Vegan Stuffed Shells

Vegan Stuffed Shells

This is my kind of meal: healthy, simple, delicious! Bonus: it looks fancy when you are done. I felt like a great Italian cook ;) You can WOW your guests with this one! Even the ones that aren't so sure about your healthier version of stuffed shells.

Ingredients:
2 blocks of frozen chopped spinach
1 package of firm tofu
1 box of shells
1 jar of red sauce
italian seasoning
minced onion
garlic powder

Another bonus- I bought all of the Publix brand of ingredients and it was cheap! Healther meals don't have to be expensive!!!

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add shells and cook as directed on the package.

While the shells are cooking, defrost 2 blocks of frozen chopped spinach. Drain the water off of the spinach. Drain the liquid off of the tofu. Break the tofu into pieces and mix with the spinach. Add italian seasoning, garlic powder, and minced onion. (You can add whatever seasoning you like.)

When the shells are done cooking, drain the water. Let the shells cool for a few minutes.

Coat the bottom of an 8x10 pan with red sauce. Preheat the oven to 375.

Scoop a little bit of the tofu and spinach mixture into each shell. Pack it into the shells and put into the 8x10 pan. Once you have all of the shells filled and in the pan, top them with more red sauce. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are done to your liking.

Eat and enjoy!!!

Perfect Protein Pancake

Happy Friday!


We had left over blueberries from the 4th of July and I was really craving some blueberry pancakes!!!


I love pancakes and could eat a HUGE stack of them! Pancakes are not usually very filling...and they aren't the healthiest breakfast option. Luckily, one of these protein pancakes fills me up and tastes AMAZING! It's healthy, too!


Ingredients:


1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Sun Warrior.)
3/4 cup egg whites
blueberries
vanilla extract
(optional: a little honey for "syrup")

Heat a skillet to medium heat.


While you are waiting for the skillet to warm up, mix the protein powder, egg whites, and vanilla.  Add in the blueberries. 

Pour the mixture into the skillet. Cook the pancake for about 2 minutes on each side, or until it is done to your liking.

Garnish with fresh fruit and enjoy!

OMG! Delicious! The perfect pancake alternative!


I've been singing Jack Johnson: "Banana Pancakes" in my head while writing this :)


What is your FAVORITE pancake flavor??

Wine Bottle Craft

Have empty wine bottles laying around? Try this little craft! 

No empty bottles? Get to drinking! ;)

Wine Bottle Craft

Supplies needed:

• wine bottles
• tissue paper
• spray paint
• Mod Podge (glossy)
• small paintbrush
• cardboard (for work surface)

Drink wine. Rinse bottles with warm water and soap. Remove labels. Dry.

Put the bottles on top of cardboard in an open area. Cover bottles completely with spray paint. Let dry.

While the spray paint is drying, cut your tissue paper into squares. The squares do not have to be perfect and can be different sizes.  Make sure that you have enough squares to cover and overlap on all of the bottles.

"Paint" the entire bottle with Mod Podge. Stick the pieces of tissue onto the Mod Podge.  You can overlap pieces of tissue. Try to flatten them onto the bottle as much as possible. Cover the entire bottle with tissue paper squares.

Once the bottle is covered with tissue paper, you will paint over top of the tissue with another layer of Mod Podge. Cover the entire bottle.  This will help flatten the tissue paper and make it stick to the bottle. Let the Mod Podge dry.  I did Mod Podge, tissue, Mod Podge on one bottle and then moved onto the next bottle.  I used the glossy Mod Podge so that it gave a shiny finish after it dried. 

Arrange the bottles onto a tray for a fancy decoration!

Add flowers...whatever you please! Be creative! Have fun!

What is your favorite kind of wine?

Any other craft ideas for bottles OR wine corks?

Want to try a Fall wine bottle craft? Check out my Candy Corn Wine Bottles:

http://caralyoung.blogspot.com/2013/10/candy-corn-wine-bottle-craft.html

Sweet & Savory Brussels Sprouts with Quinoa

We went grocery shopping the other day and bought a TON of veggies!! We wanted to have brussel sprouts for dinner tonight and didn't wanna have meat. I didn't know what else to serve with them. I searched Google for ideas with brussel sprouts and quinoa. I was inspired by one that found on "The Kids Cook Monday". Grapes are a sweet surprise to the classic pairing of bacon with brussel sprouts, served over fluffy, heart healthy quinoa.

Ingredients:

• 20 brussel sprouts
• bacon pieces
• 1 cup grapes
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup no sodium broth
• garlic pepper or your favorite seasoning

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly spray brussel sprouts with oil. Season brussel sprouts with garlic pepper or your favorite seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes.


Put quinoa and broth into a pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 15 minutes.


Warm bacon and grapes. Stop when the grapes "pop".


Mix all ingredients together and ENJOY!!! 

On Top of Spaghetti

Let me just say I am LOVING the Engine 2 Diet cookbook!

Tonight we made the Pasta Primavera. It was delicious!

You should check out the book... and their Facebook page!

What are some of your favorite recipes?? Think about how you could alter the recipes. Here are a few ideas:

-Take out the meat and vegetables that are high in protein.

-Use fresh ingredients to make your own sauces or dressings.

-Don't use salt...it is optional in most recipes

-Try whole wheat flour or grind up oatmeal

-Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or mayo

It's your choice...make it healthy!

Brussel Sprouts?!

No wonder your mother always forced you to eat brussel sprouts - they're excellent for your cells. "They contain substantial amounts of a compound called brassinin, which helps support healthy cell growth...." says medical expert Dr. Isaac Eliaz from SHAPE


Why should YOU try them???

3 more reasons....

• Brussel sprouts are a nutritious vegetable. 1/2 cup contains 35 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.  They are an excellent source of vitamin C and other antioxidant vitamins.  They are a rich source of minerals, such as, iron, calcium, and potassium.
• You probably need to eat more vegetables!
• They are sooo easy to make & taste delicious! 

(Muggs loved them! He used to say that he hated brussel sprouts! I kept snacking on them while the rest of the meal was cooking. I was pleasantly surprised at how good they were!)

Here's how I made them tonight:


We bought a bag of Brussel Sprouts at Sam's Club.

Put them in a bowl and tossed them in olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the brussel sprouts on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle them with Garlic Pepper.

Bake for about 25 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!

countdown to SUMMER!!

Yesssss, I want to start one. I love countdowns!  There are 107 days until my official start to summer vacation!  I got super excited for summer when I bought a NEW bathing suit today!!

(Pic of my bathing suit from: www.victoriassecret.com. They have sooo many cute ones!)


We went to the mall & I tried a few on. I don't usually like ordering online because I get nervous that it won't fit. Now that I know my size, I might have to do some online shopping!!! Ahhhh, I can't wait to go to the beach!!

Countdown to summer means I need to BRING IT with my workouts!! Today I did x2 Shoulders & Arms and x2 Ab Ripper. It was an awesome workout!!

Yes, I used 2 cans of kidney beans for some of the exercises. hahaha. Tony Horton said to use "little to zero weight" for the Y-T move...so I busted out the cans of beans. I also used the beans for a few of the straight arm raises. They are still hard for me to do with 8 pound weights. But I did use the 10 pound weights for biceps and triceps.  Don't be afraid to modify the moves!! Don't give up. Stick with it and you will get stronger.


Do you want to get in shape for summer? You have PLENTY of time. Get started. Do it for yourself.

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Don't you just LOVE pizza?!

I do!

And I love these portobello mushroom pizzas even more because they are healthier!

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• salt, pepper
• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 cup spinach
• small can of tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 tsp pine nuts
• red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Brush mushrooms with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. On preheated grill pan, grill 2 portabello mushroom until soft to the touch, approx 6 mins per side.
3. Top with 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese and bake until bubbly. 
4. Place on a bed of cooked whole wheat couscous (1/2 cup) mixed with 1/2 cup steamed spinach and 1 tsp pine nuts. sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes:

• Used Hunts no salt added tomato sauce
• If you don't have couscous, serve it with pasta, quinoa, or your favorite side dish.
• Steam the spinach then put it ON TOP of the mushrooms before we cook them. That's my favorite way to make them because it ALMOST like like a real pizza! LOVE IT!!
• Add turkey bacon bits, sundried tomatoes, onions, or your favorite pizza toppings!
• Save some $$... Sam's Club sells mushrooms in a 4 pack for 5 bucks. 

Check out this recipe for a BBQ Chicken Pizza:
http://caralyoung.blogspot.com/2013/10/bbq-chicken-portobello-pizza.html

Peace, Love, and Fondue

Tropical Shakeology made its debut today!!! YAYY!! I can't wait to try it!
Here are some fun facts about the new Shakeology flavor:

My PB2 and banana sandwich morning snack was soooo good! I might make another one tomorrow.

Ends up that you need some gel fire stuff to keep the fondue pot hot and we didn't have that. We also weren't planning on eating a TON of chocolate...so we just decided to warm up some chocolate in a regular bowl for dipping. We still used the pokey things and super cute valentine plates!!

Menu:
pineapple
strawberries
16 discs of melting chocolate
(16 discs = 210 calories/2 = 105 calories for each of us...not too bad.)

I put the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute, stirred, and did 30 more seconds. Then we dipped our fruit & enjoyed the fondue!

Obviously we REALLY enjoyed it!

We had a wonderful little celebration. Remember to love yourself & each other every day!

Prep for Valentine's Day!

Tomrorow is Valentine's Day!! <3


Last week, I noticed that our fondue pot is STILL in the closet and has not been opened...We decided to try out our it for the first time TOMORROW!!!

The Gracious Pantry posted about Clean-Eating Valentine's Day foods! I am gonna use the fondue recipe and change a few things to make my own. I bought pineapple and strawberries and chocolate!! I'm excited!


Check out the other delicious ideas here: 
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-valentines-day/


Valentine's Day Food:


Breakfast:
Shakeology with strawberries :)


First snack: 
2 slices of Ezekiel Bread, 2 tbsp chocolate PB2 mixed with 1 tbsp water, 1 banana (sliced)

YUMM! Thanks Mom for the idea! Haven't had one of these in awhile.


Lunch: 
Boca Burger, veggies, roasted garlic & herb spice

2nd snack:
string cheese, almonds

Hmmm...I might pack another snack just in case....I love snacks.


Dinner:
We are going to have a GIANT salad...lots of romaine lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, chicken sausage, cheese. Then we will have our FONDUE!! yayyy!! I will be sure to take pics :)


Happy Valentine's Day Eve! <3

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

I am overly excited about having a blog and posting recipes!! So here you go...two recipes in one day!


Tonight for dinner we had Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos. They are SO simple to make & delicious!


Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)
1 large sweet potato
cumin
chili powder
honey mustard
1 can of black beans
grated cheese
2 tortillas

I like to microwave the sweet potato b/c it's faster then baking. First, poke holes in the potato. Then pop it in the microwave for 5 minutes. Flip it over and microwave the other side for 5 minutes.


While the sweet potato is cooking, rinse the can of black beans.

Also, mix the honey mustard, cumin, and chili powder in a smaller bowl. This will be used as the sauce.

I had to make sure I got a pic of my cute cow bowls :) I love them!! Muggs said that nobody would care about the bowls...but I had to disagree. Cute bowls make cooking dinner even more fun!


Then carefully peel the skin off and put it in a mixing bowl. I don't like to do this part because its super hot. So be careful ;)

Mash the sweet potato with a fork.

Add the black beans to the bowl. Add the sauce and stir.

Once it is all mixed in, you are ready to put it on the tortilla. I like to add the cheese first so it can get all melty and delicious.

Top it with the sweet potato and bean mixture.


Wrap it up...

and EAT!!! :)




Notes: 

• We like to use Ole Tomato and Basil Tortillas. We buy them at Sam's club. They are super yummy and it's only 68 calories.
• We don't really measure the mustard or spices...Just take a taste of it and add more to your liking.
• This recipe made 2 servings for us. I use www.loseit.com to track my calories. When I added this into LoseIt, it was approximately 335 calories per serving.

Butternut Squash

I love taking pictures & I love food!!

Last week we made this Butternut Squash recipe. I decided to take pictures along the way so that I could attempt to do a recipe blog and share the delicious recipe with you.

Ingredients:

butternut squash

1/2 of an onion

spinach

goat cheese

cayenne pepper

italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut butternut squash in half and remove the seeds.

(I'm dangerous with knives, so I microwaved the squash for a few minutes to soften it up before cutting it in half.)

Place the butternut squash onto a cookie sheet and bake until soft. 

We baked it for about 25 minutes and it was not done. We attempted to scoop it out anyways because I was STARVING...but it didn't work. So I would recommend baking it for about 45 minutes. (???) I guess you just have to try out what works for you. It still tastes delicious if it isn't soft...but it's better if it is cooked a little longer.

While the squash is cooking and almost ready... you can start getting the other ingredients together.

Cut the onion in half. I saved one half of the onion in the fridge for another recipe. 

Put the onion in a pan and start cooking. Add cayenne pepper and italian seasoning. I didn't measure them, I just eyed up what I thought would taste good. I don't like things too spicy...but the cayenne gives the recipe a nice little kick.

Once the onion is starting to cook, throw in a few handfuls of spinach.

Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Allow it to cool a little bit. Scoop the squash out of the skin and into a bowl. Add the spinach and onion mixture to the squash. Top with goat cheese. (I LOVEEE goat cheese!!)

                                                   

Your dinner is ready!! Eat & enjoy!! :)

Let me know how you like it!! 

I wonder what other recipes I could try with butternut squash...Any ideas?