Pesto

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Where in the world did this week go? I'm not going with "Friday Favs" today because I promised I'd share my Pesto recipe THREE weeks ago and I haven't done that yet. We've had way too many other things to talk about, right? Anyway, my 'deck garden' is still plentiful of all-the-herbs. Especially my little friend, basil. I have 3 giant basil plants that have been very good to me, but, there's only so much caprese a girl can eat, right? I need to use ZE BASIL! What's great about pesto is that it can be frozen and used for future months. Let me tell you, when the dead of winter hits and you've shoveled your billionth snowflake, there's nothing better than whipping up a quick bowl of pesto pasta. Not only is it delicious, but, it also serves as a reminder that yes, the summer will come and the color green does exist.

Now, let's get to that recipe, shall we?

I've shared a pesto recipe in the past. Admittedly, this one is not that much different but, that's kind of the point. In case I don't say it enough, adapt recipes as needed. If you're missing an ingredient, try something new. In this recipe, I've replaced pine nuts with pecans. My reasoning: 1) I don't often have pine nuts in the house 2) I've read some bad things about pine nuts 3) Pecans have more antioxidants than any other nut 4) They taste good.

The ingredient list is simple:
- 2 cups of basil
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbs (or so) of pecans
- 1/4 cu or so of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 cu of Parmesan cheese

Throw it all in the food processor and let it spin until it's the right consistency. Be sure not to overblend.

And that's all, my friends. 

That night, I made a bowl of zoodles with sautéed organic chicken, tomatoes and used the pesto as the sauce... delish!

Have a great weekend! xo

15 Minute Meals: General Tso's Protein Bowl

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Hello my friends! I hope you are having a solid start to the week. I'm back again with another "15 Minute Meals" post for you! Let me tell you... I've been having internet issues all night and I could have made this meal 6 times in the amount of time it has taken me to complete this post. So there's that! This meal could not be more simple, satisfying, and jam-packed with protein. If there's one thing I know... it's that we are all busy in our own lives. Schedules are jam packed and by the time dinner rolls around, it may be easier to throw in a frozen meal or call for take-out. I started the "15 Minute Meals" series to help with that decision. By the time you're done making a meal like the one I've included below, take-out wouldn't even have arrived yet and the frozen pizza might leave you feeling unsatisfied. Little cheats like using a healthy bottled sauce can make the process of a dinner time meal much easier. I truly believe that whether you are having dinner for one or are feeding a family, it's important to sit down and have a dinner, when possible. I hope this series helps with that. Let's get to it, shall we?

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Ingredients (double or triple, as necessary):
- Organic Ground Turkey (1 Lb feeds 3-4)
- Quinoa (1 cup dried makes 3 servings)
- General Tso's Sauce (I like the Whole Foods version as its ingredient list is short and simple and there are no additives)
- Toppings as desired... I used avocado, lime, and parsley from my garden

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1. Cook turkey meat and the quinoa separately (both take about 15 minutes to cook through :))
2. While the main ingredients are cooking, dice the toppings and set aside

3. Once the turkey meat is fully cooked... toss in the sauce until it's throughly mixed.

4. Spoon quinoa into bowl and top with turkey meat

5. Add toppings. The freshly squeezed lime and parsley add a nice sharpness to this dish but, feel free to use whatever might be in your fridge such as peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.

6. Eat and relax! How easy is that?
The funny thing about quinoa is that I think it is the most boring food on the planet unless it's covered in awesomeness. Once it's mixed, it takes on the flavor of everything else. This is a good thing because quinoa is jam packed with protein (one of the only plant foods that is considered a COMPLETE protein) and is a great source of fiber, magnesium, b-vitamins, vitamin E, calcium and fiber. Add on protein-rich and b-vitamin rich turkey and vitamin-filled and liver cleansing parsley and you'll be ready for an excellent night's sleep and an energetic day to follow.

Have a great week! xo

 

 

Bits & Bites #9

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Hi everyone! I hope you all had an awesome weekend! It was a hot hot hot one here in the Northeast and I took full advantage of it. I will hang on to every last thread of summer until well into October, if possible. My dad has to pull his boat out of the water a little early this year and since this weekend was actually FREE of commitments, I ended up spending both days with my family on the boat. Both days were really relaxing. The ocean water was pretty warm so I tried to get in as much as possible. (FYI "warm" in the Northeast means 68 degrees)

Moving on, I promised to bring back my "Bits & Bites" game to provide you with a snapshot into my little eating world. Here's what I've been into for the last couple of weeks. I hope you all have an awesome week!

Dinner: Fried egg on pesto zoodles.

Dinner: Grilled chicken with buffalo sauce and quinoa with parsley, red onion, tomatoes, and cheese.

Lunch: Fried eggs on corn tortillas, hot sauce, and a teeny bit of cheese.

I think this was a dinner and I had leftovers for lunch: Chicken salad made with grapes, crushed almonds, dill, a little red onion, capers, a little organic mayo and dijon mustard served with blanched green beans and almonds.

Dinner: Fish tacos made with Ian's fish sticks, lettuce, tomatoes, and hot sauce on corn tortillas.

Weekend breakfast: Half english muffin with two fried eggs and watermelon. Yummmm.

Meal Prep for Dinners and Lunches: "Healthy Taco Casserole" made with organic ground chicken, quinoa, taco seasoning and the tiniest bit of cheese. Throughout the week, I topped it with lettuce, tomatoes, hot sauce etc.

Lunch: Random Whole Foods "burrito bowl". I just asked for lettuce, pulled chicken, guac, salsa, roasted veggies, and a little cheese. (I dont do beans and I didn't get a carb).

Dinner: I went back to Babbo with the girls on Thursday night and tried a new pasta dish. My favorites from there are the carbonara and the bolognese, however, this linguine with mussels was quite tasty.

Dinner: Yesterday afternoon when I got back from the South Shore, I power cleaned my entire condo from top to bottom, did two loads of laundry, took care of my garden, and then did a workout with Rob (50 squats, 800m run, 40 push ups, 800m run, 30 sit-ups, 800 meter run, 20 plank jacks, 800 meter run, 10 pistols, 800m run) and then I made that bowl of awesomeness above for fuel! Barilla protein plus pasta, diced tomatoes, garlic, zucchini, crushed red pepper, and parmesan. Mmm.

Have a great one! xo