Baked Acorn Squash with Gorgonzola and Sage

I absolutely love winter squashes, especially this time of year. There is something so comforting about a slightly carmelized, piping hot baked winter squash just out of the oven on a cold day. While I love a good winter squash recipe with lots of butter and brown sugar, I prefer them in healthier savory dishes. This acorn squash recipe is so simple and it comes in its own little bowl - very cute! The gorgonzola and sage add such an interesting Fall flavor to the slightly sweet squash.

Baked Acorn Squash with Gorgonzola and Sage
serves 2

1 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese
4 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat oven at 400. Cut the squash in half width-wise and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff. You can cut the bumpy bottoms off the halves in order to get them to stand up. Whisk the olive oil and maple syrup together in a small bowl, then brush it on the insides of the squash halves with your fingers. Season the squash halves with salt and pepper. Bake until fork-tender, approximately 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the squash. Take them out of the oven and add the gorgonzola and chopped sage, then put them back in until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Healthier Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite appetizers. They are typically made with sausage and lots of gooey cheese - very delicious and indulgent but not particularly healthy. This is a lower calorie vegetarian version made with olives, cheese, and bread crumbs. It is one of my go-to appetizer recipes and everyone loves them. They also make a good side dish.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Olives and Cheese

1 pound white mushrooms
1/2 cup pitted cup green olives, finely diced (see note)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (you can also use Parmesan)
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven at 400. Clean the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and pop off the stems. Mix the olives, cheese, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and scallions in a bowl. Add black pepper to your taste (you do not need to add salt - the olives and cheese are salty). Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms caps and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Let cool slightly before serving.

Note: Try to use fresh olives in this recipe. Many grocery stores have an olive bar that will have these, and you can buy them by the pound. Olives from a can just aren't the same.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Scallions

I got this recipe from my co-worker and fellow foodie, Joelle. It's become a regular in my recipe line up for its simplicity (only 4 ingredients!), wonderfully fresh taste, and health factor. Brussels sprouts, like their cruciferous cousins broccoli, kale, and cabbage, are high in fiber and vitamins, and are believed to protect against cancer. Give this a try, even if you don't like brussels sprouts - I've won over several friends and family members who claim to hate them with this recipe.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Scallions

• 10-ounce container Brussels sprouts (about 26), trimmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 scallions, sliced thin diagonally
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, or to taste (I usually add the juice of a whole lime because I love the lime flavor so much)
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Cut sprouts in half and slice thin lengthwise. In a heavy skillet melt butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté sprouts and scallions, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. In a bowl toss vegetables with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Yogurt

Did you know you can make yogurt at home in the CrockPot? I learned this from one of my favorite food blog sites, http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html. It's so easy and cheap, I make a batch nearly every week. It costs under $4 to make a half gallon of yogurt with this recipe!!! Those little 6-ounce containers you buy at the store can be 99 cents a piece! Beyond the cost savings, I think it really does taste better. So fresh and creamy. Below is the recipe from the blog site, and I've added some tips and ideas that I have come up with in the years I've been making it.

Homemade Yogurt Ingredients
-8 cups (half-gallon) of whole milk--pasteurized and homogenized is fine, but do NOT use ultra-pasteurized. (Debbie recommends starting with whole milk until you get the hang of yogurt-making)

--1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you need to have a starter. Once you have made your own, you can use that as a starter)

--frozen/fresh fruit for flavoring

--thick bath towel

Directions
This takes a while. Make your yogurt on a weekend day when you are home to monitor.

Plug in your CrockPot and turn to low. Add an entire half gallon of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

Unplug your CrockPot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.

When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the CrockPot. Stir to combine.

Put the lid back on your CrockPot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation.

Go to bed, or let it sit for 8 hours.

In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.

Blend in batches with your favorite fruit. I did mango, strawberry, and blueberry. When you blend in the fruit, bubbles will form and might bother you. They aren't a big deal, and will settle eventually.

Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

My Tips

• Follow the times exactly (set the timer!). One time I cut 30 minutes off the resting time and it didn't turn out. The milk has to be at a certain temperature for the bacteria to form. Also, be sure that the CrockPot is well-insulated in the towels, especially if your kitchen is cold.
  
• Stoneyfield Farms plain low-fat yogurt is the brand I find to be most consistent for the starter yogurt.
• Use whole milk until you get the hang of yogurt making, then try 2% if you want a lower fat content. To thicken yogurt made with 2% milk, add a few tablespoons of powdered milk when you whisk in the starter yogurt. I've also noticed that the longer the yogurt rests in the towel phase, the thicker it gets.
• Flavorings - the possibilities are endless! I like to add jam (any flavor, but I really like raspberry, blueberry, and apricot), maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit, chocolate chips. Sometimes I put a vanilla bean in the milk when it's cooking for vanilla yogurt. Mmmmm...
• I found these perfect little containers at Safeway and I take a serving of yogurt to work with me everyday. It's a great healthy breakfast or afternoon snack.

Lemon Basil Quinoa

If you're tired of rice or potato side dishes, give quinoa a try. It's a gluten-free grain that is high in protein and fiber. It cooks in just 15 minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner side. This recipe is great for summer, when the lemons are juicy and fresh basil is abundant.

Lemon Basil Quinoa
serves 4

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper

Pour the quinoa and chicken broth in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered until all the broth is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes (see note). While it is simmering, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper together into a dressing. When quinoa is done but still warm, add the dressing to it and mix well. After the quinoa is cooled, add the scallions and basil, and more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Note: if the cooking instructions on your box of quinoa differ, follow those instead.

Tuna Salad Makeover

This is my favorite healthier version of tuna salad. The mayo in traditional tuna salad is replaced with red wine vinegar and a little olive oil, and the white beans add some fiber. The olives and capers remind me of the fantastic food I ate on a trip to the French Riviera last summer. It is great on a bed of lettuce, or on some toasted whole grain bread. This recipe has a fraction of the fat and calories of regular mayo tuna salad.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad
serves about 4

2 6 ounce cans tuna
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 of a large red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Gently mix together the tuna, beans, onion, capers, olives, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Serve with lettuce or on toasted bread.

Smoked Mozzarella and Apple Bites

One of my New Years resolutions for 2010 was to go to the farmers market more often. I love the idea of supporting local businesses and reducing my carbon footprint by not purchasing produce that was shipped from thousands of miles away. There is a great market less than a mile from my place so I really have no excuses not to go. Unfortunately, the DC region was bombarded by the worst winter weather in history, so the first two months of my resolution did not go so well. Now that glorious, beautiful Spring is here, I am a regular at my neighborhood market, where everything sold must be grown or made within 100 miles.

A few visits ago, I got a ball of smoked mozzarella from a cheese stand that had such a delicious, smoky flavor. It reminded me of a crisp, Fall day, which gave me the idea to put it on an apple slice (also from the market). I topped it with a bit of fig jam and sprinkle of sea salt and I just fell in love with the flavor combination. It's now my favorite post-farmers market shopping snack.

Smoked Mozzarella and Apple Bites

apples (use a crisp variety - I like Fuji's) - thinly sliced
smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
fig jam (this is sometimes hard to find in the supermarket - try apricot jam if you can't find it)
sea salt

Put a slice of the mozzarella on an apple slice and top with a spoonful of the jam, and sprinkle the top with sea salt.

Slow Cooker Thai Noodle Soup

I recently spent a long weekend in Charleston, SC with some of my best girlfriends from college. It was so great hanging out my old friends, who I miss dearly. I just haven't made friendships after college quite like the friendships I have with those girls. Anyways, I promised my friend Terri I would put this recipe up for her. She and I spent a lot of the weekend talking about food and cooking, and we have a mutual obsession with Thai food. This is an easy Thai soup to throw together in the slow cooker and it has all those wonderful Thai flavors, like ginger, lime, chili, and coconut. Terri, I hope you and Doug enjoy this recipe and I can't wait for our girls trip next year!

Slow Cooker Thai Noodle Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (any colors - I used a red and a green), chopped
4 ounces mushrooms (I got a variety pack of baby bella, shitake, and crimini)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp chili paste (see note #1)
13.5 ounce can coconut milk (see note #2)
4 cups chicken broth
3 limes, juiced
1 tsp lime zest
4 ounces rice noodles

Put everything except the noodles in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, until veggies are softened. You can also cook it on the stove top by sauteeing the onion, pepper, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic for about 10 minutes, then adding the remainder of the ingredients except the noodles and simmering on low heat for about 30 minutes. Before serving, add the rice noodles and allow them to soak until they are soft (the package should say how long this will take - mine took about 5 minutes).

Note #1: the chili paste is deceptively spicy. You can add more than 1/2 tsp if you like it spicy, but be careful, this stuff is potent! Add a tiny bit at a time and be sure to taste it.

Note #2: you can use regular coconut milk, or low fat if you are watching your fat intake. The regular stuff has a better flavor. The coconut flavor gets a little lost if you use the low fat.

Spaghetti Squash

If you are looking for a low-carb alternative to pasta, give spaghetti squash a try. It's a large, yellow, oval, winter squash that falls apart like thin spaghetti when you bake it. Per cup, it has only 75 calories and 10 grams of carbs, compared to 220 calories and 43 grams of carbs in regular cooked spaghetti. It has a mild flavor, perfect for topping with your favorite sauce. Baking it is very easy - the hardest part is cutting it in half. I included my favorite marinara sauce recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa), which goes great with spaghetti squash, as well as with regular spaghetti, and pizza. I double or triple the recipe and freeze the extras.

Spaghetti Squash
serves 2-4, depending on the size of the squash

1 spaghetti squash
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven at 400. Cut the squash in a half lengthwise (use a large, sharp knife) and scrape out the seeds and pulp in the center. Coat the inside with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet with raised edges or in a large baking dish and put in the center rack of the oven. Baking time will depend on the size of your squash, anywhere from 30 minutes for the small guys to an hour or more for the big guys. It's done when it easily comes apart from the skin when you pull it with a fork. Let cool for a few minutes, then scrape out the squash with a fork. Season to taste with more salt and pepper and top with your favorite sauce.

Marinara Sauce
recipe courtesy Ina Garten

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup Chianti red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I like to splurge on the San Marzano brand - it's the best!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

Portobello Mushroom "Pizzas"

If you love mushrooms on your pizza, you will love this low carb alternative to pizza. You use a portobello mushroom cap in place of pizza crust and top it with sauce, cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings. It's fast, easy, and tasty!


Portobello Mushroom "Pizzas"

portobello mushroom caps (1 per person if serving as a side dish, 2 per person for a main dish)
your favorite pizza sauce, see note #1 below
grated mozzarella cheese
your favorite pizza toppings (optional - I don't think they need toppings because the mushrooms are so flavorful. Sometimes I add fresh basil.)

Pop the stems off the mushrooms and clean the caps by brushing them with a damp paper towel. Cut slits in the non-gill side of the caps (see note #2 below). Brush the caps with extra virgin olive oil and lightly salt them. Roast the mushrooms on a baking sheet gill side up in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, flip the mushrooms over and roast for another 10 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully remove the mushrooms from the baking sheet and discard the excess moisture from the baking sheet. Place the mushrooms back on the baking sheet, gill side up, and top them with the pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings (unless you are using fresh herbs, like basil - add these at the end), if using. Pop them back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. If you like browned cheese, turn on the broiler for a minute or so but be careful not to burn them. Use a fork and knife to eat these "pizzas" - they are a little too messy to be eaten with your hands like regular pizza.

Note 1: You can use your favorite jarred pizza sauce, or make your own simple sauce - sautee 1/4 of a large onion, finely diced, and 2 cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pan for about 3-5 minutes until soft. Add a can of crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano to taste, and let simmer for about 20 minutes, while your portobellos are baking. This is a very simple and inexpensive sauce that you can also use on pasta.

Note 2: Mushrooms have a ton of moisture in them. I learned this trick from Cooks Illustrated, my favorite food magazine, to extract the moisture from the mushrooms so you don't have a watery mess when you cut into them - score the caps on the non-gill side with a sharp knife by cutting 1/4 inch deep slits, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in a criss-cross pattern. Most of the moisture will come out while you are cooking the mushrooms. Make sure your baking sheet has raised edges so the moisture does not drip in your oven.

Kale - a Delicious Superfood!

Kale is always on those lists of top 10 ten superfoods in health articles. It's a dark leafy green vegetable that is high in calcium, Vitamin C, vitamin K, and phytonutrients. You can tell it is healthy just by looking at it! I've always been a little intimidated by it, but in the past year I've forced myself to be more adventurous with vegetables so I started buying it and experimenting with recipes. This recipe is my favorite. It's very easy and I think it will make you fall in love with kale.

Kale Sauteed with Mushrooms and Onions
serves 2 small or 4 large side dishes

one bunch of kale
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
10 or so white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil

Prep the kale - rinse it, then cut out the rib in the center (see photo below), and chop into large pieces. In a wok or very large sautee pan on medium heat, add the sesame oil, ginger, and onion and sautee until the onions start to get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to deglaze the pan and scrape the bits off the bottom. Add the kale (it is a huge fluffy pile, but don't worry, it will cook down a lot) and drizzle another tablespoon of soy sauce on top. Every few minutes, use tongs to move the kale at the bottom of the pan to the top of the pile so that all the kale wilts down. It takes about 10-15 minutes for the kale to finish cooking. Give it a taste and add another tablespoon of soy sauce, if desired.

Low Carb Eggplant Lasagna

I will be posting a lot of low carb recipes in the next 6 weeks or so. My boyfriend does what he calls his "lent diet" every year at this time - he does not eat any bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, or anything made with those ingredients for the duration of Lent. This was a bit frustrating for me our first 2 Lents together but now I enjoy the challenge of finding new recipes and ways to alter existing recipes to make them low carb. We both love Italian food, which is typically very high in carbs but I've experimented with some variations so that we can still enjoy it. For example, you can replace the noodles in lasagna with thin slices of baked or grilled eggplant.
Use your favorite lasagna recipe with eggplant prepared as follows instead of noodles. Start with a large eggplant and slice it into circles as thinly as you can. Put them on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and lightly brush with them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for about 2-4 minutes (depending on how thick your slices are), then flip them over, season the other side, and bake for another 2-4 minutes. The eggplant slices should be slightly brown and soft. Layer them in your lasagna like you would noodles. You can grill the eggplant instead of baking it, which adds a hint of smokiness.

Homemade Granola Bars

I've been doing some experimenting with making granola bars at home. I love to eat them for breakfast but I don't love all the added sugar and processed ingredients that come in the store bought bars. I tried a few recipes that were delicious but had a TON of sugary ingredients like brown sugar, corn syrup, and honey. I may as well be eating a cookie! When I tried to cut back on the honey and/or sugar, the bars did not stay together well. Someone gave me the idea to use eggs, so I cut back on the sugary stuff, added some eggs and it worked well.

I use only 1/4 cup of honey and 3 tbsp real maple syrup, 2 of nature's best sweetners, in the entire recipe. The vanilla extract and cinnamon are great in this recipe because they are ingredients that add a hint a sweetness without actual sugar. These may not be quite as sweet as you are used to with the store bought stuff, but they are breakfast after all, not a cookie. You can add the eggs to the mixture last, and taste the mixture before adding the eggs. If it's not sweet enough for your taste, add another tbsp of maple syrup or a bit more honey. This recipe makes about 10-12 bars and has about 2200 total calories, which is about 183-220 calories per serving. It has fiber and protein, perfect for a breakfast on the go.

Homemade Granola Bars

2 cups oats
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup dried fruit of your choice (I used cranberries and apricots - if you use a larger dried fruit like apricots, chop them up in small pieces so they do not cause the bars to fall apart)
1/4 cup flax seeds
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 egg, wisked
1 egg white
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well-incorporated. Pour into a 8x12 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Bake at 350 about 25-30 minutes until slightly brown at the top. Let them sit out overnight. Remove from the dish by lifting the parchment paper and carefully cut into smaller bars.

Slow Cooker Mexican-Style Minestrone

My slow cooker is my "desert island" kitchen appliance - I could not live without it! It makes EVERYTHING taste better and I just love coming home from work to a comforting Crock Pot meal that I threw together in the morning. Here is a yummy yet simple recipe for Mexican-Style minestrone soup that is full of veggies and fiber from the beans.

Slow Cooker Mexican-Style Minestrone

1 onion, chopped
2 poblano peppers, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 16 ounce jar mild salsa
8 ounces frozen chopped spinach
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
sour cream for garnish

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.

Note: if you are as rushed in the mornings as I am, chop the veggies the night before and keep them in the refrigerator.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I will take a sweet potato over a regular potato any day. I love the sweet, rich flavor and it has about 400% of your daily vitamin A! Not to mention less carbs and calories than a white potato. Here is my recipe for baked sweet potato fries. They are a great side dish for a chicken breast or a turkey burger. The seasoning is spicy, salty, and sweet, and you should have most of the ingredients already in your pantry. If you don't have smoked paprika, try a couple of stores (I found it at Safeway) - it is so worth it and you can use it many other recipes.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

sweet potatoes (1 large potato should feed 2 people for a side dish)
olive oil - about a tablespoon per large potato
seasoning, see below

Cut off the stringy ends of the potatoes and peel them, if desired. Cut into wedges. Try to get the wedge sizes as uniform as possible so they cook evenly. Toss in a bowl with the olive oil. Add some seasoning, toss with your fingers to coat the wedges, then add more if desired and toss again. Place on baking sheet coated with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes, or until they are slightly brown on the outside and soft on the inside. I like to flip them with a spatula halfway through the baking time.

Seasoning
This is enough seasoning for at least 2 large potatoes. If you have extra, save it in a plastic baggie. You don't have to measure the ingredients exactly, I usually just eyeball it.

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch cayenne pepper, or more if you like them spicier

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Lentil Salad

Lentils are one of my favorite super foods. They are absolutely packed with nutrition - fiber, iron, protein, B vitamins, folate, and more. They are cheap, especially dried in the bulk section of your super market, so easy to make, and so comforting. I love them in a classic, hearty lentil soup. I'm going to link to my co-worker and friend Joelle's recipe for lentil soup because she was nice enough to share it with me in her blog: http://brokenjelly.blogspot.com/2010/01/lentils-monastery-style.html.

I also love to use lentils in salad. They absorb the flavors of the dressing very well, and the fiber & protein combination keep me full for hours. I made this lentil salad for my lunches this week and it is fantastic! This recipe is just a guide - use whatever veggies you have on hand.

Lentil Salad

cooked lentils, see recipe below
1 seedless cucumber, diced
1 red, orange, or yellow pepper, diced
1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
1 carrot, diced or shredded
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
baby greens and cheese for serving, optional

In a small bowl, wisk the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and dijon mustard. Toss the diced cucumber, pepper, red onion, and tomato in a large bowl with the cooked and cooled lentils. Add the dressing and salt and pepper to taste and mix until well-incorporated. Serve on a bed of baby greens with your favorite cheese for a delicious and nutricious lunch.


Cooked lentils:
I've found that cooking lentils in broth with veggies and a garlic clove packs the in the most flavor, although you can cook them in water and the veggies are not required. Don't add salt until they are done cooking, or they can get tough.

1 cup dried lentils (I like green or brown lentils)
1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1 whole garlic clove
1/2 onion, cut in large pieces
2 celery stalks, cut in large pieces
1 carrot, cut in large pieces

Bring the broth to a boil in a pot. Add the lentils, veggies, and garlic clove. Boil for 3 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are tender (don't overcook or they will get mushy in the salad). Remove the garlic clove and veggies before adding them to the salad.

Breakfast Smoothie

Weekday breakfasts have always been difficult for me. I'm usually rushing out the door trying to get to work on time so I need something fast and easy, but most fast and easy breakfasts (i.e. cereal and granola bars) are highly processed and loaded with sugar, corn syrup, and other nasties. I started experimenting with breakfast smoothies and I want to share my favorite smoothie recipe with you. It takes less than 2 minutes to make, keeps me full until my mid-morning snack, it's made from real fruit, and it tastes amazing! I drink it while I'm putting on my make-up - it wouldn't be morning without multi-tasking!

Breakfast Smoothie

1 banana
handful frozen raspberries
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
water (the amount depends on how big the banana is and how thick you like your smoothies - I usually start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Modifications:

• Use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla for a chocolate raspberry smoothie
• Replace the frozen raspberries with frozen pineapple, add a tablespoon of unsweetened dried coconut and you have a pina colada smoothie (save the rum for the weekend :))
• Replace the frozen raspberries with any other frozen fruit or fresh you like. My old school blender doesn't take too well to larger frozen fruits like strawberries, as you can probably tell from the picture - maybe it's time to get a new one.
• Add a tablespoon of flax seeds for extra fiber and omega 3
• Add yogurt instead of water for extra calcium and a thicker smoothie

Notes:

• Your smoothie is only as good as your protein powder. If it is full of sugar and unpronounceable ingredients, then it's not much better than sugary processed cereals. Be sure to pick a quality powder and read the ingredients. They can be expensive - I recently paid about $10 for a can of organic whey protein that has 17 servings at 2 scoops per serving. I use one scoop, which is still 7 good grams of protein, to make it last longer.
• This is also a great drink after a hard workout. I used to drink them after my long distance runs when I was training for a marathon.
  

Baked Asian Salmon

Salmon is pretty much the perfect seafood. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, it is packed with heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids and protein, and it is low in mercury. Many grocery stores have wild Atlantic salmon, which I prefer over farm-raised. Salmon can stand up to some strong flavors and I absolutely adore it with an Asian marinade. I like to bake or grill it, rather than pan-fry, in order to keep the amount of oil used to a minimum. Since it is about zero degrees outside, I will be using my oven instead of the grill today!

Here is my recipe for Baked Asian Salmon with Sauteed Snow Peas. The marinade has a tart flavor from the rice wine vinegar and the dijon mustard (I know, not a traditional Asian ingredient, but it adds a good flavor) and a slightly sweet flavor from the honey. The peas use some of the same ingredients, so they are an easy side dish. Serve with brown rice and break out the chopsticks!

Baked Asian Salmon
(serves 2 large portions or 4 small)

2 6-0unce salmon filets, skin removed
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven at 350. Wisk the toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and garlic in a bowl (you can set aside a tiny bit of the marinade to pour over the salmon when finished, as long as it hasn't touched the raw fish). Pour over the salmon filets in a bowl or large plastic bad and marinate for 20 minutes. Place filets in a baking dish and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until salmon is cooked to your preference.

Sauteed Snow Peas
Serves 2-4

1 pound snow peas
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clover garlic, minced

Heat the toasted sesame oil in a wok on medium heat until fragrant. Add the minced ginger and garlic and sautee until fragrant. Add the snow peas, soy sauce, and vinegar and sautee until snow peas are heated through and done to desired texture. I like them with a bit of a crunch.