Giada’s Stuffed Shells with a {Healthy} Twist!

We’re not big TV watchers in this apartment. So it was a rare day that we had the TV on at all…but decided to surf the channels and landed on the calming and light jazz sounds and attractive Italian dish being made on Everyday Italian. We were instantly sucked in to watching Giada De Laurentiis. Her authentic pronunciation’s and old Italian anecdotes were captivating.

Nonetheless, she was making these Italian Stuffed Shells that her grandfather used to make, and something about stuffing the shells looked like so much fun! So…naturally, I wanted to try my hand at this recipe and add my own spin which always means upping the veggie count, and reducing the anything I deam unhealthy.

Here is what happened….

Start with sautéing diced onions in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and whole cloves garlic (that you can remove after it’s brown — just to flavor the oil). After the onions start to get clear, and glossy, add organic baby spinach, and stir until spinach has wilted.

Cook jumbo shells according to the package, boil in salted water for about 10 mins. Then, drain and lay out on foil so they don’t stick.

In a bowl mix 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella (cubed), 4 cups light ricotta cheese (I used Trader Joe’s brand), 2 cups grated parmesan, 2 eggs, salt, pepper and a handful of fresh italian parsley diced. Mix all ingredients and then fold in onion/spinach mixture.

Separate some of the mixture in another bowl and add some sautéed and crisped pancetta into some of the mixture (for the meat eater in your life!).

Stuff each shell generously with the cheese mixture.

Add in your favorite marinara or tomato sauce covering shells generously, then top with fresh grated cheese.

With your oven on 350 degrees, cover the shells with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.

Inspiration Recipe: Shells with Crispy Pancetta and Spinach

Have you ever had a moment watching the cooking channel where you wanted to jump in the kitchen with one of those recipes? Who is your favorite Food Network or Cooking Channel star to watch?

lazy weekend {photo} roundup

Startin' the week{end} off right at Danielle LaPorte's NYC book launch party for the Fire Starter Sessions! The presence of such amazing, inspired and empowered women. Undeniable magic.

Minor set-back / Cutco knife cooking accident... "can't win 'em all!"

Friday night tabletop strawberry hookah + falafel in Park Slope, reminiscent of traveling in Israel in 2011.

Saturday morning, bright & early off to the farmer's market at Grand Army Plaza + Prospect Park. This is when the neighborhood comes alive. We stopped to smell the flowers....

...and also to enjoy some street music.

Saturday afternoon spent in my backyard, Prospect Park, watching some afternoon baseball and soaking up the sun, regaining energy, taking in the greenery, and enjoying the day. Such a lively place, and you forget you're in the middle of one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world.

She's ready for her close up... #Harlow

Saturday night movie action -- after day in the park -- a lot of laughs here.

BK street art. Reminded me to keep my eye in the target!

Dinners from the farmer's market are always too good for words. Here is a root veggie medley BEFORE they get roasted. Carrot, fingerling potatoes, turnips and parsnips...tossed with EVOO, rosemary, garlic, sage and sea salt. 45 minutes in the over at 400 degrees.

The most delicious and colorful "AFTER" photo

Time to catch up on some work... planted myself at this {Sunday} work station "with a view" and some tea.

One more for good measure that pretty much sums up my weekend. #Happiness

my (under) 30 minute meal: RR’s spring pesto

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m a magazine junkie. I especially love food, wellness, home decor, lifestyle and fashion mags (okay I don’t discriminate!). The thing is, every time I get my helping of one glossy page after another I find myself tearing out pages of things I’d like to remember, buy, try or cook. And most of the time the cooking part gets neglected because there are too many ingredients or the page somehow doesn’t survive my cleaning spree.

Nonetheless, last night was different.

Since the weather’s getting warmer in NY I decided to try one of Rachael Ray’s April recipes straight off the press. Maybe it was the fresh green coloring that infused the dish? After all, green IS my favorite color. Something about a green dish inspires me to feel light, healthy and energized (isn’t that what Spring is all about?)

With a little bit of my own variety, per usual….I bring you….

Rachael Ray inspired Spinach Spaghetti with Asparagus Pesto!

You’ll Need:
1 lb Spinach spaghetti
1 lb fresh asparagus, loosely chopped
1 cup fresh basil and parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tsp. toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup EVOO (Rachael lingo!)
Juice of half a lemon
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil, cook spaghetti per box instructions.

Toast pine nuts in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and golden colored.

In a food processor (I used The Magic Bullet!), combine asparagus, basil, parsley, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and olive oil. Blend until smooth! (halfway through I added some more EVOO and a squeeze of lemon juice).

Strain spaghetti and then mix in pesto. Add contents to your favorite serving dish(presentation counts!) and top with chopped fresh basil and grated parmesan.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite magazines to pull recipes from?? Do you pull pages like me? Do you find time to actually make the recipe?

A weekends worth of recipes

Here are some recipes from this past weekend that were easy(a must!), healthy (yes, please!) and most importantly delicious(non-negotiable!).

Saturday AM Protein Shake

Handful of Frozen Strawberries
Handful of Frozen Blueberries
1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein
VitaCoco Coconut Water(Fill Empty Space in Magic Bullet Container)

Blend and enjoy!

We also made Egg and cheese omlets (egg whites for me) with what we call breakfast salad (sprouts, avocado, and a pinch of salt!) – super yum!

His & Hers B-Fast

We whipped up this healthy dinner too, and experimented with a “Healthy Tartar Sauce” recipe from this food blog I like! I must say….the Tartar Sauce was a show stopper! Even the next day when we devoured the leftovers for lunch!

Main Attraction
- Fresh Tilapia (egged, then breaded in whole wheat bread crumbs and lightly
slow fried in extra virgin olive oil).

Before

After

Scrumptious Sides
- Side of steamed quinoa
- Homemade “healthy” Tartar Sauce
- Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts (first time experimental recipe)

I decided to share this recipe since it was a complete experiment and a worthy one at that!

Brussels sprouts washed, halved and steamed until soft. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine equal parts organic honey and balsamic vinegar, throw in a few fresh cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let mixture simmer until it becomes a reduction consistency. *Feel free to adjust honey to vinegar ratio to your taste buds.

In your pan, sauté steamed Brussels Sprouts in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste (this will create a browned crisper texture to the outside of the sprouts). When sprouts get golden brown color, add the “Hon&Bal” reduction to your pan and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until flavor infuses into sprouts and caramelizes a bit. Drain extra liquid and serve.

Bon appetite!

What are your favorite lazy weekend (healthy) recipes? Leave a comment below.

Oh! And one more pic before you go…

I think she likes her bag…don’t you think??

healthy black bean soup recipe

As a semi-vegetarian (I occasionally love me some Salmon and Tilapia – Yum!), I am always looking for ways to pack some protein into my meals. After spending the last two weeks in Dallas, Texas and then Los Angeles, California, I was surrounded by some great Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican food. Back in New York, I was inspired by those delicious cultural flavors and decided to take a stab and experiment with a low calorie, protein packed, Black Bean Soup and create a recipe.

The result was so delicious and versatile it had us all going back for seconds! And the toppings added awesome flavor, texture, and could easily be switched out for any of your favorite creamy or crunchy additions. I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch!

RECIPE

The Goods:
1 medium Vidalia onion (diced)
2 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of chili powder
4 cups vegetarian broth (organic)
1 29 oz can of black bean
1 29 oz can of pink beans
1 can of organic whole corn
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Toppings:
Shredded Cheese (your choice)
Avocado (Diced)
Light Sour Cream
Crushed Tortilla Chips

The Tools:
Large soup pot
Spatula
Immersion Blender

How-To:
Heat olive oil in the large soup pot, sauté Vidalia onions and garlic 5 – 7 minutes until fragrant and cooked through. Add sea salt and chili powder, mix thoroughly. Drain and wash black beans (set aside ½ cup), and add to the pot of onions/garlic. Drain and wash pink beans, add to pot. Mix beans with onions/garlic/spices. Add vegetable broth, bring mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Take pot off heat, and use immersion blender to blend thoroughly, until mixture is smooth. Return to low heat. Add drained and washed organic corn, as well as the rest of the whole black beans that were set aside. Add sea salt and fresh pepper to taste.

In a single serving bowl, top with shredded cheese, diced avocado, and a dollop of light sour cream. For crunch add crushed whole wheat saltines or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

(Makes 6 – 8 servings)

Let me know how you like it? What else would you add as a topping? Do you have another variety of Black Bean Soup?? Would love to try it! Leave a comment below.

my thanksgiving week scrapbook and dabble into the world of green juice

Hello there,

How are you? How is your holiday season going so far? Have you kicked it off with a bang? Or are you taking a more relaxed approach this year? Mine has been somewhere in the middle.

Over in LA…

Thanksgiving was a food-and-drink-and-dessert-plus-family-and-some-GagaThanksgivingSpecial packed event. We were 14 people this year, which felt like a good size. There was no shortage of conversation, gratitude, red wine, and great memory making. That was our second LA Thanksgiving in a row, and I have to admit, its not half bad.

Like Mother Like Daughter

Always one for activity, we also made time for a great hike that was perfect for connecting with nature, the sun and breaking a much needed post-TG sweat. See pic below from Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, CA.

We did it!

There was also time to eat at two of my favorite spots in Malibu for a beachside lunch at Paradise Cove(pic below) & cozy family style dinner at my families favorite west coast authentic Greek eatery Taverna Tony.

view from our table at lunch

Back in NY…

Post-LA and back in NYC, its been nice to kick off December with some R&R and experiment with my new Breville juicer! I’ve read so much about the benefits of juicing vegetables, fruits and herbs into refreshing vitamin and mineral packed “super-drinks” that I was eager to take self-care up a notch and try it for myself. I was inspired by one of my favorite books for it’s no BS guide to health, Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet, that has become my favorite reference guide (I’m thinking of doing a health book review post since I feel like I’ve read them all…stay tuned!)

After a few attempts, and trying for the perfect benefits/taste ratio, I think I’ve got the “Green Juice” recipe down to a science. I imagine my body soaking up all of the yummy healthy nutrients with each refreshing sip, not to mention the powerful alkaline effects it has on your body (look at me go!).

Green Juice Ingredients

You’ll Need:
5-6 Celery Stalks
1 whole cucumber
4-5 Kale Leaves (stalk included)
Generous Handful of Spinach
Small Handful of Parsley
2-3 Green apples
1 lemon (to taste – I like a lot)

After washing ingredients thoroughly, juice all green veggies in a juicer, then add the juice of one lemon (or juice a peeled lemon). Enjoy!

Yum!

If you have a favorite juice recipe, let me know, I’d love to try!

Happy December!
♥ D

weekend-easy whole wheat oatmeal blueberry pancakes (and a sprinkle of spirit)

Three things I love: things that are quick, things that are healthy and things that are delicious. Sometimes I’m willing to sacrifice the “quickness,” but never healthy or delicious. Especially on the weekends, when it’s time to recharge, relax and enjoy the precious downtime.

Here’s a recipe that I created from ingredients in my cabinets (quick, easy, no store required). Goes over well with guests as a side to your brunch menu (make them half the size) or as the main attraction for you and your hunny.

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat pancake mix (I like Trader Joe’s brand)
½ cup rolled oats (***my secret weapon)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (or more) ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Your choice add in: fresh blueberries, strawberries, raisins, chocolate, etc.
***You should know that I’m sharing my secret weapon ingredient that makes the pancakes moist and adds that warm oatmeal taste, as well as the added health benefits! I like to refer to is as the “moist maker” like Ross from FRIENDS in the Thanksgiving episode.

Boil ½ cup rolled oats with 1 cup water and pinch of salt, once boiling, simmer for 5 mix. In a bowl, mix 1 cup pancake mix with 1 cup water. Once oatmeal is cooked, add to pancake mix. Combine with vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste.

In a pan on high, drop in 2 tablespoons of mixture to form each pancake. Cook pancakes per usual. Before flipping add in your topping, mine blueberries and cook for 1 min before flipping to cook the other side.

Right before they get the flip

Tell me that is not quick(and easy), healthy and delicious! Enjoy…

STAY TUNED: Will soon be posting about the #SpiritJunkie event at Deepak’s Homebase this past Friday = INCREDIBLE. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, start with this great interview on Gabrielle Berstein by @nataliemacneil).

Now what to do with the rest of the weekend…??

Xo,
D

my spin on healthy and lite sweet potato butternut squash soup (with recipe and pics!)

Last night I tried my hand at this recipe from The New York Times passed along by my friend Roxanne. It was for Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Soup. Of course I did what I always do with formal recipes….scan it…look for ways to increase the health factor or swap out for some of my favorite ingredients. Like using a creamy and sweet red skin potato instead of Yukon gold, not measuring my onion/oil/fresh ginger ratio (just doing what looked and smelled right), and using a vegetable stock.

The first laugh came when I realized that I’ve never cooked with butternut squash before and didn’t know a thing about where to start with its hard shiny shell. One quick YouTube “How-To” video detour and we were good to go.

Needless to say, the soup came out lite, creamy, fragrant and very flavorful. Not to mention its beautiful Autumn orangey color! I top it with a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and served it with multi-grain and nut toast(that I broiled in the over for 5-10 mins with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of fresh Parm too!).

Cooking is a therapeutic enjoyable activity for me. Amidst my busy schedule and competing priorities, cooking is that time in my day that I can fully engage, and let my mind sort out whatever it’s working through. The best part? Instant gratification of enjoying the fruits of my labor right away. That’s called a small win in my book, and I’ll take it!

Xo
D

Mid-way through the recipe letting all of the flavors simmer together in the pot…

VOILÀ! After puree-ing the mix with my new immersion blender !

snow; no longer a good excuse to sabotage your diet. (and recipe)

Last weekend we were snowed in. Okay that’s a little dramatic. It snowed and I refused to venture out. Not having gone food shopping it would have been easy to pig out on comfort food or order in. But since I’ve been on a health kick lately I didn’t want to break it with my tempting menu drawer filled with Thai, Chinese, Italian and other local eateries that are just a phone call away.

Why turn to the junk or calorie packed comfort foods just because it’s cold out? If my goal is to maintain my happy weight through the winter then I shouldn’t let a few snowflakes throw me off course.

I searched through the cabinets and fridge and decided to make this quick and super easy tuna melt. It was so delicious and satisfying yet healthy, I wanted to share. I don’t believe in deprivation and my idea of a happy weight is being able to rock your favorite jeans without the fear of popping out of them. Most of the recipes you’ll see on here are my own personal spin of recipes based on three major factors: health, satisfaction and deliciousness.

Lo and behold…. Cranberry Dijon Tuna Melt!

My Non-Recipe Recipe:
Start with solid white canned tuna in water. Dice up red onion, celery and dried cranberries. Add in a mixture of light mayo or Greek yogurt, spicy brown mustard, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all up, top whole wheat bread with tuna salad and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Stick in the oven on broil until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Enjoy.

Yum!

Xo,
D

turning lemons into oatmeal, and other small things that can make a big impact on your day

I’ve never been a breakfast person. I could go until 1-2:00pm without even thinking about food. But then it happens. I get a pang of urgency for whatever the task at hand, a small headache lingers, my energy and mood start to plummet. This daily episode was my meal time alarm clock and I hadn’t even noticed how unpleasant the whole thing was until I came down with a cold that forced me to take medicine with food first thing in the morning.

Rewind for a minute, and let me remind you that I’m a total foodie. I love to cook, shop at seasonal farmers markets, read health mags and consider food shopping an enjoyable activity. Its just that, as I tended to be more of a night time eater/snacker, etc, I rarely woke up with food on the brain. And since I’m not completely stuck in my own ways, Im open to small life changes that fuel me for the better.

So now it’s 9am the first day of the antibiotic and I’m panicking because not only do I know that breakfast is the most important day; I also know, from all the women’s health mag’s that it sets the tone for your mood, productivity, eating habits and even happiness throughout the day. Why have I so overlooked this morning essential before? Water under the bride now.

Day by day I aimed for quick-and-easy-yet-satisfying-and-delicious breakfast options and was astonished by how much better I felt, more energy I had, and that my mood stayed stable throughout the day (three huge benefits!)…I’m hooked! As a result, I’ve shifted my meal times around a bit (lunch a little later, dinner a little lighter and nighttime snacking was cut down big time). It never ceases to amaze me how small changes can make a huge impact on your day and life.

What small change can you afford to make??

I’m a firm believer in turning lemons into delicious lemonade. And in this case I was able to turn it into a fulfilling, satisfying and healthy breakfast oatmeal that I can take on the go(recipe and pics below!). Bon appetite!

Xo
D

1/2 cup oats (of your choice)
Cinnamon to taste
Pinch of salt
Vanilla whey protein (optional)
Toppings of your choice (raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, almonds, apples, banana).