I did this cleanse again starting new years day and I'm feeling so excited to restart my body and try to stick to the 6 week eating and working out plan!

In a nut shell, the 2-Day Cleanse looks a little something like this:

Breakfast:
Light shake
Blend 1 cup fat-free (soy, almond, rice or hemp) milk
1 cup berries
1tsp peanut butter or flax seed oil
1 cup ice

Snack:
1 cup sliced cucumbers
1 cup green tea

Lunch:
steamed or raw greens (romaine, spinach, mesclun, arugula, kale etc.)
4 oz. lean protein (white meat chicken, firm tofu or fish)
2 tsp oil (olive, sunflower or walnut)

Snack:
10 asparagus spears, blanched
1 cup green tea

Dinner:
same as lunch

Yeah, to some this might look like their regular food plan. But to me, this looks meager and challenging. The shake I know I'll be able to do because I've been drinking breakfast smoothies for the past few weeks and I'm totally down with it! The nice thing with this plan is we are allowed to add spices and fresh herbs to make the meals more appetizing. For example, I think I'm going to add a little vinegar and fresh dill to make a cold cucumber salad -- that's more flavorful right? We are also allowed 2tsp of oil with both lunch and dinner to use how we want. I'm thinking of mixing that with some balsamic vinegar to make a vinaigrette and fresh herbs to make a dressing for my fresh greens. Lastly, I'm trying to think about how to liven up that meat since we are only allowed to bake or broil it. I'm thinking chicken could be marinated in fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper. And fish I could experiment with some spices and use a rub. 

and a little humor to reminds ourselves to laugh when we're lashing out in hunger (I do this, do you?!)

Has anyone else ever done a detox and cleanse, and if so how did it go??
Anyone else committing to a healthier lifestyle for 2014?

xo Steph

Healthy Eating: Black Bean & Kale Quesadillas

In attempts to be a healthier person and um, *cough* loose some weight, I'm really trying to make smarter choices when it comes to food. However, I hate feeling deprived and living off of salads and raw veggies just isn't going to cut it. So my solution, 1. is to "lighten up" foods I already like by making healthier substitutions and 2. sneaking in healthy foods into other foods whenever possible. I do this with my green smoothies in the morning (aka hide the spinach, kale and chia seeds amidst the fruit) so I don't even know I'm eating it, and I'm doing the same thing here with this black bean and kale quesadilla. This recipe I invented was born out of having only these ingredients to work with, and I must say, I've made this about a handful of times now and it definitely satisfies my Mexican cravings.

 What you'll need:

Whole wheat soft tortillas

Can of organic black beans (you can use regular too)

kale (I used locally grown -- always eat local whenever possible!)

shredded cheese (your choice, I happen to have a mexican blend leftover from tacos)

cooking spray

You can also swap the kale for other leafy greens you may have on hand. I've actually made this with spinach and arugula and they are both equally tasty!

 {always eat local}

So what I do is lighting spray a small frying pan with cooking spray. I used Pam Organic Olive Oil, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I then add my filling on one side of the tortilla, starting with cheese, then the black beans, the kale, and then a little more cheese on top just to make sure it melts on both sides and holds together better. 

Or maybe it's just an excuse to add more cheese!

Either way, you can monitor your cheese intake and use it more sparingly.

 Fold it over and press down with a spatula and hear it start to sizzle. I usually hold it down with the spatula for a minute or two and then flip it to the other side. You know it's done when you can see the cheese melting on the sides, and the tortilla on the outside will look like this.

 Plate your quesadilla, cut it into four pieces so it looks like you're eating more, and it will take you longer to eat. 

Longer to eat = slowing down = fuller faster = less likely to overeat. 

 I serve mine with a side of fresh pico de gallo, but regular salsa would work, or guacamole would be delicious too! If you're trying to keep it light, stay away from the sour cream!

And enjoy knowing you're not only eating black beans and kale -- but you're also eating a yummy quesadilla too!!

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

What tips and tricks do you have to eat healthier?

xo Steph

Also linking up with Because Shanna Said So

busy girl breakfast: healthy greek egg white "mcmuffins"

Yes, I was the person who still calls regular chicken nuggets, "mcnuggets" and egg sandwiches "egg mcmuffins" --  I guess that's just good advertising that has sunk into my subconscious as a child eating "happy meals." But I digress. 

Anyway, onto an important topic for me is eating healthy on the go. For anyone who works (be it at an office or a working mother at home) having time to actually make a healthy breakfast can seem nothing short of impossible. I don't even have kids, and finding time to make a nutritious breakfast for myself as I'm running out the door to head to work, can seem like a lost cause. I fell into a phase where breakfast was hitting up the Dunkin' Donut's drive thru every morning before work (or as I like to call it "dunkies") for my morning hazelnut coffee and bagel (sometimes donut) to scarf down quickly while working. Yeah -- not healthy. at. all. I always wished there was a "fast food" restaurant that offered only healthy foods like egg whites and smoothies but it seems like there's nothing like that out there, at least not around me. So what's the solution for a busy girl/healthy breakfast on the run? The healthy egg mcmuffin of course. Just a half hour of prepping on the weekend and you have yourself frozen healthy choices in your freezer to grab as your heading out the door.

What you'll need:

egg whites (or eggs if you prefer)

whole wheat english muffins (I like ones from whole foods)

butter (to grease muffin tin)

muffin tin

tomatoes

spinach

feta cheese

(or make any variation of this muffin sandwich that you want. basically anything you can throw into an omelette would make a great egg sandwich. other variations I like include adding broccoli or any left over veggies from dinner, or plain egg whites with a slice of pepper jack cheese and Frank's Red Hot sauce -- so good)

 prep your toppings -- chop and have everything ready.

also while prepping, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 important: you must grease the muffin tin or else the egg muffins will stick and pretty much be ruined. I found that a thin layer of regular butter works best, and I've never had a problem getting them out this way. I've also tried non-stick sprays like Pam and it didn't come out so well. Just trust me, stick with butter. pun intended ; )

 Now time to fill the muffin tins with your fillings. I fill them to about the halfway point, putting the spinach in first, then the tomatoes, then a little bit of feta cheese. I go lightest on the feta since that would be the most unhealthy ingredient. But this is really the fun part where you can get creative and put anything you want in them. Left over broccoli and potatoes? Sure. Crumbled up bacon, heck yes! Except that bacon wouldn't fall under the category of healthy anymore. Boo.

 Next, pour your egg whites (or beaten regular eggs) into the tin over your fillings. This should be filled about 3/4 of the way -- to make room for them to cook and rise a bit. It should look like this before you put them in the oven. 

 Bake in over at 350 degrees for about 20-22 minutes. 

Again, everyone's oven might be a little different. If you want, stick it with a toothpick to make sure it's cooked. And when they are, they should look like this.

 Let them cool for about 5 minutes them pop them out of the muffin tin with a fork to cool some more. Easy Peasy. Of if you're like me who can't wait -- eat one of these bad boys right away because they are that yummy. These are also great to make for breakfast or brunch when you have guests over. They are like little mini quiches and will surely please a crowd quickly. Serve with some skillet potatoes and some bubbly mimosas and you've got yourself a fab brunch: )

 Now on to making and storing the sandwiches. 

There are a few ways you can do this. You can freeze the egg muffins on their own, or you can freeze them as a whole sandwich. I like the whole sandwich because it's more convenient for me, and that's what this whole recipe was about. So I like to cut pieces of foil and arrange my english muffins and eggs like shown above. 

 then I squeeze down on the top of the muffin to distribute the egg within the sandwich. Because I hate having extra bread/bun and not enough "stuff" in the middle.

 wrap 'em individually and seal in a freezer bag. Label and date them so you're not eating them years later because that's gross. These should keep for a few months but I assure you they only last a week or two at the most in my home.

If you have leftover eggs or not enough english muffins you can always freeze them like this and heat them up -- and then assemble on your sandwich. But it's totally up to you. Like I said, I like the whole sandwich together because it's the most convenient for me, and I can literally grab it and go when I'm heading out the door for work. 

Reheating:

Most convenient for me is microwaving it for a minute each side and then letting it cool for a minute. Again, that's for my microwave so experiment with cooking times that work for you. You can also do this, and then toss it in a toaster oven for another minute or two to get a more "oven" baked taste and texture if you prefer -- but it's totally your preference.

Another method, but not always doable it putting it in the oven for 30 minutes. I know, you're thinking that's crazy and super inconvenient but it could work for you if you pop it in your oven when you take a shower and do your makeup, and then you'll have a hot egg sandwich waiting for you when you're ready to leave. Also a great method for those who are weary of microwaves or don't own one at all.

So that's one of my solutions for busy girl/healthy breakfasts to-go. I'll also be sharing my smoothie recipe which is my other go-to healthy breakfast option.
What's your favorite ways to eat a healthy breakfast on the go?

xo Steph