On the Menu: Low Carb Pasta and Baked Zucchini Fries

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I made a mistake last week.  We are in the midst of testing season at school which means the daily schedule is put in blender and spit back out.  As a result, I ended up with 3 days last week with no lunch period, meaning I had to attempt to eat (two hours past my normal lunch time) while speed-teaching 22 minute classes.  The mistake?  I packed a high-fiber, voluminous lunch with lots of beans, greens, and cauliflower that my body didn’t like ingesting rapidly and my palate did not enjoy cold.

I’m learning.  We have another round of testing this week and I am packing a lower-fiber spread that will be fine if I do not have access to the microwave.  My stomach is breathing a sigh of relief.

Black Bean Pasta With Raw Marinara

As a gluten-free gal, I had pretty much given up on ever being able to eat pasta again that wasn’t loaded with simple carbs and entirely devoid of protein.  Then I found this hiding on the bottom shelf in a local health food store.  I brought it home, a bit dubious that the texture and flavor would be as good as the nutritional profile (17 g carbs and 20 g protein!!!).  I mixed up a quick pesto sauce in my food processor, cooked the pasta, and tossed it together.  It. Was. Amazing.  It felt right in the mouth, tasted great, and filled me up like only protein can.

A few days later, I went back to the store to buy more of the mung bean fettuccine and to pick up the black bean spaghetti.  The shelves were empty:(  Panicked (I NEEDED this stuff now), I visited my Amazon site. Placed an order.  Several days later, I received an email that they were sold out.  Not one to give up easily, I found another site that carries the pastas.  I received my first order of the black bean spaghetti last week and I am excited to try it in this week’s recipe.

I needed a sauce that would be good cold and I wanted something different than the pesto I used earlier.  I decided to try the marinara recipe from here, but I added onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  What?  I said I had to be able to eat quickly; I never said anything about my breath having to smell nice:)  I topped the spaghetti with a vegan “cheese” made of walnuts and nutritional yeast for a little extra yum and a little extra protein.

Pasta.  $6  Tomatoes.  $3  The look of utter horror on my students’ faces when they see me eating black pasta with red sauce.  Priceless.

Baked Zucchini Fries

This is another recipe from Lean, Luscious, and Meatless, my favorite book from childhood that has disappeared from print.

4 zucchini, end cut off and sliced longwise into 1/8″ slices

dip these into a mixture of flax seed (the cookbook uses wheatgerm, but that whole gluten thing gets in the way), garlic powder, paprika, and oregano

Arrange cut side up on a cookie sheet and bake at 450° for 15 minutes.  Extra yummy served with tomato sauce.

 

A bonus of this week’s meal?  It’s quick to prepare, leaving me with plenty of time to read Fifty Shades of Grey, a reading assignment from a coworker.

I’ll top this off with some strawberries and a protein shake that can be quickly downed discretely.  Here’s to a happier tummy and the last week of testing!

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On the Menu: Cancer-Fighting Tacos, Black Beans Plus, and Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I have today off (yippee!), so I am doing my cooking today.  I started off this morning with a doctor’s appointment.  It went really well.  She was the one who took care of me at my lowest (emotionally and physically, as I lost 20 lbs after he left).  It was great to see her and she enjoyed seeing me healthy and happy.  Now that I’m back to fighting weight, let’s get to the menu!

Soft Tacos With Mushrooms, Cabbage and Chipotle Ranchero Salsa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My main dish this week consists of these unique tacos from The New York Times.  I love their flavor, ease of cooking, and low calorie stats.  I have never bothered to make the salsa; I simply stir a little Tabasco Chipotle Sauce into my normal, cheap, industrial size salsa.  The queso fresca is so delightfully salty and tangy that I never feel the need to add any additional salt.

Black Beans Plus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted some extra protein as well as some red veggies for the week.  I began by lightly sauteing red bell peppers, onion, and a little garlic in olive oil.  I then added some black pepper and chipotle seasoning from Penzey’s Spices.  Next, I stirred in 2 cans of black beans (drained) and simmered gently to let the flavors mingle.  Finally, I topped it with some freshly squeezed lime juice and some tomato slices.

Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my boyfriend’s favorite local restaurants is known for their banana chocolate chip pudding.  Their version is decadent.  Mine is not, but it still tastes pretty darn amazing.  I mixed the following in the blender: 1 ripe banana, 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon.  I pored this into a bowl and added 1/3 cup chia seeds and 1/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips.  Leave out for 1 hour, stirring frequently.  Transfer to fridge.  It will set in a few hours.  Top with additional chocolate chips to serve.

I had some of the taco filling left over, so it became my lunch:)  I kept myself away from the pudding though…

 

 

On the Menu: Chickpeas Three Ways

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Some might see an entire menu centered around the lowly chickpea as overkill.  Not me.  I see it as inspired, creative, and adventurous.  Okay, I made that up.  Kroger had a great sale on chickpeas and I figured that if I was going to get out the food processor, I would make sure that I got enough use out it.

The Main Dish: Baked Falafel

This is another one from Appetite for Reduction.  (I promise I do own more cookbooks, but every time I open this one to make the recipe for one week, I spy one I want for the next.  Yes, it is THAT packed with good recipes.)  This is a really easy recipe that requires very little chopping (which is where the majority of my kitchen time usually goes).  You just throw everything in the food processor, form the result into patties, and bake.  I eat it with spinach, red onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon.  And, the best part for my crazy 15 minute lunch period, I don’t even have to reheat it!

The Side: Red Bell Pepper and Broccoli Hummus

The only problem with the above dish is that it does not contain enough veggies for me.  So, to make up for that, I made some broccoli hummus (gearing up the food processor again) and sliced some red peppers.

The Dessert: Cookie Dough Dip

I know what you’re thinking.  I said chickpeas THREE ways, and you’ve only counted two: falafel and hummus.  Your math isn’t off.  I stumbled across this recipe and I just had to try it.  Now, a more sane person would hold off until the menu was not already packed with the chickpea, but I never claimed to be sane.  It is a good thing this cookie dough dip is healthy, because it sure is addictive!

So, there you have it:  a main dish, a side, and a dessert all made from chickpeas!

Wellness Newsletter March 5

Posted on by stilllearning2b

On the Menu – Carrot Cake Oatmeal & a Green Themed Lunch

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Inspired by the recent study that supports dessert for breakfast for weight management, I decided to make carrot cake oatmeal for breakfast this week.  I released the search engine elves on the task and discovered this recipe, which fit what I was looking for.  I tweaked it slightly, adding 3 scoops of vanilla whey protein and 3 tbsp of reduced fat cream cheese.  I topped the final result with walnuts.  It would also be awesome with brown sugar, raisins, dates, or coconut.  It’s the best of both worlds: dessert and a healthy breakfast!

 

 

 

For lunch, I opted for a green and black theme.  The main dish is Black Bean, Zucchini, & Olive Tacos from Appetite For Reduction.  I love the unexpected kick this gets from the kalmata olives and salsa verde.  I serve it with nonfat Greek yogurt for extra protein and raw spinach, because I believe one can never have enough greens.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My lunches are usually veggies with a side of veggies.  For the side, I decided to make one of my favorites: roasted cruciferous veggies.  This recipe is best done in the cooler months due to the heat of the oven and the availability of the produce.  Since we are in the last few cool weeks of the year, I just had to make this dish.

I combined the following in a large bowl:

1 lb brussels sprouts, halved

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1/2 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

I mixed the ingredients and then baked on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for around 40 minutes, mixing occasionally.  I then topped the veggies with 3 tbsp of shredded parmesan and put back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes.  I love the sweet, garlicy goodness of this so much that I end up snacking on it while I pack it into containers for my lunch!

Finally, I am in the mood for some dessert this week.  Yes, I know.  Carrot cake oatmeal and dessert?  Yup.

I made this chocolate chia pudding to complement the strawberries I found on sale.  I did not add any sweetener, as I prefer to jsut let the sweetness of the fruit stand alone.  A perfect way to end the meal and a way to make me actually look forward to Monday!