Made with cauliflower, sweet potatos and potatos, onions, peas and curry. I enjoyed it with a glass of red wine.

I just can’t get enough of curry. It’s an Indian spice that I crave, I can’t help myself! The first time I had Indian food, I was told over and over how addicting it was and I would want to come back for more. For some reason this is true! There were times where I just had to have it.

Since we are not eating out (it’s been 3 weeks now) I decided to make my own Indian dish. Delicious!

What you’ll need:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large red onion (halved and cut into small wedges)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garam masala (what’s this? just another spice – I couldn’t find it so I mixed cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, cinnemon and crushed cloves together. Very similar in taste)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 14 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes with liquid
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup frozen peas
4 1/2 cups cooked couscous

The procedure:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add curry powder, cumin, cayenne, and garam masala powder. Stir well, cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the cauliflower, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broth, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the peas; heat through. Serve over couscous (whole wheat would be best!).

This dish satisfied my Indian food craving! It is under 300 calories plus it has 7 grams of fiber. Curry is a strong spice so you don’t need much of it – the curry settled in the cauliflower really nice, you could really taste it. I then topped the night off with a cup of spiced Chai tea (also filled with Indian spices) and I was good to go! I like to add cinnamon, nutmeg, a drizzle of honey and almond milk in my Chai tea. It brings out it’s natural flavor and I didn’t even have to add sugar.

As I listened to more of the story, they explained that a lot of people try yoga and end up hurting themselves (pulling out their back, pulling muscles, tearing ligaments, etc). I think any sport, activity or exercise can be harmful to your body if you don’t warm up properly or if your body just isn’t ready for it. I threw a softball for the first time in years and ended up pulling a muscle pretty bad in my arm. Does that mean softball is a harmful sport or that I’m out of shape? Not exactly – it means I haven’t used that muscle in years and that’s what I get!

What are your thoughts on this? I think yoga is great stress-reliever and a kick-a** exercise. Many celebs do yoga to stay slim! There are different levels of yoga – if you’re a beginner, don’t go right into power yoga unless you’re for sure you can handle it. Most instructors give you an easier alternative pose if your body isn’t ready for the pose they are teaching – or they tell you to do it at your best capability and not force your body into doing something it can’t do. Start slow and work your way up! It’s been a couple of years since I did yoga, and I can’t wait to get back into it. I’ve been looking around for some yoga classes out here in Omaha or if they are too expensive, I will just buy some yoga CD’s. I have my mat, I’m ready to go!

Made with mushrooms, onions, green peppers, garlic, mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta cheese

What you’ll need:

1  pack of Lasagna noodles (whole wheat if you can find them)
1 pound fresh, sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
2 (26 ounces) jars of pasta sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (16 ounces) container of low-fat ricotta cheese
4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

The procedure:

Bring water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions for 10 minutes (al dente). Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. I recommend adding a little olive oil to the boiling water to keep the noodles from sticking together.

In a large saucepan, cook and stir mushrooms, onions, pepper and garlic in oil. Mix in the pasta sauce and basil, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, mix together ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella and eggs in a separate bowl.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a  9×13 inch greased baking dish. Layer 1/2 each of lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, pasta sauce and parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, topping it off with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

Cook for 40 minutes. Let stand for an additional 15 minutes and serve!

This recipe serves 12 and is 460 calories per serving. I found it very satisfying and easy to make for a lasagna dish. A fresh spinach salad would work great as starter or side!

A typical weekend for us would be ordering a pizza or getting McDonald’s breakfast Saturday morning. I made my own bagel sandwich this morning – one Lender’s whole wheat bagel with low-fat veggie cream cheese and a few slices of tomato followed by an apple and warm cup of coffee (sorry McDonald’s). I feel so much healthier – I have more energy and I feel like I’m in better shape. Even though it’s freezing outside and there’s snow on the ground, I bundle up and go for my runs as often as I can (it gets tough having a little one and a hubby who works). When I get warmed up and start going, I feel like I have more energy than before – it’s like I can’t stop!

Low-fat plain organic yogurt with fresh-cut strawberries, blueberries granola and a touch of honey

Another thing that gives you energy are healthy low-calorie snacks ( I like to keep my snacks at around 150 calories each). Here are some snacks I’ve been munching on: Luna Bars, a banana with a bit of natural peanut butter, a slice of whole wheat toast with humus, fruit smoothies and yogurt parfaits (my favorite!). I make my yogurt parfait with low-fat plain organic yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, natural granola and a touch of honey. If you use plain yogurt, I recommend adding some honey. Plain yogurt doesn’t have much flavor by itself, but when you add fruit and honey it tastes great!

All of this change is good! Thinking about eating a pizza or Chinese food at this point doesn’t sound so good. Once you get started on a healthy eating plan, I mean really healthy, your body resists greasy foods so easily – it’s almost like you washed it all out of your system and your body doesn’t want it anymore. I admit, my sweet tooth does cry out for sugar every now and then, so I fulfill it with a sugar-free hot chocolate with an orange or even some dark chocolate.

I have always had a job until now – I started working when I was 15, worked through college, and continued working after that. When I had Will, I went on maternity leave, moved to Nebraska and am now taking time off to be with my little man. Finding time to eat healthy before now wasn’t as easy, but I still made it happen. How? Preparation.

When you prepare your meals a day or so in advance, that makes it easy for you to grab and go right out of your own fridge. Preparing has never been one of my strengths, but I’m making it one when it comes to healthy living.  One of my favorite food items I like to have ready in the fridge is a big yummy salad. It’s perfect to have right there on the top shelf so it’s easy to grab rather than having mom’s left-over green bean casserole eying me down (delicious, but doesn’t fit in the low-calorie category). For my salad, I use red leaf lettuce and spinach and chop up tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and mushrooms then toss them in. I like to add sprouts for extra texture. Having a pre-made salad in my fridge is perfect for a healthy on-the-go meal. Just have low-fat dressing handy and a fork! Add a can of tuna or avocado for some extra protein and vitamins, delicious

!

Eating healthy can be easy if you have prepped meals in your fridge ready to grab. When you have random food items and left over Burger King sitting on the top shelf, you’re more likely to order in or grab something you might later regret. I was watching the Today show, and a nutritionist said a study proved that those who keep healthy items within eye level view in their fridge or pantry are more than likely to eat healthy and lose more weight. I thought that was interesting – so try it! Challenge yourself – have healthy prepped food ready in your fridge and plan ahead. Also think about this – the amount of time it takes to wait at a drive through, is the same amount of time it takes to make your own sandwich!

After following this recipe carefully, I am proud to say it is one of the best dishes I have ever made! (I do have to admit I forgot to halve the grape tomatoes, but hey it’s a start!). This is a delicious vegetarian pasta dish and amazingly only 278 calories per serving! Adam found it from Eating Well magazine’s website and I’m glad he did! It is a little more time-consuming, but that makes it all the better. Enjoy

What you will need:

• 8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
• 6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, (about 1 small head) (I just used regular purple cabbage – delicious!)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, thinly sliced (you can remove the gills with a spoon – just dig them out, only takes minutes!)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced smoked cheese, such as smoked mozzarella, Cheddar or gouda (I used mozzarella)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, or 3/4 teaspoon dried

1. Boil water in a large pot. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and cabbage are tender, about 4 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta and cabbage.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender  (about 5 minutes).
3. Whisk wine (I used Barefoot Pinot Grigio) and flour in a small bowl. Add to the pan along with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens (about 1 minute). Add tomatoes and cook until just beginning to break down, about 1 minute more.
4. Return the pasta and cabbage to the pot. Add the mushroom sauce, the reserved cooking liquid, cheese and sage; gently toss to combine.

The recipe feeds about 6 people. I didn’t understand how this recipe served 6 since it only called for 8 oz. of fettuccine pasta – turns out the cabbage substitutes for pasta also and I can’t tell you enough how delicious it is! The cabbage adds an extra flavor to the recipe and makes it a low-calorie meal.

Portobello Fettuccine Pasta

Made with carrots, onions, curry, ginger, veggie broth and coconut milk

Vegan and  vegetarian diets are a little different from each other – vegetarians eat dairy but no meat, where vegans (more strict) don’t eat any meat or dairy products (no animal products or by products). A vegan diet sometimes is a bit challenging if you don’t plan properly for it – making this vegan carrot soup showed me there are more vegan options out there than I thought. If you take the time to plan out your meals, it’s not so bad plus it’s extremely healthy for you.

Adam found this soup recipe online http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupsstewsandchili/r/carrotcoconut.html and this time I did the cooking (he is still in no condition to cook even though he tried to convince me that he was) The soup turned out good (for only having 6 ingredients), plus it’s vegan and made with organic veggies so it’s good for you. It’s nice and smooth, and I love how it’s easy to sip on and enjoy. One thing I did differently was use allspice in place of the ginger it calls for. For the finale, I added some pepper for a little extra kick.

What you will need:

• 2-3 Large Carrots, chopped small
• 1 onion chopped small
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (all spice works just as well)
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 3/4 cup veggie broth (I recommend low sodium veggie broth)
• 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
• sea salt to taste

Simmer carrots, onion, ginger, curry, and vegetable broth in a pot or a deep pan for 20-25 min (until carrots are soft)

Allow to cool, and then puree in a blender. Add to heat again and then add coconut milk until mixed in well.

This soup is good hot as a meal, or cold as a nice appetizer. I prefer it steamy hot (I’m not a fan of coconut milk – serving it hot takes away some of that strong coconut flavor in the soup I think).

After enjoying this delicious healthy soup, I blended up a fruit smoothie for us (since Adam can’t chew too much, a smoothie is an easy way to get in some extra nutrients). I blended 5-6 pieces of fresh, chopped organic pineapple, 1 organic banana, 5-6 fresh strawberries, 1 kiwi, 3/4 cup of low-fat (light) yogurt, a drizzle of honey and some ice. It was so good and I didn’t even have to add any sugar! The bit of honey I added was just right! After that, kitchen was closed, I put Will to bed, and we got cozy and watched the show 24 on Netflix. Great show!

Made with tilapia, scallops, red potatoes, onions, fresh diced tomatoes, organic capers, white wine and lots of spices!

Last night he whipped up this delicious seafood soup with scallops and farm-raised tilapia – so good! He got the recipe from Eating Well magazine’s website. The only thing he did differently was he added twice the amount of tilapia and scallops so we could eat off of it for a couple of days. He also used Barefoot Pinot Grigio white wine (which is pretty sweet) rather than the white dry wine it calls for. It still turned out great, plus there was some left over wine for us to enjoy!  Here’s the link to the recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/spicy_cioppino.html.  It has its own spice in it from the paprika, but I had to add some of Frank’s Redhot Sauce (the new thick kind), and it was awesome! I couldn’t help myself, because “I put that sh** on everything!!”.

This soup is too chunky for Adam to eat now, but he can definitely start eating on it in a day or two. So this weekend is soup weekend for us! I’m sacrificing eating anything that consists of chewing for a few days – it’s easier so we don’t have to double-buy at the grocery store. Baby Will gets to eat soft foods too because well, he’s a baby

Once you think there is nothing left in your fridge that’s edible, think again! I swear you will find something. This is a great way to save some mula! You know those canned carrots and pineapples that have been camping out in your pantry closet for 6 months now? Eat them!

I’ve made a rice, bean and corn mixture topped with a veggie burger and some avocado so many times I’ve lost count. It was like eating a burrito bowl from Chipotle! I seem to always have rice and beans somewhere so I use them and use them until they are gone. If you do have some pineapples lying around, eat them as a side dish or even a snack. If you have any yogurt or granola, make yourself a delicious parfait. Stretching out your groceries takes some discipline, but your waist and your wallet will thank you later.

Grilled Seasoned Salmon with Garlic Mushrooms and Homemade Mashed Potatoes

This past week we have really put all of our groceries to use. We usually would have gotten lazy and said “We have nothing here to eat – you order the pizza this time!” Instead, I cooked some gluten-free pasta and topped it with garlic pasta sauce and mixed it in with the veggie burgers I forgot I had in the freezer. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over top, you’ve got yourself a meal!

Adam got creative one night and cooked something that’s worth looking at…and eating -  Grilled Seasoned Salmon with Garlic Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes. So delicious! (I am a vegetarian who eats fish occasionally and Salmon is my number one! )

To make this meal a little healthier, instead of using organic potatoes, you can substitute mashed cauliflower instead – it’s just as good! All you do is boil the cauliflower, mash it up like you do potatoes, and then add some seasoning or light butter for a little flavor.  There’s no difference in taste, although the texture is a bit different.

Healthy Pollock Salmon topped with cream of mushroom soup with a side of spinach marinated in olive oil and minced garlic

I always thought Whole Foods was a little pricy, I went there once before but that was years ago. I’ve always wanted to give it another shot because I heard that’s the place to go if you want to shop organic. As soon as we got there, I began comparing prices to the local grocery store we go to, Bakers (owned my the Kroger Company). Whole Foods’ produce was about the same price if not pricier, but their selection was more enticing. The price of their organic tomatoes matched the price of regular tomatoes at our local store – $2.99 per pound. I’ll take it! We found some reasonable items – I couldn’t have been happier when I saw the Luna bars for 0.89 each!  Once we reached the bread and pasta isles, that was a different story. I couldn’t find bread for under $3 and the pasta was outrageous too! It was all organic or wheat and gluten-free, so that is why it was a little up there. We held off on buying these items and waited until we could hit up or local grocery store. Besides that, I was impressed with their produce, fish, and vegetarian items.

Whole Foods is a great store if you are vegan or vegetarian, or just want to be the all-organic queen. If you are just wanting to go grocery shopping, I suggest buying select items from Whole Foods (like their organic veggies and fruits), and stick to your local store for the rest. Buying local foods while they are in season can save a ton of money also.  It’s easy to over-spend at Whole Foods because it is so appealing to the eye – as soon as I walked in the store, I wanted to dance around and spend some bucks! It’s colorful, they play great music, and hell, there’s even a wine bar where you can have a few drinks to just get happier and spend some more money! Just be selective and really think about what you’re buying (if you’re the happy drunk who likes to buy random people shots at the bar, I would suggest laying off the beer and wine while shopping :b). Overall, I was happy with our grocery bill – we managed to spend about $158 on everything which isn’t bad.

By the time we were done shopping and put our little one to bed, it was past 9pm and our bellies were begging for dinner.  We didn’t care how late it was, we were going to whip up something good and healthy for sure! Adam grabbed the Salmon, garlic and spinach we bought at Whole Foods and made this awesome meal! He seasoned the Salmon with canola oil and some spices he grabbed out of the cupboard, then cooked the spinach with oil and garlic in a frying pan. So delicious! Dinner was served at 10pm – this was our day 1 of eating healthy!