.on the menu.

.vegetarian spaghetti squash and meatballs.

*veggies, spaghetti squash, black bean meatballs.

.shopping list.

.spaghetti squash.

.mixed bell peppers.

.can of whole tomatoes.

.zucchini.

.green onions.

.garlic.

.oregano/greek spice/dried peppers/cumin seeds/S&P.

.kale.

.black beans.

.worcestershire.

.fresh cilantro.

.olive oil.

.whole wheat bread.

.egg.

.goats cheese.

.extra old cheddar.

.directions.

.SPAGHETTI SQUASH.

.Preheat oven to 375f.Cut med-large spaghetti squash lengthwise. Remove all seeds with a large spoon. Drizzle inside of squash with olive oil. Place rind size up on a baking sheet. Cook for 45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.

.VEGGIE TOMATO SAUCE.

.Chop 3 peppers, 1/2 zucchini, 4 green onions, 4 gloves of garlic, and 1 bunch of kale (stems removed). Add all desired spices to taste. Saute veggies at a low heat for 10 minutes, chop canned tomatoes roughly, and add liquid from can and tomatoes to veggies. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover, and let simmer.

.BREADCRUMBS.

.Place 2 pieces of bread or one whole wheat pita on the bottom shelve in your oven, while you cook your spaghetti squash. Once bread is very toasted, but not burnt take it out of the oven and let it cool off. Once cooled off and firm, place bread into a food processor until it turns into bread crumbs.

.BLACK BEAN MEATBALLS.

.Empty one large can of black beans into a colander, rinse well with cool water. Combine 5 cloves of fresh garlic, 5 green onions, 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, 2 tbsp of cumin, 1 tsp of salt, 3/4 tbsp of pepper, all finely chopped into a mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs to mixture. In a food processor combine, 3 tbsp of worcestershire, 2 tsp. of olive oil and 3/4 of the black beans. Stir only until the beans are half mashed up. Add mashed been mixture to spices and breadcrumbs. Stir in 1 egg. Add remaining black beans. Heat a skillet to med heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Using your hands make round meatballs and place into pan. Move meatballs around to ensure that all sides are browned. Reduce heat to a minimum and let heat slowly until your other parts of the recipe are complete.

.top with large chunks of peppered goat cheese and shredded extra old cheddar cheese.

.enjoy.

.ON THE MENU.buddah bowls.

.on the menu.

.buddah bowls.

*raw veggies, falafel, tofu, mixed greens, and kale chips.

.the shopping list.

.shredded raw carrots and beets.

.cilantro.

.green onions.

.extra firm tofu.

.greek yogurt.

.falafel mix.

.mixed greens.

.black quinoa.

.kale.

.garlic cloves.

.ginger.

.soy sauce.

.olive oil.

.lemon.

.sambal olek.

.directions.

FALAFEL

.follow directions. Usually have to combine dry ingredients with cold water and let sit for 10 minutes. Cook patties in 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil instead of a large amount of oil (even if its olive oil). Cook until browned. I like to cook them on a mid-high heat for the first 1 minute on each side and then on low for 5-7 minutes each to cook through.

BLACK QUINOA

.Bring quinoa and water(1.25c water : 0.5c grain) to a boil. Keep the pot lid on while cooking. Reduce heat down to mid-low. Cook for roughly 20 minutes. Grain will be fluffy when ready.

KALE CHIPS

.Tear kale off stems, toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet. Put on bottom rack of oven. Heat oven to 450F. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn off oven and keep chips in without opening the oven door 10 minutes. Chips should be crispy and melt in your mouth.

TOFU

.Chop block into cubes. Put in a bowl with 4 tbsp of soy sauce,  tbsp of Sambal Olek, 1 tbsp of fresh grated or chopped ginger, and 2 garlic cloves. Heat pan at medium heat. Add 1 tsp to pan and add tofu and sauce. Cook until tofu is browned and all liquids have disappeared.

VEGGIES

.Using a cheese grater shred 1 large raw red beet and 1 large raw carrot. Chop green onion and cilantro. Add all chopped veggies to large bowl and add mixed greens. Drizzle with the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp. of soy sauce.

Combined all above cooked ingredients. Top with a dollop of greek yogurt and extra sambal olek for some extra spice.

.enjoy.

.greek yogurt hummus dressing.

.ingredients.

-strawberries

-spinach

-avocado

-sun dried tomatoes

-red onion

-homemade hummus

-greek yogurt

-fresh lemon

.A great protein option when you do not have much in the fridge is this yogurt hummus dressing. I always try to have some hummus made up in the fridge as well as a container of greek yogurt. By combining a bean based hummus (homemade preferably) and greek yogurt you can bring in 20g+ of healthy protein in just a dressing. Plain and simple. Mix 2-3 tbsp of hummus and 1/2 c of non-fat greek yogurt and fresh lemon juice to make the consistency of the mixture more liquidy. 

.You can also replace the hummus with pesto, oil and vinegar, and fruit juices.

.on repeat.

.the beautiful girls-la mar.

.smoothie on a mission.

.green smoothie packed with an energy booster, lots of protein, and antioxidants.

*RECIPE BELOW*

.this smoothie contains the following;

.fresh raspberries.

.fresh B.C. peach.

.organic soy milk.

.fresh organic spinach.

.organic no sugar added honey.

.hemp seed hearts.

.improves heart health/lowers blood pressure.

.improves digestions.

.appetite suppressant.

.improves energy.

.lowers cholesterol.

info from: http://hempheart.net/

.instant greens smoothie mix.

1 SERVING (8.5g) CONTAINS:

Phosphatide complex   (26% phosphatidly choline from 97% oil-free lecithin) 2171mg Organic barley, alfalfa and wheat grass, and red beet powders 1543mg Spirulina 1450mg Apple fiber powder 1033mg Japanese chlorella (cracked cell) 383mg Soy sprout powder 383mg Organic whole brown rice powder 383mg Stevia leaf powder 225mg Eight non-dairy bacterial cultures containing   Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria (2.5 billion per serving)   in a special base of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) 200mg Royal Jelly 150mg Bee pollen powder 150mg Licorice root extract (stnd. to 10% glycyrrhizin) 116mg Acerola berry extract (stnd. to 18% Vitamin C) 115mg Siberian ginseng extract  (stnd. to 0.8% eleutherosides) 60mg Milk thistle extract (stnd. to 80% silymarin) 60mg Organic Atlantic dulse powder 33mg Ginkgo biloba extract (stnd. to 24% ginkgo   flavonglycosides and 6% terpene lactones) 20mg Japanese green tea extract (stnd to 90% polyphenols) 15mg European Bilberry extract (stnd. to 25% anthocyanidins) 10mg Full Spectrum Grape extract (stnd. to 95% proanthocyanidins   and 500ppm Resveratrol) 5mg Additional Ingredients: Whey protein concentrate 15.25g Natural flavour blend with stevia 2305mg Guar gum (a natural thickener) 700mg Lactic acid (a natural preservative) 400mg

.provides a full serving of research proven greens+.

.100 calories.

.15.25 g of whey protein concentrate.

.aids in detoxification.

.increases energy.

.green super foods.

info from: http://www.nationalnutrition.ca/detail.aspx?ID=2956

.recipe.

.1/2 c of fresh raspberries.

.1 sml/med peach.

.1/2 c soy milk.

.1c fresh spinach.

.1tbsp of organic hemp seed hearts.

.1tbsp of unsweetened/no additives honey.

.1/2 scoop of Instant Smoothie greens mix.

.add all ingredients into a blender or magic bullet.

.blend until smooth.

.put in the freezer for 10 minutes if you prefer it cold.

.enjoy.

*add a little water to the smoothie to the blender after transfering the smoothie to get all the good stuff that you may have left behind and add it to your glass*

.oatmeal smorgasbord cookies. 

.these cookies can be adapted to have whatever nut, type of chocolate, or dried fruit that you please.

Follow the recipe below and when adding the 2 cups of goodies fill a bulk food bag at the grocery store with whatever tasty treats you desire. In this recipe I used; walnut pieces, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, coconut, and dark chocolate chips.

.grocery list.

•  1cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 cups of goodies
• .directions.
• .cream together butter, sugars, and vanilla.
• .add 1 egg at a time to the creamed mixture.
• .combine in a seperate bowl flour, baking soda, salt (if desired), and oats.
• .fold in goodies.
• .pre-heat oven to 325 degress.
• .place heaping spoon size balls of dough on an ungreased pan.
• .cook for 15 mins (depending on oven strength).
• .for chewy cookies remove from heat when they still look undercooked.
• .let cool on drying rack for 5 mins.
• .serve with a cup of organic 1% milk.
• .enjoy.

.pumpkin pie.

.homemade pumpkin pie.

.welcome fall with yummy fresh out of the oven pumpkin pie.

.how to make it healthier;

.use milk vs.heavy cream

.use organic un bleached sugar vs. generic white sugar.

.go crustless!

.make your own crust using butter vs. lard.

.make your own crust and do not add sugar or salt.

.for more flavor do not follow a recipe with respect to spices; extra cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

.top with plain vanilla ice cream; preferably with few ingredients and zero additives.

.health benefits of pumpkin.

"The yellow-orange colour is a clear proof of the fact that pumpkin is full with antioxidants and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a provitamin which is converted by the body into vitamin A. The pumpkin pulp contains vitamins, especially provitamin A, vitamin E and C, mineral salts, carbohydrates, protide and the seeds contain oil, protide, lecithin , resin and enzymes with anthelmintic properties"

.info from Live and Free. http://www.liveandfeel.com/vegetables/Pumpkin.html

5 benefits of dark chocolate

.feel good about eating chocolate.

.dark chocolate is usually considered anything 65% cacao and above.

.ANTIOXIDANT. A source of polyphenols (a type of antioxidant aka. disease ass kicker).
.LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE. Reduces LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff).
.CLEAR SKIN. Cocoa butter does not cause acne in contrast to sugar filled milk chocolate and other altered chocolates. Increases blood flow and hydration of skin.
.PLEASURE. Contains phenethylamine; a chemical released when people "fall in love" or become infatuated.
.PROZAC. Boosts brain levels of serotonin. (the happy hormone).