Stuffing My Face with Stuffed Eggplant

I am a little obsessed with anything stuffed. Stuffed bell peppers (which reminds me to add to this blog), stuffed zucchini, and just simply stuffing my face. Over the last couple of years I have grown to be familiar with what foods take well to my body and which ones don't want to leave it. Foods high in carbohydrates and I never got along, so for me finding that balance is always hard. Tonight I decided to whip up a healthier version of stuffed eggplant. Usually, I would use quinoa for the stuffing but I wanted to make it whole30. Surpassingly, I didn't finish my meal with the feeling that I was compensating for carbs, grains, or starches and it came out delicious. If you like eggplant give this recipe a try, I'm sure it won't disappoint!

    What You Need:

• 1 Eggplant 
• 1/2 lb. Ground turkey (beef or chicken is good to)
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Summer squash
• 1 Can f tomato sauce
• 1/2 White onion
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Peper 

     Directions:

1. Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut the eggplant in half then hallow out each side
3. Dice up half an onion
4. Chop up your zucchini and summer squash into medium sized pieces
5. On the stove, oil your pan and add your onions in and let them sauté for a couple minutes
6. When the onions look like they are tender, add in your squash and zucchini and wait until they have fully cooked 
7. In a separate small sized pan cook your ground meat 
8. When both the vegetables and meat are cooked, add the meat to the pan with the vegetables 
9. Add the tomato sauce as well as all the spices you desire and place the frying pan on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes
10. Grab a glass baking pan and generously add olive oil all over both eggplant halves
11. Once the stuffing has cooked for about 8-10 minutes, pour the stuffing into the hollowed out eggplant and place in the over for about 30/35 minutes (Depending on the size of the eggplant)
12. Take out, sereve and enjoy!

     

Thick Girl(Or Boy) Pasta

Alright first things first, everyone who is reading this post please invest in a spiral slicer! I can't remember the last time I had spaghetti, but I have found the answers to all my prayers with this invention. It shapes almost any vegetable into a noodle, and if you are like me carbs are definitely NOT my friend. I mean they sure do love my hips but I prefer that carbs stay away from them. This version of Spaghetti and meatballs is also Whole30 approved, so those of you who are following the diet this is something you want to try. You are looking at heaven that falls under 300 calories. Yes, I said it, this bad boy is under 300 calories and absolutely delicious! You can use anything from beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. In this recipe I used organic zucchini and yellow squash. If you love pasta (I mean who doesn't right?) and want to limit your carb intake give this a shot, I promise you it will not disappoint.

Baked Tilapia Fillet (Whole 30 approved)

I thought I would be able to make a post every day, but I realized this weekend I actually had a life to attend to. I'll try to keep it a little more consistent I swear. Tonight I was craving tilapia so I wanted to share my dinner with you guys. This recipe is super easy to do and you can pair it with whatever vegetables you desire. I have an obsession with beets and eat them often so I chose to boil some to go with my fish. I also cut up half an avocado as my fat of choice for the night and kept tonight's meal super simple. If you don't have a ton of time to invest in cooking, a meal like this is really easy to do with very little time needed to attend to. If you are restrained on time, give this recipe a shot.

What You Need:

-Tilapia(You can also do this with any fish)

-Olive Oil

-Garlic powder

-Italian seasoning

-Chili powder

-Salt

-Peper 

Directions:

1. Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees 

2. On a paper towel lay the thawed fish out and pat it dry

3. Add a little of each seasoning on each side of the fish

4. Put olive oil in a glass pan and spread it out (I use olive oil spray and spray a little on each side)

5. Pop it in the oven and let it bake for about 35 minutes (depending on the size of the fish it can need

    a little more time)

6. Take the pan and like it cook off for about 5 minutes before platting

7. Plate and enjoy!

This Hot Weather Calls For A Cool Date.

Due to this hot weather I thought it would be fitting to cool off with my Date-sty smoothy. I will also post the whole30 certified version as well for whoever is doing the program with me. I want to start off by saying I used to despise dates. They did not look appetizing to me in any way so I would stay clear from them when my mother would bring them home. A couple years ago as my taste palate started to develop I decided to try one and this time I fell in love. Not to mention these delicious fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber too. Some health specialists have even stated that eating one day per day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet. Also it is said that the many benefits of dates have made them one of the best ingredients for muscle development (Fellas did you read that...I'll put that part in bold for you). All around the world, people have started the holy month of Ramadan in which they fast from sunrise to sunset. During this time, people break their fast by eating dates to help avoid overeating food after their fast is finished. This super fruit has many health benefits to it which makes it the perfect candidate to use on any hot day. 

Ingredients: 

-5/6 small dates (or 4 large dates...don't forget to remove the pits!)

-Half A Banana 

-8oz. Almond milk (I typically use unsweetened almond milk)

-1 Tsp. Whole Flaxseed (Optional)

-1 Tsp. Chia Seeds (Optional)

-1/4 Cup of Ice

*Note: You can also add whatever protein powder you use

Whole30 Version: 

-5/6 small dates (or 4 large dates...again don't forget to remove the pits!)

Half a banana (Depending on the size I sometimes add a whole if it's small)

-3/4 Cup Light Coconut Milk (I get mine canned from Trader joes) 

-1/4 Cup Water 

-1 Tsp. Whole Flaxseed (Optional)

-1 Tsp. Chia Seeds (Optional)

-1/2 Cup Ice 

Directions:

This should be pretty simple... just blend and Enjoy this yummy treat on a warm day.

Oven baked Chicken with baby Zucchini (Whole30 Day 2)

What you Need:

• Organic/Natural Chicken Legs, Thighs, or Breast...take your pick. (Doesn't have to be Organic) 
• Baby zucchini (Or regular zucchini)
• 5 Cloves Of Garlic 
• Sweet Onion
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt (Just a pinch)
• 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
• Black Pepper (I used a pinch) 
• Cayenne Pepper (Optional) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make sure to wash your chicken and pat dray with a paper towel to get that crispy skin texture we want.
3. In a bowl add the olive oil with the fresh garlic along with all the seasonings.
4. Add the chicken and mix it in so that the seasoning is spread on all the pieces. Let it marinate for about an hour.
5. Wash and Cut the zucchini.   
6. In a glass tray add a little olive oil and toss in the chicken 
7. Add the Zucchini in with the chicken (I used extra virgin olive oil to spray the zucchini after they were in the tray). 
8. Throw that baby in the oven and let it cook for about an hour. 
9. Half way through take it out and flip the chicken over. 
10. Pull of the tray and let it cool down for a couple minutes. 
11. Plate it and enjoy!

No Gluten, No sugar, No grains, No Beans, and No dairy...Uhhh whats left?

I know you all are thinking a diet with no gluten, no grains, no beans,and no dairy..."Yeah, Hell to the No". What could possible be left to eat? Lean meat, wholesome fruits, and raw vegetables "but I don't like spinach", well then get used to all that extra love around your waist. On the plus side it will keep you warm at night...although its summer and I'm sure all that love isn't too comfortable. I am currently on day two on the whole 30, and I won't lie and say I've started out strong. I was craving a donut earlier...well I always crave donuts. MMM maple glaze. Anyways back to what I was saying about the whole 30 diet. What does is this diet exactly? And why cut out all this stuff? For starters food groups like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes could have an impact on your energy level causing you to feel fatigued, sluggish and lazy. By eliminating all these foods for thirty days you allow your body to reboot itself and recover from whatever imbalance they caused in your body. The end result allows you to break free from your cravings, gives you more energy, and of course lose weight. Sounds a little difficult I know, but if a girl like me who lives her life anticipating when her next meal is could do it then so could you. Here is a summary of what the program looks like. 

  
For 30 days: 

• Do not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. (Which means No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in ways you might not recognize.)
• Do not consume alcohol in any form, not even for cooking. (And it should go without saying, but no tobacco products of any sort, either.)
• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Read your labels.
• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
• Do not eat dairy. This includes cow, goat or sheep’s milk products such as cream, cheese (hard or soft), kefir, yogurt (even Greek), and sour cream… with the exception of clarified butter or ghee. 
• Do not eat white potatoes. It’s best to leave white, red, purple, Yukon gold, and fingerling potatoes off your plate.
• Do not consume carrageenan, MSG or sulfites. If these ingredients appear in any form on the label of your processed food or beverage, it’s out for the Whole30.
• No Paleo-ifying baked goods, desserts, or junk foods. Trying to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold will ruin your program faster than you can say “Paleo Pop-Tarts.” This means no desserts or junk food made with “approved” ingredients—no banana-egg pancakes, almond-flour muffins, flourless brownies, or coconut milk ice cream. Don’t try to replicate junk food during your 30 days! That misses the point of the Whole30 entirely.

*In my next post is the dinner that  I made tonight whole30 certified!