Tag Archives: Healthy food

[to die for] Lemon Basil & Honey Egg Salad

Posted on August 2, 2011 | 21 Comments

Good afternoon! I am blogging right now from school because we still don’t have interwebz in our new house. I took my Calculus final on Friday, which went really well! Afterwards, I met up with a new friend and went rock climbing for the first time. It was the perfect de-stressor and a surprisingly good workout! Two hours flew by. I didn’t feel exhausted until I tried to climb up the inverted wall. It is tilted towards you so it is much harder than a vertical wall, or a wall that is tilted away. My arms literally gave out as I struggled to cling to the little rocks. And I had only made it up a few feet… You really have to trust whoever you are attached to! I was mildly hesitant to let go of the wall off at 30 or 40 feet high, but I did and I alive to blog about it. Afterwards, I went home and packed for the big move. Saturday morning, Chelsea, her parents, Kristi, and I spent all  day packing up and moving to our new house. It is just down the street, but that doesn’t make it any less work! We cleaned the crap out of our old house. I seriously spent three hours on just my bathroom. I hadn’t cleaned it the entire year. At least, not really. I was down on my hands and knees scrubbing the grout and I practically had to sandblast the soap scum off my shower. Sorry. I now understand why some housewives get off to hardcore cleaning products. Works in 60 seconds never sounded so good.

All the hard work paid off though, and Zabace is forking over the entire deposit! Pretty sure we deserve a medal of some sort.  If you are a hardcore reader, you may remember that I painted my wall 6 months ago a royal blue. Since that is technically really not okay, I scrambled to paint it back to cream earlier in the week. During the final walk through, the landlord walked into my room and got a puzzled look on her face. She said “Oh…. I thought this wall was blue. I apologize. You must have thought I was crazy.” I guess she had heard from a repairman or gardener that I had painted my wall blue and was planning on nailing me for it. Not a trace of evidence remained, suckaz!

Since then, I have celebrated, organized my room, started Genetics, and made dinner with my dear friend Dina. She finally came home from Palestine after being gone for over a month. We had a precious date that included dinner, wine, and a trip to my favorite ice cream shop. Dinner was an Italian stir fry, which I have never done before. We sautéed zucchini, onions, snap peas, and chicken with olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper and added fresh mozzarella balls to the mix at the end so it was just melted. On the side we had basil-tomato-marinated mozzarella salad, Chilean red wine, and a slice of her mothers jam cake!

Okay. Down to the recipe that got me through one hell of a weekend. IT IS THE BEST EGG SALAD I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I have eaten this sandwich for 2 of my 3 meals 2 days in a row and then some. It is that good. Don’t question the ingredients, just make it and love it.

Lemon Basil & Honey Egg Salad

Recipe: Makes 2 servings

6  hard-boiled eggs (using 2 or 3 of the 6 yolks)

2 tbsp mayo

fresh basil, shredded

1 tbsp honey

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

dash cinnamon

dash dill

dash salt

whole wheat bread

tomato, sliced

Directions -

To prepare the eggs: Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with 1 inch (above) of cold water. Bring to boil on the stove. Once at a solid boil, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 12 minutes. Immediately transfer eggs to bowl of ice water and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Peel.

Combine eggs with basil, honey, lemon, mayo, dill, and cinnamon (the two spice are optional but add if you have them!). Toast whole grain bread and top with tomato slices and half of the egg salad. Save leftovers in the fridge!

Make this. Change your life.

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Merh.

Posted on July 27, 2011 | 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I am struggling to get through this week. Each day seems to drag on and I have been having more trouble concentrating than usual. Typically, I make a to-do list each morning and tackle almost everything on it by the day’s end. Each item crossed off relieves a bit of stress, and thus there is a cycle of positive re-enforcement. Do my sh stuff, feel better, do more of my stuff, relax and enjoy. Now, I am just kind of physically stammering, not really doing anything. I need to get down to business though, because my calculus final is on Friday, and then the first summer session will be over! Immediately following that, Chelsea, Kristi, and I are moving into our new house this weekend, and then on Monday, summer session two begins. Blech. I am taking Bio Sci 101, which is Genes and Genetics. Since it is supposed to be a fairly difficult course, I am going to take that and nothing else. Hopefully it will be a fair workload and I will be able to enjoy my weeks as much, or more, as I have been these last 5 or so weeks.

Since this week has been full of studying, procrastinating, my internship, and class, the sad truth is that the highlight of my day yesterday was lunch. But it isn’t quite so sad when you consider how awesome it was…

Feta salmon sliders with a yogurt mint sauce

Recipe: Serves 1

3 tbsp greek yogurt

1 tbsp chopped mint

1 tbsp feta, crumbled

1 whole wheat mini bagel

1 salmon burger (you can make your own with my recipe or just buy frozen patties!)

tomato slices

onion slices

Directions – Prepare the salmon burger as directed. Then, toast a whole wheat mini bagel. While it is toasting, prepare the sauce by combining the greek yogurt, mint, and feta in a dish and mashing it all together. Cut the salmon burger into two circular patties and place each one on top of a bagel half. Top with the yogurt sauce, extra feta, slivers of onion, a tomato slice, and a dash of salt. Serve with a side of zucchini feta salad. Enjoy!

Benefits:

Salmon * Salmon has one of the highest concentrations of omega 3 fatty acids! Studies show that eating omega 3 rich fish just twice a week can lower blood triglycerides. Salmon is also rich in tryptophan, vitamin D, protein, B vitamins, and selenium!

Tomato * Contains the antioxidant lycopene, which has been found to protect against breast, colorectal, lung, endometrial, prostate, and pancreatic cancer!

Onion * Lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and also have antioxidants.

Questions: How is your week going? And recommendations for getting my focus back? 

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Hello from Lake of the Ozarks!

Posted on July 14, 2011 | 23 Comments

I have immersed myself in summer and it feels so good. This means going to summer school in the morning, workout  in the afternoon, and dividing the rest of my day to studies and fun with friends. I have been lifting weights 2-3x a week and doing most HIIT (high intensity interval training) cardio 2-3 days a week. For your workout inspiration…

Track Intervals #1

12 minute warm up jog (for me, this is running to the track near my house)

200 meter SPRINT

200 meter SLOW walk/shuffle/jog (this totals 1 lap)

repeat 4x or 9x

12 minute cool down jog

Mix Up Workout

This workout was inspired by Lori. It truly is a workout that you have no excuse to not do. No matter where you are or how little time you have, you can drop and do this little routine!

15 minute warm up jog

10 pushups

10 deep squats

10 jumping lunges

10 situps

repeat 4x or 10x

5 minute cool down jog

Lifting #1

1/2 mile warm up jog or run

5×10 squats, 125 lbs  [booty]

3×10 dead lifts, 80 lbs   [lower back/hamstrings]

3×10 lat pull down, 50 lbs  [upper back]

3×10 seated double arm cable pully rows, 40 lbs [mid back]

3×12 seated leg press, 185 lbs [booty/hamstrings]

3×10 military press, 30 lbs [shoulders]

3×10 cable push down, 30 lbs [triceps]

3×12 (on each side) side bend, 45 lbs [abs]

3×12 hanging leg lifts [lower abs]

1×1 whey protein smoothie

If you aren’t sure what some of these are, this is a great website!

My current favorite whey protein smoothie is

Blueberry PopTart Protein Smoothie

1/2 cup frozen blueberries (Rhythm and Blueberries is the best)

1 scoop cinnamon bun whey protein powder

2 tbsp greek yogurt

handful ice

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk

pinch salt

optional toppings: shredded coconut

Blend away!

I updated my Recipes page, so it should be much easier to find the type of meal you are looking for! I have been lacking in the inspiration department as far as cooking goes, but when I return home from my family reunion (from now until Sunday!) in Lake of the Ozarks, I plan on getting back into cooking REAL meals. I have been feeding on very simple things that I almost feel silly posting because they are so simple. For example, breakfasts have included Texas style breakfast tacos…

whole wheat tortilla, 1 egg + 3 egg whites, full fat cheddar cheese, sour cream, cherry tomatoes, onions

yogurt messes…

high fiber cereal, corn puffs, vanilla almond milk, greek yogurt, mixed nuts

And lunches have included homemade spring rolls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and…

Summer Strawberry & Almond Chicken Salad

1/2 grilled chicken breast (cold), shredded

2-3 tbsp sour cream

~5 strawberries, sliced

2 tbsp slivered almonds

Toss ingredients together and serve on a salad or as a whole grain sandwich or wrap!

perfect for a hot summer day

My housemates thought it was strange I was using sour cream instead of mayo for chicken salad, but I thought it was grreat. Ill be back in a few days, enjoy your weekends!

Parting words of wisdom from last weekend’s adventure in SF…

as I wear my heels…

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Happy 4th of July!

Posted on July 4, 2011 | 17 Comments

Happy 4th of July from Lake Tahoe! This weekend has truly been a blessing. Carlyn and I drove to Tahoe early Friday morning to her parent’s new home on North Shore. It is the longest period of time I have been able to spend with her throughout our entire friendship. She is the busiest girl I know. She wants to be a vet and apparently getting into vet school is even harder than med and law school combined. I have to fight for a sliver of her time between her two jobs, internship, and school – so obviously spending an entire weekend with her and her fam has been extra special. We have gone hiking…

We have tanned…

We have eaten delicious food and made fresh mojitos…

And simply enjoyed the beauty around us..

In 4th of July spirit, I have a recipe that can easily be made red, white and blue! Just add a few red sprinkles or cherry chunks ;)

Vanilla Cashew Blueberry Cookies

sugar free but delish!

soo creamy

Recipe: Makes ~10 cookies

Dry ingredients - 

1/2 cup whole wheat white flour

1/2 cup NuNaturals baking blend stevia (can sub in sugar in equal quantities)

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup blueberries

optional: dash cinnamon and/or tbsp brown sugar

Wet ingredients - 

1 tbsp butter, melted

3 tbsp cashew butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions – Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (except blueberries) and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl and mix with a spatula until well combined. Fold in blueberries. Take a spoonful of cookie dough, roll into a ball, and flatten onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes.

they were a hit –  literally gone in 10 seconds

Benefits:

Cashews * may help prevent gall stones and are a prime source of copper, tryptophan, magnesium, and phosphorous. Low copper intake can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, elevated LDL cholesterol (bad), and join problems. Inadequate magnesium can lead to muscle cramps (the kind that wake you up at night in agony), headaches, high blood pressure, and fatigue. While obviously high in fat, most of it is monounsaturated and may help lower triglyceride levels and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

Blueberries * have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of all fruits and veggies. Their anthocyanidins counteract free radicals, which damage cells and tissues. One study demonstrated that blueberries improve memory and learning capacity in aging animals. They also protect against all forms of cancer, especially colon and ovarian cancer.

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Blueberry-lemon poppyseed pancakes with lemon yogurt creme and maple syrup

Posted on March 29, 2011 | 27 Comments

Classes started yesterday and they all seem interesting so far! I got into the Biochem lab and it might just kill me. And my GPA. My game plan is to obsessively read the lab manuel before each lab and literally picture myself doing the experiment step by step. It’s the only way to reduce my klutziness. On my About Me page, it says that I am interested in going into researching phytochemicals and antioxidants. While this is true, I am very interested in that, I am not so sure that it is realistic. If my performance in Ochem lab is any indication of my lab skills – I should probably aim for a different profession. Here’s to improvement! But seriously, I have been thinking about med school and becoming an endocrinologist in the last few months. I really loved biochem and systemic physiology and I can see myself incorporating my passion for nutrition into treating patients as an endocrinologist. They deal with metabolic disorders and any health problem related to hormones (aging, reproduction, thyroid, etc). Merh. I don’t know.

On a lighter note, spring quarter has brought floods of people to the gym. I think the realization that swim suit season is fast approaching has got about 1/3 of the student population crammed into the singular weight and cardio room at any given time. It is a zoo. Boo.

LOOK AT MY BOMB BREAKFAST.

Easily my best breakfast of March.

Usually my pancakes don’t have the right texture, so I rarely make or blog them. These, however, came out flawlessly. They are fluffy, lemony and lightly sweet, not too wet, not too dry, with big chunks of blueberries. The lemon creme and maple syrup compliment one another fabulously.

Recipe: Serves 1

1/4 cup whole wheat white flour

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp poppy seeds

pinch salt

1 egg

a bit less than 1/4 cup milk

1/3 of a lemon peel’s zest

handful blueberries

1 tbsp cream cheese

1 tbsp greek yogurt

1 tsp lemon juice

maple syrup

coconut oil

Directions -

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt in a bowl. Combine the egg, milk, and lemon zest in another and mix well.

2. While stirring, pour the wet into the dry until it has reached the desired consistency (smooth & pourable, not pasty or drippy). I had about 1-2 tablespoons of extra liquid (this is the downside of cooking for one). Fold in the blueberries.

3. Place a pan on the stove at medium low heat and grease with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil. When the oil is hot, pour in the batter.

4. Cook until bubbles have risen all over the pancake. Flip and cook until golden.

5. Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, and yogurt in a dish. Stir well.

6. Layer your pancakes with lemon yogurt creme and top with maple syrup, extra lemon zest, and blueberries. Enjoy!

Make me.

Benefits:

Blueberries * have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of all fruits and veggies. Their anthocyanidins counteract free radicals, which damage cells and tissues. One study demonstrated that blueberries improve memory and learning capacity in aging animals. They also protect against all forms of cancer, especially colon and ovarian cancer.

Lemon * a great source of vitamin C. Lemons also aid in digestion by stimulating and activating certain enzymes!

Eggs * the yolk is where all the nutrients are! It contains tryptophan, selenium, iodine, B vitamins, and phosphorous, many of which are necessary for optimal metabolism. The egg white has 6 grams of complete protein!

Whole wheat flour *  when you choose white flour over whole wheat flour, you are losing over half of the B vitamins, fiber, folic acid, calcium, zinc, phosphorous, copper, and iron. Whole grains reduce your risk for diabetes and have also been linked to weight loss and maintaining a lower BMI.

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Greek Bliss in a Bowl

Posted on January 14, 2011 | 12 Comments

I have been wanting to make  several things for months now, and it all came together into one meal last night. Primarily, I have been wanting to make my own tzaziki sauce.  I always see it at grocery stores, but refuse to pay 3$ for a little container when I know it is ridiculously easy to make. I have also been loving on feta and have been thinking about incorporating it into a tzaziki-like sauce. The final thing I have been wanting to make is a balsamic reduction. Ever since I saw it on How Sweet It Is, I have been thinking of all ways I can use it. Be on the lookout here for a sweet potato-goat cheese-balsamic reduction creation in the near future!

With these cravings in mind, I created a..

Greek Salad with Tzaziki Sauce & Balsamic Reduction

A vegetable and bulgur salad tossed with a creamy tzaziki sauce and topped with feta, walnuts, and a balsamic reduction.

I wish it looked as pretty as it tastes.

Recipe: Serves 2

First, start with the veggies and bulgur.

The Greek Salad

1 cup cooked bulgur

1/3 cup onion, diced

1 red bell pepper

1/2 cucumber

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 tomato, chopped

Topped with: chopped walnuts, feta cheese, smoked salmon (optional)

Directions – Refrigerate the bulgur until it is chilled. Toss with the chopped vegetables.

The Tzaziki Sauce

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp organic sour cream

1/2 tbsp EVOO

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp onion, minced

1/2 tsp dill

salt, to taste

dash pepper (preferably white)

Optional: feta cheese (I decided to put the feta on top of the salad, but I think blending it into the sauce would be awesome. A feta tzaziki dressing…)

Directions – Mix all of the ingredients together. Mash the onions and garlic into the dip with a spoon or fork. Or, if you have extra time, let the onions, garlic and dill marinate in the olive oil first for an hour or so and then mix it all together.

The Balsamic Reduction

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar   (or more, I like to make a lot and have extra. However much you use, it will make one half as much reduction)

optional: spoonful of brown sugar (I didn’t add any, its up to your sweet preference)

Directions – Place a small pot on the stove. Add the vinegar and turn the heat up to high. Constantly whisk. Bring to a boil and let the water burn off until it has been reduced to half the amount of liquid. Remove from heat and continue to whisk until it has cooled a bit. It will be syrupy.

This meal rocked and was not difficult in the least to make.

Benefits:

Dill * aids in digestion, is a relaxant, can help ease insomnia, and contains the antioxidants monoterpenes, which protect against cancer!

Greek yogurt * All the same benefits as yogurt, like calcium, but with more protein and less sugar!

Onions * contain anti-aging antioxidants phenolics and flavonoids. A study by Dr. Liu showed that pungent and Western yellow onions protected the most against colon cancer, while pungent yellow, Western yellow, and shallots protected the most against liver cancer.

Garlic * packed with antioxidants that fight aging, cancer, and heart disease! Garlic can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and eliminate free radicals (which cause cellular damage). It is also used to treat asthma and yeast infections.

Bulgur * a whole grain fiber super star.  Also contains B vitamins, iron, phosphorous, manganese.

Balsamic vinegar * has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, contains the antioxidants polyphenols, aids in digestion, can aid in appetite suppression, and can help control insulin sensitivity

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