Creamy Avocado Sauce

The recipe calls for:

1 box of whole wheat pasta

1 larger sized avocado

1/2 of a lemon, the juice only

3 tbs olive oil

4 garlic cloves

salt & pepper

-- Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta per the box.  Approximately 8 minutes.

-- In a food processor blend the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic cloves.  I used a chopper because that's all I have.

-- Add the avocado and some salt to the food processor.  Blend until smooth and creamy.

-- Pour on top of the pasta, mix well and top with some pepper.

-- Serve immediately.

Other options for this recipe can be to add 1/4 cup of fresh basil to the food processor.  I love basil, but wanted to leave it out this time because my fiance it's a fan.  Next time I will definitely add the basil and serve this sauce over some healthy spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

Avocado doesn't reheat well so it's best to eat it fresh the day of making the recipe.

Little Things That Make A Difference

-- Do 50 jumping jacks before showering.
-- Wear a cute/comfortable outfit.
-- Eat breakfast.
-- Park farther away.
-- Bring your lunch instead of going out.
-- Take a couple 5 minute breaks for yourself.
-- Go for a walk before dinner.
-- Do something that makes you happy.

Leftovers Inspiration: A Different Kind Of Coleslaw

The recipe calls for:
10 oz coleslaw mix
1/4 cup jalapeño ranch dressing
2 tbsp taco sauce
few dashes of chili powder
few dashes of cumin
few dashes of garlic powder
dash of lime juice
dash of salt & pepper

-- Combine all the items for the dressing and then mix it well with the coleslaw mix.

Super easy and very tasty!








The only unhealthy part of this is the ranch dressing, but it's a great vegetable side dish and fun for summer BBQ's.  You could also use light dressing or 1/3 cup if you don't mind coleslaw with a little less dressing.

Jalapeño ranch dressing is hard to find, but you could use light ranch and then add cut up jalapeños which would be just as good.  I just used what I have so you can do the same and make it your own.

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

The recipe calls for:
1 thick chicken breast
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, plus some for garnish
4 green onions, chopped

-- Cook the chicken however you like.  You can cut it up into cubes and cook it in a pan or you can do what I did.  I boiled the chicken for 30 mins and then shredded it.
-- Bring the water and quinoa to a boil then put it on low, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
-- Whisk together the hot sauce, olive oil and some salt to make a sauce.
-- Cook the broccoli in pan with some olive oil for about 5 minutes.  You want the broccoli to soften a little, but still have some crunch to it.  Add the shredded chicken to the pan with 1/2 of the sauce.  Let the chicken soak up the sauce.
-- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the quinoa with the chicken, broccoli and sauce mixture.  Add the carrots, cabbage, most of the onion, blue cheese and the rest of the sauce together.
-- Sprinkle the top of the dish with some onion and blue cheese crumbled.

Seriously, UH-MAZING!!!

My Basil Obsession Continues

You can go to an italian restaurant without the guilt!  I am a tomato fan, a mozzarella cheese fan and a huge basil fan.  I eat these thing sometimes at home separately and together, but never thought to order something like this when I am out to eat.  Usually when I am out to eat I don't think about calories and I just like to enjoy myself on a cheat day, but instead of getting a plain garden salad all the time that is high in bad fat because of all the ranch dressing I switched it up.  At the Macaroni Grill I saw a caprese salad on the pantry section of their menu.  It cost more then your normal side salad, but I just had to have it.

It was amazing!  So many good flavors, a lot of healthy vegetables and surprisingly filling.  Caprese salads are definitely something I will keep in mind when I am out at restaurants deciding what to eat.  This salad didn't just have your typical tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil, but it also had onions and a vegetable that I am not sure what it was.  It might've been a turnips or something along those lines, whatever it was it was delicious!

That inspired THIS...

Caprese Salad Pizza

The recipe calls for:
whole wheat pie crust
2/3 cup fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 cups fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

-- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
-- Blanch the basil leaves for 10 seconds in hot water and then immediately cool in an ice bath.  Squeeze out all the water and put the leave into a blender.
-- Add the oil, salt, pepper and garlic to the blender and blend until smooth.
-- Brush the basil oil on the pie crust, top with the slices of cheese and tomato.
-- Bake for about 10 minutes.

Skinny "Mac & Cheese"

The recipe calls for:
5 1/2 cups spaghetti squash
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 onion, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken or vegetable broth
8 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
4 cups baby spinach
1/8 cups parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper, to taste

-- Preheat the oven to 375.
-- Cook the spaghetti squash, see post.
-- Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour, reduce the heat to low and stir continually for 4 minutes.  Add the milk and broth while whisking continually, raise the heat to medium/high until it starts to boil and become thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.  Season with some salt/pepper.
-- Remove the sauce from the heat once it's thick then add the cheddar cheese until, stir until it is fully melted.
-- Add the cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach a little at a time while mixing it all together.
-- Pour it all into a baking dish, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes.