Dole chopped salad kits-practically a meal in a bag

I've been buying these salad kits for months now, so I thought it fitting to share with you my favorite, easy, go to lunch that is tasty and best of all, inexpensive!

Dole chopped salad kits come in a variety of flavors. The ones I've tried consist of: 

Bacon blu

BBQ ranch

Sunflower crunch

Asian mix

Chipotle cheddar

What I love about these bags is that they are almost a full meal. You basically only need to add some extra protein. 

In the bag comes a plentiful serving of chopped cabbage, lettuce, kale and scallions. Then there is usually a baggy of ingredients matching the flavor, like crumbled bacon, sunflower seeds, cheese, or taco strips and fried onion. Along with those goodies you get a generous packet of delicious dressing that compliments the meal; there is always more then needed! 

With the entire bag usually coming in under 600 calories, you really can't beat it. You'll have less calories if you use less dressing and toppings too! 

I can usually find these bags on sale from $2-$2.50, which is a great price for lunch. If you throw in some cold-cuts, beans, or grilled chicken, your whole lunch can be easily under $5. It's satisfying and filling and it tastes great, so I encourage you to pick up a bag the next time they're on sale! 

Treat your tummy right with these great dairy alternatives

Dairy can be a nightmare for some people's stomachs, me being one of them. Ever since I was little, dairy products have always caused me issues. I've been tested several times for lactose intolerance but I have never gotten a positive reading. The doctors always said that I was probably just sensitive towards dairy. As I've gotten older, I've heard from many new doctors that dairy can really disturb people's digestive systems. Being a dairy food lover, I knew I had to be proactive, because I was being tortured every time I indulged in those foods. 

When I decided to go on the Paleo diet, I knew dairy wasn't allowed, so that was even more reason to discover non-dairy options. I started researching many products and meals that would be good alternatives to some of my favorite treats, those that I'd like to share below. 

Almond or coconut milk

When this beverage is good and cold, you could easily fool me that I'm drinking dairy milk. Almond and coconut milk typically comes in several flavors, usually vanilla and chocolate and then sweetened or unsweetened. I try to stick with the vanilla flavor, unsweetened because its generally sweet enough without the extra sugar. My favorite brand for almond milk is Silk and my favorite coconut milk is SoDelicious, but if the store brand is on sale I’ll buy that too. These milks goes great with cereal, making smoothies, and as an after dinner snack. In fact, when I'm craving something special I get the individual serving boxes of Silk dark chocolate, its a dessert all on its own, just like grown up chocolate milk. If your feeling creative you can try to make almond, or nut, milk on your own. Check out my classmates post here to see how. 

Coconut milk yogurt

On a paleo kick, I wanted a food that was paleo appropriate but still felt like breakfast. I often got tired of eating eggs all the time so I knew there must have been a sweet treat out there that would work with my diet. When I discovered coconut milk my breakfast dreams came true. Again, So Delicious to the rescue. They make individual serving cups of yogurt or larger 16oz containers. 

For the record, I did try almond milk yogurt, but didn't like it! 

Banana "Ice Cream" 

Moving away from the pre-made products listed below, I bring you a fruit turned into ice cream. Who doesn't love ice cream? Its probably my favorite dessert. My husband and I even had an ice cream bar at our wedding. On occasion its nice to have this as a treat, but too regularly and my belly is really update. I was browsing Pinterest one day for Paleo recipes and came across banana ice cream. I couldn't believe it so I had to try it. This honestly couldn't be any easier. All you need to do is freeze some overly ripe bananas overnight. I like to break them into one inch chunks for ease of storage and use. Once they are fully frozen, pulse the pieces in a food processor until they get nice and creamy. As soon as they start to break down you can mix in any additional ingredients to get your desired flavor. I've used chocolate chips, coconut, and even frozen strawberries, each creating their own mimic of traditional ice cream flavors. 

It's worth to note, SoDelicious makes a dairy free ice cream as well along with the products listed above, but I much prefer to save the $5 and just use up my extra bananas. I also prefer the least amount of ingredients in my food as well. 

I hope these alternatives can help provide some relief to you, or anyone you know who is sensitive to dairy. If anything, most of these options turn out to be healthier and more nutritious then most dairy products are, so more the reason to give them a try! 

How to make Zucchini Fries

My husband always jokes with me when I convert a junk food into something not so junky, like turning zucchini into fries. I'll say "hey, try my zucchini fries, they're healthy." And then he'll reply with, "they're not healthy, they're just better for you." Well I disagree, and this time I think he put his foot where his mouth is, or really the fries where his mouth is.

I was looking for a healthy side dish to go with our already calorie cut back turkey burger meal. My family's go to is potatoes, they're quick and easy to make and not that awful. Problem is it can get real boring. It's also hard to please a family that is used to eating traditionally. I started looking up alternative fries options on Google. I knew I had some fresh zucchini that I just bought from the food store so I switched my search to zucchini fries. Sure enough, several dozen links came up matching my search. After looking at a few I gathered the similarities and decided to give it a try.

Here's how I made them.

Ingredients:

Two large fresh zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
Salt, pepper and garlic powder
Parmesan cheese optional

Steps:
Set your oven to 450 and get ready to cook. Start with fresh zucchini (also known as green squash). The long fat firm ones work great, without any dents or bruise.

these are almost as big as my forearm

Clean the squash and then slice the edges off each side and then slide them in half down the middle so you have two fat pieces. Then stand each chunk up on its end and carefully make three plank slices, they should look like thick squares. Next cut each plank into quarter inch sticks resembling fries. They should look like this once they are cut.

don't they look like green fries?

Now you want to prepare to dredge, a cooking technique that coats wet food with dry ingredients. In a large shallow bowl mix your eggs and milk together until well blended. Sprinkling in some salt and pepper for taste.  Then in a separate bowl, preferably one with a lid to shake, add your bread crumbs, more salt and pepper and garlic powder for extra flavor. Add in your parmesan cheese if you're using it.

my dredging station

Here's where the fun kicks in. Take a few sticks at a time and let them take a swim in your egg/milk mixture. You want them good and wet. Once they're happy lift them out with a slotted spoon and let any excess liquid drip off. Immediately throw them into your dry mixture, throw the lid on and begin shaking, you want them covered in bread crumb goodness. Once they are fully coated use a set of tongs to take each one out and layer on an oil sprayed tray. I was able to fit all of mine on one tray.  Repeat the steps until they are all covered and resting awaiting their tanning bed.   When your oven is hot, put these babies in. For crispness you'll want to leave them in for around 20 minutes. I did a little flip half way through to make sure both sides get browned.

Here's the final product. I made a little chipotle mayo to go on the side as a dipping sauce.

mummm, see the crunch?

I'm sure these will be a hit with your family just like they were with mine. It was a nice treat to eating something that resembled junk but was super healthy. Unlike my husband's claim, these fries are loaded with vitamins and baked, not fried, with the slightest of breading. I'd say that's a healthy choice! 

Matcha, its magically delicious

Over the 4th of July holiday vacation my younger sister, Katie, came home for the weekend. She moved to Maryland to pursue her Master's degree two years ago. While down there she and her boyfriend are renting their own apartment, a first for both of them. Being on her own, Katie has discovered a similar passion for cooking just like her big sis! She often shares many new products and recipes with me that she tries.

This past week she left me a little treat in my lunch box, green tea cookies with white chocolate chips. I devoured them. I'm a huge fan of green tea, I drink it daily, but had no idea it came in a cooking form. Cue in Katie, she found Matcha powder online, which is finally ground powder of processed green tea and baked those cookies with it.

Amazed by her fabulous find I knew I had to get my hands on some.  I first did a little research. Being sensitive to caffeine I was immediately worried about the reaction I might have. I was surprised to find that it is extremely high in antioxidants and only has 1/3 the caffeine content of a cup of coffee. It also claims to have many health benefits due to the high antioxidants. All thumbs up for me. In order to get my hands on some soon, we made a trip to our local Fairway Market which is more of a specialty store. Sure enough they had a large selection of imported teas with a very big bag of Matcha powder. We had them measure out just about an ounce since it runs almost $59 a pound. 

This product can be used in smoothies, which of course I tried, and of course it was delicious (tasted just like Starbucks Green Tea Frappe), as well as baked goods like cookies and breads, or just as a quick pick me up dissolved in some hot or cold water. Check out some recipes here.

It is treats like this that make me truly proud to be a part of a family that loves to cook just as much as I do. Thanks to my sister Katie, I now have discovered a wonderful new product to experiment with and enjoy! 

Vegetables, the new junk food

When trying to eat healthy, vegetables are the first items that come to mind. In a previous post titled "Making veggies fun", I showed you how you can transform every day boring vegetables into a fun treat for your family. I'd like to share a few more tips in this post as to how you can transform vegetables into everyone's favorite junk food... chips! 

Now I know that everyone is used to eating potatoes, which is a vegetable, and makes a great chip, but they are also very dense and full of carbs and calories. Today I'm going to share how you can create delicious, crunchy chips with zucchini, kale, and Brussels sprouts (also mentioned in "Making veggies fun" post). These chip versions are much lower in calorie, contain more vitamins, and they bake very well saving you on the extra calories when frying typical potato chips.

Zucchini Chips

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to begin with. It is very easy to cook with and usually very inexpensive. Zucchini is not something I usually see featured on a menu unless it's deep fried into what is called zucchini sticks. It wasn't until I visited my now favorite restaurant Blu Fig (check out my review) that I found zucchini chips listed as an appetizer. Served with Greek tzatziki sauce, this crispy, crunchy, cool delight is a must have. Now the ones served at Blu Fig do have a light breading before they are baked but they can always be sliced and baked just on their own. The trick is to slice them very thin and then just apply a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. I normally cook at a higher temp for a quicker time, anywhere around 450 for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on them, when they brown they're done. For extra flavor you can throw on a little garlic powder or Parmesan cheese. 

Kale Chips

These don't look like you're traditional chips but when you take a bit out of one you will instantly feel like you're cheating on your diet. Kale chips begin by removing the stalk from

kale leaves, tearing off bite size pieces, and then washing and carefully drying the kale. I use a salad spinner for best results. You don't want any liquid to make these soggy. If you're lazy, you can buy a bag already prepped and ready to go at the food store. Once prepped layer them on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle a touch of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper, or any seasoning of your liking. This time I bake at a lower setting, around 350 for 20-30 minutes, rotation my pan. You don't want black leaves, just a touch of brown. 

Brussels Sprout Chips

If you read my previous post mentioned above, you'll know by now that Brussels sprouts are way cooler then you probably thought.

They are great when some of their outer leaves fall off and crisp up, but this time you're going to cut the bottom off and remove all of the layers to form little round chips. Once you have a nice pile, layer on a baking sheet and drizzle on olive oil, balsamic, sea salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, then bake at 375 for around 10-15 minutes. Some of the bigger chips will take longer to cook so make sure you rotate all of them with a spatula so they don't burn. You can take out the ones that brown first. In just a few cooling seconds you will have little crispy chips that aren't a thing like you're typical Brussels sprouts. 

All of these recipes can be altered to your taste. I like to add the salt for flavor but you can eat these plain. You can add in any additional seasons you'd like to really spice these up. These healthy snacks will become a regular in your household for kids and adults to enjoy!  

Making veggies fun

Do you know someone who doesn't like to eat veggies? 

Maybe it's your husband who is strictly a meat and seafood guy, or a child who can't stand the taste of anything healthy, or a traditional eater that gets bored with the basics. Well if you have any of these people in your life then this is the post for you. I'd like to share with you some classic vegetables that are commonly found in most food stores, yet underused for lack of ingenuity. I'm going to explain how you can transform these everyday veggies into some fabulous food finds that any picky eater will enjoy!

Peppers

Most people use peppers to flavor a dish but did you know that peppers are a great vessel for fillings. Basically you eat what is in the pepper and then the pepper is covered in goodness so you end up eating that too. They look like little bowls with tops; how fun is it to eat your serving dish?

Squash

The name alone turns people down, squash, like get rid of? That's probably why people don't explore the many different vegetables in the squash family. One of my favorite squash members is the spaghetti squash. It is so easy to make and it will wow your diners. Simply slice the squash in half and roast, boil, or even microwave it. When the squash is fully cooked (cooking times vary by method) you can take a fork and run it down lengthwise of the squash. You will see perfect long strands of squash flake off. You can do this for the entire squash and you will end up with a super healthy, low calorie, mimic of spaghetti. It tastes great and the texture is super fun to eat.

Spinach

I love spinach, it adds so much dimension to a dish without a lot of work. Spinach is full of iron, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and E. Spinach can easily be consumed by throwing it into a quiche or dip. By doing so it gets disguised by the flavors of the snack yet you are getting all those healthy greens into you. Hey, if Popeye can eat it so can we!

Potatoes

I know this seems weird but I know many people who don't enjoy eating potatoes because they are boring. When I grew up my mom always cooked potatoes with dinner because they were quick and easy and went with just about everything. With that said, they ended up being a bland boring side dish that was used to fill up our bellies but didn't really satisfy our taste buds. When I began exploring new vegetables I was crazed to see there were different colored potatoes. Did you know there are red and blue potatoes? Yes blue! These potatoes cook just like regular potatoes but are so much more fun to use. They also have a more exotic and earthy flavor than regular white potatoes. You can find these colored potatoes in the chip form as well.

Brussels sprouts

I have to admit, I didn't start liking these until late in the game. Much like many of us, I fell into the stereotype that Brussels sprouts are gross, smelly, nasty tasting little heads of cabbage. All along I was eating them wrong. When properly prepared, Brussels sprouts are a scrumptious side dish. My favorite way to eat Brussels sprouts is by roasting them in the oven. I layer the sprouts on a baking sheets, peeling off some of the outer layers to crisp on their own. I drizzle on some olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. When they cook in the oven they become slightly tender but still hold their round shape. The balsamic caramelizes the sprouts and there is a sweet and salty flavor. The best part is the crispy layers. I swear they are just as good as potato chips! If you're feeling spontaneous you can throw in some chopped bacon for an even saltier, meaty bite!

So what do you think?

Would you make these veggies in a new way to get your picky eaters to give them a try? I know these variations have really helped my family consume a lot more veggies than before because these are really fun, healthy, and easy options!

Welcome to my herb garden

Fresh herbs are probably the best seasonings you can cook with. They make any dish pop with their vibrant colors and bold flavors. They also flavor a dish without adding any extra calories. I am fortunate to have an herb garden on the side of my house. I don't have much of a green thumb but I find growing herbs is not as difficult as other foods and plants. Usually I plant my potted herbs into the ground, make sure they are watered, and mother nature does the rest. Below I've shared some of my favorite herbs to grow and to work with.

Mint: These textured tough leaves work great in sweet and savory meals. Mint is a very easy herb to grow and it multiplies in size naturally. Once you plant mint it will begin to spread and spread, so long as it's roots have the room. Mint is fabulous crushed into teas and flavored water. Crushing the leaves releases all their great aromas. On the savory side, chopped mint is used in a lot of Mediterranean dishes and sauces. It provides a cool refreshing flavor.

Basil: These soft round leaves go great in anything Italian. In a previous post I shredded it for my tomato sauce. Basil taste delicious raw too, most famously used as the main ingredient in traditional Pesto. I love to take fresh basil leaves and place them between layers of tomato and mozzarella to make a Caprese salad. I recently tried basil and lemon water and loved that too.

Rosemary: These sprigs are delicious when added to roasted red potatoes and lamb. I love to place a sprig of rosemary into a glass jar of oil and let it sit for several days, it will really infuse into the oil resulting in a delicious dipping sauce for bread.

Parsley: This flat or curly leafy green goes great with just about everything. I love to chop fresh parsley and sprinkle it on top of finished dishes like chicken Marsala or Francaise. Parsley goes great on top of roasted chicken and potatoes too. It can be used as a beautiful garnish on dinner plates and it even cleanses your palate after you finish your meal.

If you don't have the luxury of growing these herbs at home you can always find them in the produce aisle at the food store. If you buy them potted they will last 7-10 days as long as you water them. If that's not your style, you can still find fresh herbs but this time in little plastic containers, usually just enough for one meal. You will really notice a difference in your meals when you go fresh!

3 amazing ways to transform cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables not many kids like when growing up. Now as a result this white budding floret doesn't find it's way onto many adult dinner plates. In this post I'll explain how you can transform typically boring, flavorless cauliflower into some pretty awesome meals. 

1. Cauliflower rice:

Yes I said it, rice. When slightly undercooked, cauliflower can be turned into a great carb free rice. There are many different ways this is done but I'll share the easiest. Take a microwave steam-ready bag of cauliflower and steam it for just about a minute. You want the cauliflower to be warm but not tender. Drain and remove the cauliflower from the bag and place into a food processor. Don't over flow it or only parts will rice. When you have an even layer all the way around hit the pulse button three times. This will give short little bursts from the blades but will not do a full process. Dump your rice into a bowl, you will notice it looks and feels a lot like rice. You can now heat the rice for another short minute right before you are ready to serve so it's warm. You can also sauté the rice to make a fried rice or add it to chicken soup. The trick is to not over cook it!

2. Cauliflower mashed potatoes:

These are hearty and filling. To get a mash you're going to use a masher. Steam the cauliflower for the full time listed, plus a minute more. You want it to be very soft and tender. Drain the cauliflower and pour it into a bowl. Add a touch of milk and butter, salt and pepper. Begin mashing as you would potatoes. The cauliflower will start to blend with the other ingredients and form a mushy mash. Feel free to add garlic for extra seasoning or cream cheese for extra body.

3. Cauliflower pizza crust:

This will blow your mind. If you're like me and can't give up pizza then this is something you have to try. Basically you steam and rice the cauliflower but this time mix it with some binding agents like egg and cheese and then bake. I found this recipe to be the most useful.

Each of these options provide you with a healthy alternative to regular meals but still the fun enjoyable sensation of eating carefree. With a little effort and some imagination you can be enjoying cauliflower meal replacements at home too! 

A spiralizer's many uses

I’d like to share with you a tool that has really improved my healthy eating skills. This “fabulous food find” is called a spiralizer. With this kitchen tool you can quickly and easily carve your everyday vegetables into spiral like shapes. A spiralizer is a life saver when you are craving pasta but don’t want to take in all the carbs, hence the name of my device the Veggetti. There are many spiralizers on the market but this one happens to be the cheapest and easiest to use and it stores away nicely when not in use. 

When looking at Wikipedia I notice a very short entry of what a spiralizer is and then in the “Use With” section an author lists other kitchen devices that might help with healthy eating. In my opinion the “Use With” section should really include the different vegetable options that you can use with the tool. I’ve updated the section to include more foods and how they can be used directly with the spiralizer.

Wikipedia's entry:

Spiralizers are often used in kitchens with juicers, blenders, and food processors to produce raw vegan or vegetarian meals. For example, one can use a spiralizer to make "noodles" with spaghetti sauce; a blender to make a green smoothie; and a juicer to make home made orange juice. Meals like this are popular on many health blogs, particularly vegan, vegetarian, and paleo blogs. Users can find spiralizer recipes on sites such as Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook, and Snapchat.

My change:

Spiralizers are often used to produce vegan or vegetarian meals or to transform high calorie meals into healthier options. Almost any vegetable can be cut down and spiraled to make alternative healthy meals. For example, one can use a spiralizer to make "zucchini noodles" with tomato sauce or for a great veggie stir-fry. Spiraled potatoes make a tasty hash or potato pancakes. You can also make sprialed carrots and beets for a colorful salad or quick garnishes that are fun, healthy, and attractive. Meals like these are popular on many health blogs, particularly vegan, vegetarian and paleo. Besides blogs, users can find spiralizer recipes on many social media sites.

Link can be found by clicking here.

For veggies that need to be cooked, it only takes a few minutes in some boiling water and they will come out just like pasta should be, al dente. Anything used for raw salads and garnishes are ready to use as soon as you spiral them. As a tip, I pull the veggie out in between turns to get short little strips. If you leave the veggie in the spiralizer and keep turning you will get long continuous strands.