Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

This Thanksgiving, I challenge you to really think about the food that you are preparing or contributing for your family get togethers.  Typically, our Thanksgiving fare laden with carbohydrate heavy foods that leave us feeling sluggish and bloated.  Make sure that you are including raw vegetables and plenty of colorful foods such as squashes, beets, tomatoes to the festive food spread. 

Even swapping out 1 traditional dish or making that 1 dish healthier is a big step toward improving your healthy eating habits.   Bon Appetite!!

Here are a couple of recipes I found on www.elanaspantry.com for raw cranberry relish and cranberry sauce. 

Raw Cranberry Relish

1 orange, peeled, sliced, seeds removed
1 lemon, peeled, sliced, seeds removed
2 dates, pitted and chopped
2 cups fresh cranberries

1. Blend orange, lemon and dates in a food processor
2. Add cranberries and process until coarsely chopped
3. Serve

Beware, this raw, vegan relish is quite tart. If that is not your thing, just add a few more dates. Personally, I’ll take mine super sour!

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Apricots

1 pound fresh cranberries
1 ½ cups water
½ cup dried apricots, cut into quarters
¼ cup currants
2 tablespoons agave nectar
¼ teaspoon ginger zest
1 teaspoon orange zest

1. Pick through the cranberries, discarding the soft and rotten ones, wash the rest
2. Place cranberries and water in pot, bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes
3. Add the apricots and currants, simmer for five minutes
4. Add agave, orange and ginger zest and simmer five minutes

Serves 6

It’s Grillin’ Season Folks!

Folks are breakin’ out the barbeques and preparing for backyard get togethers or simple, flavorful family dinners.  When preparing the menu, don’t forget the vegetables!  Whether they are the main or side dish, part of a grilled salad or salsa, the flavors and textures of vegetables are enhanced on the barbeque. The results are healthy and delicious. Try a grilled vegetable pizza, grilled vegetables quesadilla, veggie kabobs, toss grilled vegetables and grilled chicken or shrimp over brown rice, or puree grilled vegetables to add a brilliant smoky flavor to soups.  The recipe options are endless!  Zucchini, squash, asparagus, peppers, and mushrooms are particularly suited to the grill and are perfect when marinated, drizzled with olive oil, or seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Most vegetables can be cooked on a grill if you make sure that the vegetables or pieces are large enough not to fall through the grill grate. Other options are to use a grill basket or to skewer a variety of vegetables for cooking.   Success will be found by grilling them quickly over medium-high heat.  Vegetables don’t take long to cook so you will want to stay close to the grill for observation.  Marinate or toss vegetables with seasonings and olive oil before cooking to boost flavor and prevent sticking to the grill grate.

Enjoy! 

Easy Pesto Recipe

These are easy to make and so yummy.  Add your own unique toppings or some extra spice like chili pepper for flavor.

 

1 Cup Pine Nuts

½ Bunch Cilantro

2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic

Juice of ½ lime

Pinch sea salt

 

Mix in food processor until chopped but not pulverized.  Spoon onto individual endive leaves and top with sliced radishes, extra cilantro, slivered almonds, etc.  I also squeeze some extra lime juice over the plate of completed leaves and lightly sprinkle some chili-lime sea salt over them.  Bon appetit!

~Compliments of Cathy Eason, LMP, CNT

Some Healthy Snack Ideas

 

Not planning your meals and your snacks is a really quick way to derail your weight loss plan.  Poor planning can lead to binging or simply making poor choices. 

Eating small amounts several times a day, every 2-4 hours or so can help maintain insulin levels, curb hunger, and regulate your metabolism. 

The key is to plan  your meals and snacks with variety, balance and moderation. 

Here are some healthy snack ideas to try: 

• Celery, carrots or apples with organic peanut butter (look for peanut butter that is low in sugar)
• Air-popped or light popcorn
• Frozen grapes
• Cut-up local fruit in season
• Crispy Almonds or other nuts properly prepared (soaked & low-heat roasted to aid in proper digestion & nutrient absorption, click here for recipe)
• Cut-up local vegetables in season
• String cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Whole grain pretzels or crackers
• Hummus (great with the crackers or veggis!)
• Pesto with endive leaves (click here for recipe)

Some other things to consider when snacking or eating:

• Don’t eat while distracted such as watching tv or working on the computer
• Choose small portions (remember – a portion size is typically the size of your palm)
• Make sure that  you are relaxed and calm when eating so that your digestive system can work optimally
• Chew your food thoroughly!
• Drink water – many times we think that we are hungry when we are, in fact, simply dehydrated (remember – 1/2 your body weight in ounces!)
• Get creative with your snacks and try new things!

Feeling Sore? Try this . . .

Detox Bath Recipe

Here is a recipe that will help relieve the aches and pains associated with a tough workout.

1/2 cup Epsom Salt

1/2 cup Sea Salt

1/2 cup Baking Soda

5-8 drops essential oil of your choice (optional)

 

Add all ingredients to a warm bath, dim the lights, light a candle, put soft music on and relax!

Shredded Chicken and Mango Wraps

 

This is just one of the healthy and tasty recipes from the NEW Adventure Boot Camp Cook Book.  You can get the entire Cook Book right now!  Check it out!   

 

Shredded Chicken and Mango Wraps
Yields 8 servings

1 cup small diced peeled mango
1 cup small diced Roma tomatoes
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
8 fat free flour tortillas (or whole wheat)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (can use skinless rotisserie chicken, if desired)
½ cup low fat sour cream
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
Combine mango, tomato, peppers, onions, cilantro lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream over each tortilla. Evenly spread shredded chicken over tortilla. Top each with about 2 ounces mango mixture and small amount of shredded cabbage and carrots. Roll up tortillas. Slice in the diagonal for presenting.
Nutritional Information
Calories 245
Fat 3.9 grams
Protein 20.2 grams
Carbohydrates 32 grams

Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas

 This is just one of the healthy and tasty recipes from the NEW Adventure Boot Camp Cook Book.  You can get the entire Cook Book right now!  Check it out! 

 Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas

Yields 4 servings

2 cups grilled assorted vegetables (See Grilled Balsamic Grilled Vegetables recipe)

1 cup low fat shredded Monterrey Jack, cheddar or pepper jack cheese

1 sliced green onion

Cilantro leaves

Nonstick cooking spray

4 whole wheat tortillas

Spray nonstick cooking spray in heavy frying pan and heat pan on medium high heat.  Place tortilla in pan and layer with ½ of cheese and grilled vegetables.  Top with sliced green onions and cilantro leaves.  Place second tortilla on top of first.  Once cheese is melted and tortilla is browned, carefully flip and brown second side.  Once second side is brown, remove from pan.  Allow cheese to set about 1 minute before cutting into quarters.  Serve 2 pieces of quesadilla with your favorite low fat salsa.

Nutritional Information

Calories                                218.6

Fat                                          5.3 grams

Carbohydrates                  32.7 grams

Protein                                 14.1 grams

The *NEW* Adventure Boot Camp Cookbook is here!

“But I Just Don’t Know What I should Eat!”

Problem Solved, Period!

We made this so easy for you…

(And your kids will love the food, too)

Your Cook Book For a Lean & Strong Body

By Chef Barbara Apt & Adventure Boot Camp Master Trainer Kelli Calabrese MS

Crispy Nuts

Most nuts contain an enzyme inhibitor that may upset digestion.  The soaking process allows for the natural process of germination which will make the nuts much more digestible.  This is a prime example of returning to the food preparation methods which our ancestors used with great success. 

4 cups Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt

Filtered water

 

Cover nuts with salted water and let sit out at room temperature for approximately 7 hours of overnight.  (Note:  Do not soak cashews for more than 6 hours or they may become slimy and develop an unpleasant taste)

Set your oven to Warm – approx. 150 degrees

Drain, spread nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Fritters

I have a recipe that I want to share with you. A friend of mine tells me that she’s made it and really enjoyed it.

 

Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnip greens and kale are rich in antioxidants, which help protect against both cancer and heart disease.     Ingredients

1 large head broccoli 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion 1/2 small hot chili pepper or 1 teaspoon chili paste 1 large garlic clove, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 pinch salt 1 large farm fresh egg or 2 egg whites 1/4 cup milk A sprinkling of paprika

Instructions

1. Cut the florets off the head of the broccoli and separate them by cutting the large ones in half so they are all more or less the same size. You should have about 3 cups. Discard the stalks, or save them along with any remaining florets to use in soup or a vegetable stir-fry. 2. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium pan, then drop in the broccoli florets, cover, and let steam as they cook, for 3 minutes. Strain in a colander. 3. Put the steamed broccoli, onions, chili and garlic in a food processor and pulse on and off to chop (do not puree the vegetables), or chop by hand. Transfer the chopped ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir in the oil, flour, dill, and salt. Add the egg or egg whites and milk and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. 4. Smear the bottom of a large, nonstick skillet with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and set it over medium heat for about 1 minute. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot skillet, placing them far enough apart so that the pancakes don’t touch, and cook over low to medium heat for about 1 minute. Turn the pancakes and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer them to a hot platter to keep warm while you continue making the rest until all the batter is used up. 5. Top with 1 teaspoonful of sour cream on top of each pancake, then top with a sprinkle of paprika.     Makes 20 1-inch pancakes – 2 per person.   Nutrients Per Serving: Calories 88.3 (with Sour Cream) Fat 5.8 G       Saturated Fat 0.7 G       Protein 2.0 G       Carbohydrate 7.6 G       Cholesterol 0 MG       Fiber 1.3 G This recipe is adapted from THE HEALTHY KITCHEN – Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit by Andrew Weil, M.D and Rosie Daley (Knopf)