Curried Chicken with Assorted Veggies

Being a student, it sometimes feels like I eat the same foods over and over again. That's why I like to play around with spices, and experiment with new and different ways to cook the "same old foods". I always have chicken and an assortment of veggies tucked away in my fridge. So tonight, I messed around with my cooking skillz, and came up with a marvelously delicious meal!

What you'll need:

- 4oz chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 sweet red onion, sliced
- curry powder
- 5 asparagus spears
- 1 slice turkey bacon
- 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 2 pineapple rings
- 1 tsp olive oil
- salt and pepper


What to do:
1. Heat up a frying pan on medium-high heat. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Once heated, add the chicken chunks and onion. Add the curry powder and coat well. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink on the inside.
2. As the chicken cooks, heat up a George Foreman-type grill.
3. Toss the remaining veggies in the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper (or other spices of your choice).
4. Once the grill is heated, grill the veggies and pineapple. Flipping halfway through or until grill marks form (about 10 mins total, depending on how hot your grill gets).
5. Remove the veggies from the grill, and quickly heat up the slice of turkey bacon.
6. Wrap the asparagus in the turkey slice.
7. Throw it all together on a plate, and VOILA!


Nutrition:
289 calories
30g carbs
7g fat
37g protein


Talk about delicious and nutritious!
:)

FINALLY! A Sugarless cereal!

So as you may or may not know, I've recently been on the lookout for a cereal that is not loaded with unnecessary amounts of sugar. Finally, after searching high and low, I came across Ezekiel 4:9 Golden Flax cereal. I found it at Bulk Barn.

If you're not familiar with the Ezekiel 4:9 brand, it's an organic brand that uses only sprouted whole grains in their products. This means that these products are complete proteins, flourless, and exploding with nutrients!
The premise of the brand comes from the passage "Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it".


Check out the nutrient label here:

This cereal comes in different flavours, but this was the only one with ZERO grams of sugar. I just had to buy it and try it myself. And I'll just say that I DEFINITELY do not regret it whatsoever. It'll definitely be a repeated purchase!

:)

Keep Rollin'

This light meal (or snack!) is super easy and fun to make!

Foodie Stuff:- 1 medium zucchini- 50g canned & flaked chicken- 40g avocado, mashed


To Do:
1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise with a mandolin or potato peeler.
2. Mash the avocado into the chicken, and mix it well.
3. Lay zucchini slices out flat, and divide the avo-chicken mixture among them.
4. Roll 'em up!


This recipe is great since it's quick and easy! Of course you can play around with the fillings depending on whatever you have in your fridge. I opted for the avocado-chicken combo because I love the creaminess of ripe avocados, and wanted the protein from the chicken!


This snack has the perfect balance of macro-nutrients!
Facts:
142 calories
5g carbs
8g fat
15g protein


Avocados are one of my go-to foods! Not only do I LOVE the mild taste and creamy texture, but they provide healthy fats and fibre! Both essential in making you feel satisfied after eating a snack. Pair that with the protein from the chicken, and this dish quickly becomes filling but light!


:)

Green Wrap Ups!

So I recently bought collard greens, and discovered that they are the PERFECT alternative to tortilla wraps. Typical tortilla wraps are filled with useless calories and few nutrients. And when you do come across a brand with a decent fibre content, it's generally so expensive! So, I've solved that issue by replacing them with the low-cal and vitamin-EXPLODING collard greens. Read on for a nutritious recipe!


Spicy Curried Shrimp Wrap
This wrap is not only delicious, but provides you with a perfectly balanced meal. You wouldn't believe the amount of nutrients you get with such a light dish!


Ingredients (2 wraps):
- about 10 frozen baby shrimp
- 3 baby carrots, sliced
- 1/4 zucchini, diced
- 1/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 asparagus spears, diced
- 1/4 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1 tbsp curry powder (more or less depending on your preferences)
- 3 tbsp hummus
- 1/3 cup alfalfa sprouts
- 2 large collard green leaves


Directions:
1. Heat up a frying pan over medium-high heat, and cook the shrimp
2. Add all the cut vegetables (except the sprouts and the collards). Cook briefly, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the curry powder. Coat well.
4. Lay out the collard greens. Spread half the hummus onto each leaf.
5. Divide the alfalfa sprouts in half, and add it to the wrap.
6. Divide the curried shrimp/veggies in half, and add it to the wrap.
7. Carefully roll up the collard green wrap (just like you would with a tortilla).
8. Chow down!


The alfalfa sprouts and collard greens gives this wrap an amazing crunch! And the curry adds a nice little kick. There's absolutely nothing "wrong" about this recipe, in my opinion! (then again, I'm a little biased...)

The facts (for 2 wraps):
210 calories
20 g carbs
8 g fat (this is all from the hummus, so it will alter depending on the brand of hummus you use)
15 g protein


Not only is this meal perfectly balanced in its macro-nutrients, but the collards also provide LOADS of Vitamin A (aids the immune system, eyesight, bones/teeth, and fights against cancer) and Vitamin K (aids in healing wounds).


100g collard greens (raw):
30 calories
5.5 g carbs (3.6 g fibre)
2.5 g protein
41% daily folates
222% daily Vit A
59% daily Vit C
426% daily Vit K
15% calcium
Talk about a power food.


Anyways, enough of my nutrient rant. Try this recipe, or discover a new creation to wrap in collards!


Enjoy,
:)

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip! (Seriously)

So I came across this recipe on Pinterest (I'm obsessed with that website, in case you didn't already know that). I made a few Angela-necessary changes to it to make it my own. And TA-DA! A healthy (and DELICIOUS) cookie dough dip emerged! 

What you need (makes a seriously big bowl of dip):
- 1 can of chickpeas (yes, you heard me right. Trust me, it tastes WICKED).
- About 1/3 cup peanut butter
- About 1/3 cup Splenda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- chocolate chips (as many as you want)


What you needa do:
1. Rinse the chickpeas VERY VERY WELL. You want to rinse out as much sodium as possible or else you will get a salty cookie dough.. and who wants that?!
2. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor (*coughMAGICBULLETcough*).
3. Add the PB, Splenda, and vanilla to the food processor. Pulse until it has a smooth cookie dough consistency. Add more PB or Splenda according to your preferences.
4. Scoop it into a bowl, and mix in the choco chips.
5. Serve with graham crackers, apples, and/or pears (or just eat it with a spoon if you're like me), and ENJOY!


What're the facts?*
Per 1/4 cup of this marvelous dip (Made with 1/3 cup chocolate chips):
150 calories
8 g of fat
12 g of carbs (Mostly from the chickpeas... fibre! But also from the choco chips)
5 g of protein
*Keep in mind: These facts will change depending on if you add more peanut butter and chocolate chips.


Although this dip is A LOT healthier than typical cookie dough, remember that it is VERY calorie dense. Chickpeas and PB - although healthy - contain LOTS of calories. A few extra tablespoons of this dip can easily pack on another 200-500 calories. But practice moderation, and this can be a guiltless and tasty treat!


So try this out, and hopefully you love it as much as I do!


Yum yum,


:)

Zucchini Rolls!

Who doesn't like sushi, really? It's so tasty - such a comfort food! Oh ya - and LOADDDEDDD with calories, useless carbs, and fat (tempura or spicy mayo, anyone?). So I took it upon myself to create a healthier alternative. Granted, this doesn't actually taste like sushi... at all. BUT! It looks like it! And you can still eat it with chopsticks... :)
At the end of the post, I'll list other possibilities to this recipe - including more Sushi-esque alternatives.

Ingredients (for one serving):
- 1 zucchini
- 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3 tbsp hummus
- 1/8 cup beans


To Do:
1. Prepare the quinoa.
2.Cut the zucchini into 1-1/2 inch rounds.
3. Hollow out the zucchini rounds - making little bowl-like things. Do your best not to break through the bottom, otherwise your fillings will fall right through!
4. Once the quinoa is ready, add hummus and beans into it. Mix it all together.
5. Fill the mini zucchini bowls with the quinoa mixture.
6. VOILA! Zucchini rolls!


Nutritionalzzz:
264 calories
13 g fat (mainly from the hummus)
36 g carbs (mainly fibre from the hummus and beans, and whole grains from the quinoa)
8 g of protein


Alternativezzz: Other ingredient combinations:
Healthier California Roll
- 1 medium zucchini (prepared as described above)
- 1/4 cup brown rice (or quinoa)
- 30 g ripe avocado
- 1/4 cucumber, diced
- a few strips of imitation crab meat
1. Cook the rice
2. Mash the avocado, and cut the crab meat
3. Mix the mashed avocado, diced cucumber, and diced crab meat into the prepared brown rice.
4. Fill the zucchini "bowls" with the mixture. Enjoy!


Tropical Delight
- 1 medium zucchini (prepared as described above)
- 1/4 cup quinoa (or brown rice)
- 2 rings of canned pineapple, diced
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 sweet red bell pepper, diced
1. Cook the quinoa in coconut milk instead of water
2. Heat the pineapple and red pepper over medium heat on a skillet
3. Once prepared, mix the quinoa with the pineapple and pepper
4. Fill the zucchini "bowls" with the mixture. Enjoy!


Healthier Philadelphia Roll
- 1 medium zucchini (prepared as described above)
- 1/4 cup quinoa (or brown rice)
- 3 tbsp low fat plain cream cheese
- 2 oz smoked salmon
1. Cook the quinoa
2. Once it's cooked, mix the cream cheese into it.
3. Cut the salmon into strips, and add it to the quinoa mixture.
4. Fill the zucchini "bowls" with the mixture. Enjoy!




There are so many other combinations that you can create! So mess around with the recipe, and come up with something marvelous!


Live in health,


:)

Protein-Packed Burger!

I've recently become intrigued in meatless burgers. There are so many healthy modifications to make to Western society's favourite food. I've seen a lot of recipes for quinoa burgers and black bean burgers. I thought I'd try my hand at a meatless burger, so I created the fibre- and protein-rich lentil burger! Let's just say - DELISH (and healthy, obv).

Here's what you're gonna need (makes 1 patty):
- 1/3 cup lentils
- 1 medium egg
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- parsley
- other spices of your choice
- cooking spray


Here's what you gotta do:
1. In a food processor (or the good ol' Magic Bullet!), pulse together all the ingredients
2. Once thick, scoop it all outta the processor.
3. Mould it into a patty shape with your hands.
4. Spray a pan, and heat it up on medium-high heat
5. Carefully put the patty on the pan. Cook until the bottom is browned, then flip and cook until the other side is browned.
* It may take a bit longer for the inside to cook through, so just keep flipping until the inside is heated through.
6. Once cooked, treat it like a burger!


I didn't have any buns (since I don't eat burgers), so I just ate mine as it was with a fork and knife. I topped it with organic hummus and mustard (my fave!), and roasted some veggies on the side.

And there you have it! A healthy, low fat, protein packed, and fibre rich burger! Who woulda thunk it?!


Nutrition Stuffz (burger without toppings and side veggies):
114 calories
5 g fat (from the egg)
9 g carbs (2g fibre, 7g net carbs)
10 g protein


Compare that to President Choice Blue Menu Thick & Juicy Lean Beef Burgers**:
210 calories
14g fat (5g saturated fat... ew. And these are the "lean" burgers)
1g carbs (0 fibre)
21g protein
** These facts came from: http://tinyurl.com/7m5pc5e


So next time you want a burger, try this recipe out! It's delicious and healthy! And if you're a legume-lover (like myself), try this recipe with different beans! Each one will give you a slightly different taste with great nutrition!


Happy eating!


:)