Eating Lean and Clean - Veggie Dishes

Curry Cauliflower with Lemon Pepper Kale

My love for Cauliflower and Kale has grown so much. This combination will complement any lean protein that you serve.

 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Curry Powder
Cauliflower
Fresh Herbs

Curry Cauliflower

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder

1 medium head cauliflower, stems removed

1/4 tsp Himalayan or sea salt (to taste; optional

Steps

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add curry powder, stirring constantly, for 15 to 30 seconds or until fragrant, taking care not to burn. Remove from heat.

Combine cauliflower and curry powder in a glass baking dish. Add salt if desired; mix well. Bake, stirring gently 2-3 times, for 20-to 25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Kale - Servings 2 - Prep time: 10  - Cook Time: 8 minutes

1 pound of Kale, washed center stalks removed, and chopped

1 tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 tbsp lemon zest

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

Bring a cup of water in a medium saucepan over high heat to a rolling boil.

Add Kale, cover it, and steam it for about 3-5 minutes or until it is tender and bright green. Remove from heat; let stand for about 2-3 minutes.

Drain Kale and place in a large bowl. Add lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil. Toss gently, season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with lemon zest.

Grits and Eggs with a Creamy Twist

Grits, eggs with bacon or sausage was a Sunday morning favorite when I was growing up.  Grits known for its mark on Southern Cuisine is not just for breakfast anymore, it is now served for lunch and dinner with shrimp, or lobster.   So the next time you want to impress your Sunday Brunch guest, try my recipe for Grits and Eggs.  Just the right portion full of creamy cream cheese and topped with egg, crispy bacon and a little onion flavor from chopped chives. Enjoy

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Quick - 5 minute Grits
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese 1/3 Less Fat
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Milk
• 2 Slices Bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp of Chopped Chives
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 4 ramekins with butter flavored or regular cooking spray. 

2. Cook Grits according to package directions for about 5 minutes until nice and creamy.  Then add butter, cream cheese, and milk stir until blended well. Let simmer for about 1- 2 minutes, remove from heat.

3. Microwave on high, bacon for 2 - 3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.  Remove and let drain on paper towel than chop into small pieces, and then set aside.

4. Place grits in prepared ramekins, filling each ramekin about half. Then crack one egg over each ramekin filled with grits.  Be careful not to break the yolks, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Top with chives, cover with aluminum foil, place ramekins on baking sheet, place in oven and let bake for about 15 minutes or until egg whites are set and yolk is firm.

5. Remove from oven and top each dish with Triple Cheddar cheese and chop bacon. Serve with toast, or toasted English Muffins. 

Eating Lean and Clean 2013 - Recipe #1

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

Candied Sweet Potatoes is a family recipe that I needed to make healthier.  I took away the sugar and butter that made up the heavy syrup and substituted with Agave Nectar and Olive Oil.  When you roast the sweet potatoes in the oven lightly coated with olive oil and agave nectar with a little chili powder you will get caramelized potatoes with a little hit of spice.  You can also add fresh herbs that will take it to another level. 

Serving Size : 4 - 6            Prep Time:  15              Cook Time: 40 - 45 minutes

Ingredients

·       2 ½  pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

·       2      tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·       2      tablespoons agave nectar ( substitute for agave nectar is “Pure Maple Syrup”)

·       1      tablespoon of fresh squeeze lime juice

·       4     cloves garlic (minced)

·       1      tablespoon fresh grated ginger

·       1      teaspoon cinnamon

·       1      teaspoon chili powder

·       1      teaspoon nutmeg

·       ½     teaspoon all spice

·       ½    cup fresh scallions (chopped for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray cooking spray lightly on a large foil-line baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, agave nectar, lime juice, garlic fresh ginger and spices. Then add sweet potatoes; toss and coat well.
3. Place season sweet potatoes on to baking pan and spread them out into a single layer, so that they can roast evenly. 
4. Roast sweet potatoes in oven, stirring occasionally, for about  40 - 45 minutes or until they are golden brown, tender, and caramelized.  Remove from oven and season with a little salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Then place in serving dish and granish with fresh  scallions.
   

Note about agave nectar

Use ½ to 2/3 cup Agave Nectar = 1 cup of regular sugar. 

Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave is a natural sweetener extracted from the core of the Blue Agave plant.

• Sweet, mild nectar is 25% sweeter than sugar (so more is less!)
• A perfect multi-purpose sweetener for beverages, fresh fruit and general table-top use
• Glycemic index of 39 or less; Natural sweetness without the blood sugar spike
• Blue Agave is non-crystallizing and quick dissolving. 

Blue Agave has a bright sweetness that quickly dissipates, perfect in baked goods, fresh fruit and smoothies, salad dressings and savory sauces. 


Cooking tips:

• Use as a one-for-one replacement for sugar, then adjusts to your own personal taste. Some chefs prefer to use 75% as much Blue Agave nectar as they would sugar in a recipe, but others prefer a straight 1:1 replacement.
• Reduce the other liquids in a recipe by up to 30%.
• Cook lower and slower: reduce your baking temperature by about 25 degrees and bake for a little longer.

 

 

Eating Clean and Lean for 2013

As most of you know I am a Type II Diabetic.  I love cooking with fresh ingredients as much as I can.   For 2013, I will need to make some serious changes to how I eat and must lose weight in order to really get my diabetes manage and under control. 

Now for 2013, I have set a goal for myself to lose weight and take better care of myself so that I will be around for my daughters and wonderful grandson.  So what is my plan for “Eating Clean and Lean for 2013”?

No one can pinpoint the one thing that causes weight gain, for most people, a variety of factors are to blame, including genetics, family history, eating and exercise habits, lifestyle choices that influence everything from how much sleep we get to how stressed we feel.  Fortunately, diet is one of the factors that I can control.  In addition, there is great debate about the best dietary changes to make.

Should I eat less fat?  Eat fewer Calories?  Or simply eat less food?  I have come to the conclusion that any approach I take would be better than doing nothing.

Eating clean and lean for me is - choosing to prepare balance meals that will include the changes below.

1.     Eat more whole grains

2.     Eat more vegetables and fruits

3.     Focus on lean proteins and healthy fats

4.     Cut back on Sugar

5.     Eat reasonable portion sizes

6.     Cut down on processed foods

7.     Drink more water

The biggest item for me is “processed /prepared food products” with loads of ingredients, that will not allow me to control add sugars, salts, trans and saturated fats.

Also, most important along with eating clean and lean is exercise.  My goal is to start with at least  30 – 45 minutes a day of some kind of exercise activity.

CW’ Cafe Today – Cooking From the Pantry – Lean and Clean for 2013