Healthy Chicks

Whenever you find yourself in need for a quick lunch, whether you are running late to work or rushing to get the kids ready to head out the door, it’s always a good idea to access what you already have. Before you go out and spend $15 on an over-priced salad or sub, consider putting your leftovers to use first. It may not always come out pretty, but I can guarantee you’ll save money, feel good about what you’re putting into your body, and perhaps invent a new favorite recipe. Hey, you never know!

Here’s what I concocted this afternoon when crunched for time:

{sorry, this pic was taken from my Droid. Told you, I was pressed for time}

about 1/2 c. leftover brown rice spaghetti + few tablespoons of all-natural garlic marinara sauce + steamed broccoli & spinach from last night’s meal + a few baby bella mushrooms + 1/4 c. chickpeas + touch of freshly grated parmesan cheese + dash of garlic powder & black pepper

And there you have it. A lunch made in minutes. What’s your favorite way to put leftovers to use? Have you ever created a new favorite recipe based on a leftover combo?

XoXo,

If food really is the way to a man’s heart, I knew I had better be making my man the meal of all meal’s this past weekend. The Boy recently had a loss in his family, and rather than buying him an Edible Arrangement or a prewritten Hallmark card, I decided to get my little butt in the kitchen. I know just how much fresh garlic & seasonings, red wine and a home-cooked meal made with TLC  can really mean (far more than any cliche gift in my book), and well that’s what I wanted to do.

So I thought, and I thought and I thought and I thought.

What would be extra special? What would really show how much I care?

And alas, the idea was born. It started out with a CD my sister had given me a while back filled with authentic Italian dinner music. Italian theme it was!

And then came the menu that I designed, printed out and placed aside the table settings with the card I had written him. Ristorante Di Amore or shall I say, “Restaurant of Love.” Here’s a mini preview below:

Primi (First Course): Field green salad with assorted vegetables; wine, cheese and bread plate with olive oil dip

Secondi (Second Course): Chicken marsala served with roasted garlic broccoli & whole wheat cous cous

Dolce (Dessert): Chocolate Mousse Cannoli from Mike’s Pastry (of course!)

For starters, we snacked on New Zealand sharp grass fed cheddar cheese I had picked up from Trader Joe’s with a glass of Malbec. We also enjoyed a nice big salad with field greens, cucumber, tomato, freshly grated parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

As The Boy finished his appetizers, I got to cooking. I had never made Chicken Marsala before, but found this recipe on Women’s Health online which I decided to modify a bit. I pretty much followed the recipe with a few minor tweaks, like substituting onion for shallot (since that’s what I had in the kitchen) and replacing half the flour with almond meal as I find it a great replacement for flours when breading or frying. You can view the original recipe here. It was surprisingly super easy to make, and tasted just like the authentic meals I’ve had at Italian restaurants, while using fresh, wholesome, healthy ingredients.

While the chicken was cooking, I roasted the broccoli in the oven –  just chopped it up and drizzled with olive oil, lemon, garlic and a little bit of parmesan cheese and roasted for about 25 to 30 minutes. The cous cous was the easiest to make, as it literally cooks in five minutes. I just added a little lemon, thyme and fresh parsley to season and served it as a side.

The grand results?

{I swear it tasted MUCH better than it looks…I’ve never been the best food photographer}

And then there was dessert, and more wine. Seriously, is there any better way to end a romantic “I Love You” meal with a Chocolate Mousse Cannoli from Mike’s? I think not.

XoXo,

[source] Got leftover pesto hanging around the house? Try this easy peasy recipe!

Remember how I told you all that I’m a huge fan of experimenting with new recipes? Well, this afternoon my sister had the brilliant idea of making use of my grandma’s homemade pesto we had stored in the freezer. (Sidenote: freezing pesto is a super practical way of making it last longer, while keeping it fresh and tasty. My grandma taught me a little trick to freeze in ice cube trays for individual servings.) Once I knew pesto was on the menu, my little brain started to ponder.

After a trip to Whole Foods, I decided we’d incorporate some all-natural chicken into tonight’s meal. And peas. And penne. Alas, dinner was planned.

Here’s what we used for tonight’s easy supper*:

*makes about 4 servings

• 2 c. brown rice penne
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken tenderloin, all-natural & raised without antibiotics (organic is best – I got ours at Whole Foods)
• 1/2 can sweet peas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c. frozen spinach, organic
• 1/4 c. homemade pesto (may adjust according to taste)
• 1 1/2 TB olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• salt  & pepper to taste

1. Boil your water and cook penne according to directions. In the meantime, pat chicken until thin and then slice into small cubes.

2. Coat medium skillet with olive oil, and cook chicken on medium heat. Once slightly cooked, add in lemon juice, garlic, and pesto, coating the chicken thoroughly. Continue to stir.

3. Once chicken is tender & completely cooked, reduce to medium-low heat, mix in frozen spinach and peas and cover.

4. Drain the pasta and mix in with chicken mixture, making sure spinach is fully cooked.

~ Garnish with a dash of lemon juice, salt & pepper.

I loved how this dish came out, especially the way the peas added an extra bite to a traditional dish. Usually I’m the type to load on seasonings, olive oil, salt (guilty as charged), and parmesan cheese but this dish really had a powerful flavor on its own with the lemon juice and pesto combination.

Better yet, we had leftovers for once so I get to enjoy this meal all over again tomorrow. Perhaps, I will enjoy it chilled with a slight drizzle of olive oil for a quick ‘n’ easy lunch.

Have a lovely evening,

Last night, I attended my very first Boston Bloggers Meet + Greet, which took place at the ever so chic Sonsie on Newbury. I have been to other local blogger events in the past, but never one hosted by Boston Bloggers, so I was excited to try something new. On that note, I had also never been to Sonsie before but have always heard great things about this little hot spot.

I must say, the event was unlike any blogger event I’d ever gone to before. First and foremost, it was PACKED, which while intimidating at first glance, was a good way to push myself out of my comfort zone.  In addition, there were more than 60 bloggers there, all with different backgrounds and passions which was a breath of fresh air compared to some events I’d been to in the past with ALL healthy living bloggers, or ALL fashion bloggers.

The best part was that one of my best friends, who’s also a blogger and lives in the North End, Megan (Balanced in Boston) came with her boyfriend Ross (Ross Donovan Photography) for their very first blogger event! I was so happy to see them there, even though we tried to meet new people and not simply stay in a clique all night. I think it’s safe to say we did good!

As I sipped my Pinot Grigio, I worked my way around the crowded, dimly lit room to talk to as many bloggers as I could. It was a great way to tell people how excited I am about my new health coaching venture,  spread the word about Healthy Chicks, and make fabulous connections. The event planner’s gave us individual booklets of each blogger attending, along with their blog URL and twitter name which was a great way to keep track of who you’ve talked to! I especially enjoyed chatting with Clair from Finding Clarity since we have so much in common with lots of the same interests. Her blog is beautiful and definitely a creative inspiration.

It was also wonderful bumping into Elina from Healthy and Sane to talk about her latest cooking venture (she’s starting her own company too!), Ryan from EPHAS who started his own company that shares stories and connects people around the world through real-life, raw photographs, and this husband and wife duo Jon and Lindsey from Beantown Eats who blog about all the best food and cocktails in the city!

As you can see, there was quite the variety of people there, which I love. If everyone is the same, life gets boring, ya know?

Speaking of boring, I decided to jazz up the typical caprese salad into something a little more creative for dinner this week (as you know I’m a huge fan of changing up my recipes), and I thought I’d share this super easy, take-it-to-go remix with you!

What Ya Need:

• 1/2 ready-t0-go avocado, chopped
• 1 small roma tomato, sliced into thin wedges
• 1/2 c. fresh baby spinach
• handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
• a few slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 TB olive oil mixed with 1 TB balsamic vinegar
• pinenuts to taste (optional)
• salt & pepper

I enjoyed the salad with a side of Ezekiel bread spread with Trader Joe’s 3-Layer hummus.

Enjoy your day,

Rachel

I am a huge fan of experimenting with new recipes, and I’ll try anything at least once. I remember when I was a young girl, I would love joining my grandmother in the kitchen, carefully watching her every move. I was fascinated (and still am fascinated) by how quick she was with her hands, and by the incredible meals she’d create solely with fresh, simple ingredients.

I also remember what a picky little girl I once was! As my grandma would hand me a “taste test” of whatever she was cooking, be it glazed carrots, celery soup, or venison, I’d always shout out with a disgusted face, “But I don’t like that!” Her go-to response: “How do you know if you don’t like it if you don’t try it?” So I’d try it, and at least I’d learn if the taste suited me or not. And 99% of the time, guess what? I liked it.

That’s when I started to expand my taste buds, and experiment with food. My childhood years helped me overcome my fears of the “unknown” and programmed me to try everything…at least once. It transformed me into the woman I am today, and for that I am thankful. I can now say I’ve tried everything from my mom’s chopped liver to sweet bread, Thai cuisine to Indian, raw food to ultra hot spicy food, and can honestly say I’ve enjoyed the journey.

Well today at lunch there was nothing crazy on the menu, but instead of going with my typical bland humus & veggie wrap, or my go-to salad toppings, I decided to think a little outside the box, and it was definitely worth it.

Organic Broccoli Feta Salad

• 1 c. organic broccoli, chopped
• cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 c. black beans, rinsed
• 2 TB crumbled feta cheese
• dash of chili powder
• dash of cumin
• 1 TB olive oil
• Spritz of fresh lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

Mix up in a big bowl and enjoy with a side of hummus and pita or fresh fruit!

Speaking of recipes, I just updated my recipe page over at Zesty Living with 50 nutritious, energizing, zesty combos. Feel free to take a look. Hey, you’ll never know if you don’t try it…

Do you think outside the box when it comes to cooking, or do you stick to your usual daily menu? Are you a daredevil or do you tend to play it safe?

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Remember how last week I mentioned making homemade soup from the produce box we got via Boston Organics? Well, that we did. (I apologize this post is a week later. My nasty cold got the best of me) Anyway, the soup was exactly what we were looking for: light (but filling), nutritious and loaded with organic, all-natural ingredients.

Looking to make a cozy soup for a bitter, winter’s eve? Want to impress your significant other with something healthy and wholesome? Look no further.

What Ya Need:

*Makes large pot of soup (serves 8 to 10)

• 2 containers organic, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium or 4 small organic potatoes, diced
• about 1 bunch organic swiss chard, chopped
• 3 whole organic carrots, sliced (we like to slice ‘em long and thin)
• 2 c. lentils (optional)
• whatever other veggies you have in the house (sweet potatoes, celery and parsnips all work well)
• about 2 TB fresh parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Sauté the onion and the garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat in a large soup pot for about two minutes. Add in the chicken broth and water, and stir.

2. Add in the rest of the veggies (as prepared), and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in the herbs and salt to taste. Reduce to a low heat, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Enjoy! Yup it’s as easy as 1,2,3!

What’s your favorite winter soup recipe? What’s the most unique soup you’ve ever made? Click  here for more healthy recipes…

Welp, tomorrow is Thanksgiving so you bet you’ll be finding me in the kitchen for the day helping the ‘rents cook, and cleaning the house ’til it’s spotless. This year, I decided to make something new since last year my Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes adapted from Babycakes were an epic fail. (I blame my baking skills, not the recipe book.)

Anyway, this year I wanted to make an appetizer, since our family is usually all set when it comes to sides, drinks and desserts. I thought mini quiches would be the perfect pick. Since I stick to a 95% gluten free diet, I baked my mini quiches in a mini muffin tin with, get this, NO CRUST! I know, it sounds crazy but they actually came out crispy, savory and mighty delicious. Oh, and I made two different kinds depending on you’re flavor of choice: a mushroom, onion, cheddar and a spinach & feta.

- THE BASES -

Mini Mushroom, Onion & Cheddar Quiche

• 3 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, whisked
• 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 TB butter
• 1 package baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese
• fresh parsley, for garnish
• salt & pepper to taste

Mini Spinach & Feta Quiche

• 3 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, whisked
• 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 TB butter
• 2 to 3 cups frozen spinach, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 c. all natural feta cheese
• fresh basil, for topping
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325. In a medium skillet, melt  butter and garlic on low heat. Add in called for vegetables, and cook on medium-low heat for about five minutes.

2. In the meantime whisk eggs together with milk. Add in cheese, and vegetable mixture depending on what recipe you’re making. Stir well.

3. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. (A large muffin tin works too!) Scoop egg mixture evenly throughout, so that each is approximately 3/4 filled. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. Top with fresh herbs.

Happy Holidays,

[source]

Craving these lil guys? Try this healthy substitute instead. You AND your kids will appreciate.

I have a confession: As healthy as I may be, there’s something about those little Dinosaur chicken nuggets and boxed Mac ‘n’ Cheese that gets me every time. Every time I see my little cousins nibble away on their itty bitty dinos, I want to join in. I don’t know if it’s childhood memories or comfort food cravings that gets to me, but it is what it is.

But I’m well aware these little dino friends aren’t the best for your health. In fact, the Tyson’s brand for one is loaded with foreign, unnatural ingredients like rib meat, modified corn starch, sulfate, riboflavin, dried whey, caramel color, and methylcellulose. Yuck. What happened when chicken was just…chicken?

Anyway, when my craving hit last night, I decided to give this classic comfort food combo a makeover, and let me tell you it was definitely for the better. My remake came out tastier, crunchier and best yet: guilt-free. Feed this to your kids next time they want McDonald’s, or stuff your face with it. No judgement. None at all.

Crispy Baked “Chicken Nuggets”

• 1 package boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
• 1 c. almond meal
• 1 large egg mixed with 1 egg white, whisked together with a dash of water
• 1/4 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1 to 2 TB dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Mix together herbs, almond meal, and parmesan cheese. Coat each piece of chicken in egg mixture, followed by “bread crumb” mixture. Spread evenly on a coated casserole dish.

2. Season in salt and pepper to taste, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes on 350, or until chicken is crispy and tender. Turn off heat, and keep chicken warm in oven.

In the meantime, while chicken is baking…

Popeye’s Boxed Mac ‘n’ Cheese

• Box of Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Rice & Cheddar Mac & Cheese
• 1/8 to 1/4 c. milk
• about 10 oz. frozen spinach
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• olive oil, for cooking
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to directions. In the meantime sautee spinach in garlic and olive oil on medium-low heat.

2. Drain pasta and add in milk and cheese packet. Mix well. Mix together with spinach, adding in salt & pepper to taste.

There you have it. Serve chicken tenders with a side o’ mac ‘n’ call it a night.

XoXo,

[source]

craving fall?

Now that it’s fall, I find myself craving different types of foods. Instead of lemonade and a salad with grilled chicken, I want comfort food. You know, chicken soup for the soul, roasted squash and pumpkin spice lattes. So today I thought I’d share with you some of my personal fall recipe creations. Hope you enjoy!

If You’re Craving Hearty & Wholesome: The “Healthy Chick” Chili

If You’re Craving Seasonal & Soothing: Baked Butternut Squash with Garlic Sauteed Vegetables

If You’re Craving Soothing & Comforting: Autumn Chicken Veggie Soup

If You’re Craving Sweet ‘n’ Light: The Perfect Chai Tea Latte

If You’re Craving Savory & Saucy: Sweetie Pie’s “Spaghetti” & Turkey Meatballs

If You’re Craving Pumpkin & Chocolate & Ooey Gooey Goodness: Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Yesterday evening, there was no doubt fall was in the air. That’s why I decided to embrace the crisp weather and whip up an autumnal fall feast. I was craving salmon, so I based my dinner around the fish and my thinking cap went into full-fledged action. In a few minutes, I came up with a brilliant idea to make a baked cajun salmon with mango salsa, paired with roasted parmesan cauliflower and finally a kale & avocado salad.

Want to mimic last night’s dinner for yourself?

Here’s how:

Fresh Kale & Avocado Salad

• Bunch of fresh green kale
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 TB olive oil
• 1/4 c. fresh shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• handful pinenuts (optional)

~Mix ingredients together thoroughly, and chill for about an hour before serving (to give time for olive oil & lemon to soak up for ultimate flavor)

Roasted Parmesan & Garlic Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• handful of parmesan cheese (to taste)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. cajun seasoning
• olive oil

1. Spread cauliflower out on a coated baking sheet. Top with garlic, parmesan cheese, cajun, salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil until well coated.

2. Bake on 400 for approximately 35 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula.

Baked Cajun Salmon with Mango Salsa

• Fresh salmon fillet (approximately 4 oz. per serving)
• 2 TB spicy mango salsa marinade (I bought an all-natural one at Whole Foods)
• about 1 TB cajun seasoning
• salt & pepper

1. Rub salmon with cajun seasoning, followed by the mango salsa marinade. Top with salt & pepper to taste.

2. Bake on 350 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through and sizzling.

I’d have to say, this dinner was a hit. I think the empty plates spoke for themselves. Enjoy!

XoXo,