Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut Curry

I have been following this lady on Instagram and her blog, Deliciously Ella, and her amazing recipes.  She is a plant-based cook out of the UK but you can definitely add meat protein to her recipes or use this one as a side if you feel the need.  The ingredients amount below is cut in half from what is on her blog.  I made it to use as a meal prep for my lunches for the week and it made plenty.  If you are making it for your family then I would double the amount listed.

Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut Curry:

1 large sweet potato

1 cup black olives

3/4 cups lentils

1 can coconut milk

1 can tomatoes (14 oz)

Small handful fresh coriander leaves

1/2 tablespoon of turmeric

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

salt and pepper

1/2 lemon

350 degrees for about an hour

 

 

First thing you want to do is cut the sweet potato into bite size pieces and chop the coriander leaves.

 

In a pot add the coconut milk, tomatoes, cumin, ginger and turmeric and stir it together. Heat on medium heat until it becomes bubbly.

 

After it becomes bubbly add the sweet potatoes, lentils, coriander and olives. Add salt and pepper.  I just did a couple of grinds on my salt grinder and added about 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

 

Stir this all together and transfer it to a baking dish, preferably with a lid. If you don't have a dish with a lid I'm sure foil would work just as well.

 

Cover and bake for about an hour. It smells so delicious when you take it out of the oven!

 

I served mine over brown rice but would also be good over quinoa.  This is a very hearty meal and the sweet potatoes add the perfect sweetness to it.  You can always add some chicken breast just make sure that it's precooked first. Simply Delicious

Hummus

My friend sent me a recipe for homemade hummus from the Barefoot Contessa but I slightly changed it.  It originally calls for garlic cloves to be put into the blender and hot sauce.  I wanted to make a plain, traditional flavor so that I have the option of adding different toppings when I go to eat it.  I'm posting the recipe how I made it and it turned out so yummy!

Hummus:

2 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzo) drained (set aside the liquid from the can)

1/3 cup tahiti (sesame paste)

roughly 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons)

2 tablespoons of liquid from the chickpeas (garbanzo)

kosher salt to taste

*side note: if you want to add garlic to the above recipe, add 4 garlic cloves and chop in the blender and then add the remaining ingredients and blend until hummus is consistency you like.*

Toppings to add:

kalamata olives

olive oil

jalapenos

fresh garlic

pine nuts

sun-dried tomatoes

green olives

hot sauce

fresh chopped herbs

 

 

Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend and pulse until you get the consistency you want.  I scraped the sides of the blender down once and then blended until it became smooth.

 

For my dinner I added chopped kalamata olives on top with a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve it with a bunch of different vegetables and/or pita bread heated and you have a simple, healthy snack, lunch or dinner. Simply Delicious

 

 

No-Bake, No-Guilt Apple Crisp

So when you are eating clean and trying to be as healthy as you can, you realize that creating food is fun and ever changing.  Tonight I was craving something sweet but I am staying away from refined sugar.  But I came up with a delicious dessert and don't have to feel guilty about eating it!

No-Bake, No-Guilt Apple Crisp:

1/2 apple diced

1-2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup oats

1 tablespoon unsalted roasted sunflower seeds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1-2 teaspoons raw honey

1/2-1 teaspoon agave nectar

*I threw this together tonight so there isn't a recipe. You may want to adjust the amount that has been used.  It would also be great with some unsweetened coconut added to it*

 

In one skillet heat the coconut oil on about medium heat.  Then add the apple and raisins.  Cook the apples and raisins for about 5 minutes.

 

In another skillet on medium heat put the oats and sunflower seeds in a single layer.  This is being done to slightly toast them.  I cooked them for about the same amount of time as the apples.

 

After the oats and seeds are slightly toasted add them to a bowl.  Then I added the cinnamon and mixed the oats around.  Then add the agave nectar and the raw honey and stir well.

 

Place the apple and raisins on a plate and top with the oat and seed mixture.  Something to eat for dessert that is close to the comfort food apple crisp but doesn't have all the calories. I hope you enjoy! Simply Delicious.

 

 

 

 

Zucchini Pasta

Tonight was one of those nights where I couldn't eat the chicken alfredo I was making for my family so I decided to create something for myself.  I was very pleased with the outcome.  It was really yummy!  So the amounts I used listed below are for one person so adjust accordingly.  I also just purchased a spiraling tool and decided to make zucchini noodles instead of eating regular pasta noodles.

Zucchini Pasta:

1 medium zucchini spiraled

1/3 cup precooked chicken breast cubed

handful cherry tomatoes cut in fourths

3-4 mushrooms sliced

1 tablespoon cilantro torn up

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

dash of dried thyme

dash of dried oregano

 

Heat some oil in a skillet and add the zucchini spirals.  Cook for a few minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients.

 

After it cooks for a few minutes and the mushrooms are starting to get tender it's done.  If you don't eat chicken it would be just as good to omit the meat or replace it with tofu. Simply Delicious.

Quick Asian Stir-Fry

I bought a new kitchen tool today and was really excited to use it.  It's a tool to make spiral food.  I started with doing zucchini and it was so much fun that I ended up spiraling, chopping and slicing lots and lots of vegetables.  There really isn't a recipe but for this stir-fry I used:

zucchini

purple onion

carrot

mushrooms

red, yellow and orange pepper

cilantro

broccoli

fresh cut ginger

 

I made sure everything was all prepared and then started the broccoli in a preheated wok with some olive oil. Remember the broccoli takes a little longer to cook so cook it for a few minutes and throw in everything else.

While stir frying it I added a little peanut oil and some sesame seeds.  Make sure to mix it well and then add a lid to help steam all the vegetables.

 

I served my stir fry on top of some chilled rice noodles.  I also made a simple dressing that I like to use on salads that is rice vinegar, olive oil and raw honey.  This amount pictured was enough for my dinner and two lunch preps for the week.  Simply Delicious

Baked Banana and Carrot Oatmeal

I follow a lot of people on Instagram that are also part of the Kayla Itsines Army.  Some of these ladies post the best looking food!  I'm always looking for a yummy breakfast food to try and this one is really yummy.  I already had the ingredients on hand so I actually made it at night knowing that it's already done for my morning.

Baked Banana and Carrot Oatmeal:

2/3 cups oats

1/4 cup grated carrots

1 large banana

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1.5 tablespoons chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

320 degrees for 25-30 minutes

*I used an 8x8 cake pan.  Gently spray sides and bottom of pan before cooking.

 

I put in all the ingredients in a bowl except for the almond milk and mixed them really well.  Make sure to mash the banana really well.

 

Then I added the almond milk and again mixed it really well.

 

Lightly spray your cooking dish/pan. Spread mixture evenly.

 

Bake at 320 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  It was yummy and would be a great substitute for cake if you are wanting something sweet to eat without the guilt. Simply Delicious

 

 

 

 

 

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

A quick smoothie for breakfast!

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie:

1 kiwi peeled and quartered

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon honey

Mix until well blended. It makes double the amount pictured below.

Mayo-Less Tuna

This is one of my favorite ways to make tuna.  Of course instead of tuna you can use chicken, tofu or just the vegetables.  This can also be created with veggies you have on hand and created lots and lots of different ways.

Mayo-Less Tuna:

1 7-oz can albacore tuna

1/2 avacado

1-2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

juice from a wedge of lemon

1/4 teaspoon horse radish

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes sliced

1/8 cup red onion chopped

1-2 radishes chopped

1-2 tablespoons kalamata olives chopped

1 whole grain English muffin

Several fresh spinach leaves

I've also made this with chopped cucumbers, carrots, green onions, peppers, jalapenos, crumbled feta.  The list goes on and on. Be creative! 

This will make enough for 2-3 sandwiches. Another easy way to prep a few lunches and so much healthier than fast food!

 

 

Start out by draining the water out of the tuna can.  Put the tuna in a bowl and break it apart with a fork (or add your chopped chicken or chopped tofu).  Then add the avocado, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and horseradish.  Use the fork to make sure the avocado gets mixed in really well with the tuna and the other ingredients.

 

Then add your chopped vegetables and gently stir them into the tuna mixture.

 

In the ingredient picture I forgot to add the horseradish and kalamata olives.  These both make a great addition to the tuna.  I especially like the olives. You make the tuna so much healthier by not using mayo.  You can also make it with an olive oil base rather than avocado.  I ate mine on a whole grain English muffin topped with fresh spinach, but it would be great just to eat by itself or in a lettuce wrap.  Simply Delicious.

Vegetarian Lasagna in a Cup

Tonight was hard for me.  I made my mom's lasagna for my family and I'm trying to cut a bunch of stuff when I eat and limit things and on and on and on.  My mom's lasagna is already posted on here and I definitely encourage you to make it.  It's the best! So anyways....I was deciding what I could do to eat a healthier version of lasagna.  And I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

 

This was so easy.  I made a sweet potato in the microwave and then cut it into circles.  I also had some left over kale and quinoa soup in the fridge that I drained any liquid from. I sliced some zucchini and used some sliced mushrooms.

To assemble it I used a custard sized baking dish.  I put a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom, then a layer of the kale and quinoa soup, a layer of mushrooms, a layer of zucchini and then top it off with a layer of sweet potatoes. The top layer of sweet potato was without the skin.  The bottom layer I left the skin on to make it more solid.

I baked it at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.  When it was done I slid a fork around the edges and put a small plate on top and then flipped it over.  This was all by chance that it would work.  And I was so excited!  It worked!!! Then I topped it with some fresh parsley.

 

Smoothie with Steel Cut Oats

Adding oats to a smoothie is a great way to stay fuller longer in the morning. My friend gave this recipe to me when I was taking suggestions on using oats. It's really delicious and thick.  I will post the recipe with the full serving amount but my picture is showing the recipe cut in half.  I knew I wouldn't be able to drink a whole one so I cut everything in half.

Smoothie with Steel Cut Oats:

1 banana

1/2 cup steel cut oats

8 oz. almond milk

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tbsp. natural peanut butter

1 scoop protein powder

Put all ingredients into blender and mix until well blended.  I paired mine with 1/4 cups frozen mixed berries.  Remember berries have lots of antioxidants AND frozen berries make a great snack and if you don't like them frozen they thaw out rather quickly.

 

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon

I googled recipes the other day using fresh lemons and came across this fish recipe that I wanted to try.  Oh man!  It was fantastic.  If you don't like fish this rub would be great with chicken also.  If you haven't given tilapia a chance yet then you are missing out.  My daughter isn't big on fish but she really enjoys tilapia.  It's a really mild fish and easy to cook.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound tilapia fillets (I used 2 fillets)

2 pounds asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lemon cut into wedges

*side note:  my family ate rice pilaf (out of a box) and even though I love rice pilaf I ate a side of quinoa with dried cherries.  The recipe for the quinoa is on my blog.  Also my kids had their fish dipped in bread crumbs and cooked with coconut oil.  So if you are doing more than two fillets I would adjust the rub accordingly.*

Combine the chili powder, garlic powder and salt and then spread it out on a plate.

 

 

Cover the fillet on both sides with the rub. Cook in a preheated skillet on medium heat.  I used coconut oil but olive oil would work just as well.  Cook it about 5-7 minutes a side.  When you squeeze it with tongs it should respond kind of like a sponge to tell if it's done.

While the fish is cooking on the second side start the asparagus.  I simply steamed mine in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.  

 

I usually don't like lemon on fish but I did put lemon juice on my fish while it was still really hot and also put some lemon juice on my asparagus.  To go with my side of quinoa I toasted some cashews to put on top to give it an earthy taste.  This was a really yummy and healthy dinner.  I will definitely be making it again. Simply Delicious

 

Coconut Water Smoothie

This recipe called for frozen raspberries but I didn't have any so I used frozen strawberries.  It is light and delicious!  I think any frozen fruit would be good in it though.

Coconut Water Smoothie:

1 cup coconut water

1 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons raw honey

 

Put all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth.  The coconut water gives it a really light texture.  If you are having it for breakfast make sure you pair it with a protein and/or fiber to make sure it keeps you fuller longer.  If you have it as a snack eat a handful of nuts with it. Simply Delicious

Pineapple Kiwi Smoothie

Kiwi Pineapple Smoothie:

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
6 oz. Greek yogurt or key lime yogurt
1 kiwi, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used almond)
1 tablespoon raw honey

So easy!  Just put all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth. Simply Delicious

Quinoa with Dried Cherries

I found this recipe in a magazine the other day and decided to try it.  I think it's really good but I also may tweak it for future uses.  The dried cherries give a great taste to the quinoa.

Quinoa with Dried Cherries:

1 cup quinoa

1 cup dried tart cherries

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon (for onion)

3/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

 

 

First add 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover saucepan and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When the quinoa is almost done heat some olive oil in a pan and sautee the onion for about 5 minutes. 

When quinoa is done add the cherries, parsley, vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, onion, salt and some fresh ground pepper.

 

Mix it all together and ta-da it's done.  Really simple and would make a great side dish to chicken or salmon. Simply Delicious.