Healthy Banana Bread

Who doesn't love Banana Bread. I was having a craving for some Sunday morning and thought it would go wonderful with a cup of coffee. Since I have made some before I thought this time I would try to make a healthier version of it. Well even though I had my doubts on if it would still taste great I was quickly proven wrong when to aroma started to fill my kitchen. Once it came out it was moist and full of flavor! If you have a craving for some now give the recipe below a shot! Happy Thursday!

 

Healthy Banana Bread:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

6 eggs

10 ounces of banana

5 ounces of pitted dates

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. baking soda

6 tbsp. coconut flour

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all ingredients except the coconut flour in a high speed blender and blend on high for a minute.

Add the coconut flour (break up any clumps before hand with a fork) and blend for 30 seconds.

Place batter in a narrow bread pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife runs clean.

Enjoy!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

 

Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce

This dish may look fancy and hard to make but it is actually extremely easy and surprisingly quick. Along with looking impressive it is also healthy. I promise this is a meal even the worst or most inexperienced cook can master! Check it out below. Happy Monday!

 

Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce:

Ingredients:

Salmon Filets (I used 2 small)

Asparagus (you can use green beans too) 

Cherry Tomatoes

Olive Oil

Salt

McCormick Lemon Butter Dill Seafood Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pour a little olive oil in the pan to prevent to salmon from sticking.

Place salmon skin side down in the middle of the pan, lining vegetables on each side.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 10 minutes uncovered.

Pull from oven and cover in the lemon dill sauce and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until the salmon is cooked thoroughly.

Now how easy was that just 20 minutes and one dish for a healthy  fast meal.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Lemon Asparagus Chicken

If you are looking for an inexpensive, quick, and healthy meal this is the one for you. This past weekend I found this great recipe and I couldn't wait to give it a test run. It blow all my expectations out the window for it was a wonderful, simple, and summery meal that ended up having a gorgeous presentation when it was prepared. Well I don't want to hold you up any longer but this recipe has an added bonus of only requiring about 3 ingredients that you don't already have in your pantry. Needless to say this recipe is my new ultimate favorite!

Lemon Asparagus Chicken:

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup chopped asparagus

2 lemons (sliced)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

Directions:

Cover the chicken breast with plastic wrap and pound each piece to about 3/4 inch in thickness.

Gently toss chicken in a shallow dish containing flour and salt.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken and cook 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown while sprinkling with lemon pepper.

When the chicken in thoroughly cooked, remove from pan and transfer to a plate.

Line the pan with lemon slices, then add chopped asparagus on top.

Allow the lemons to caramelize and the asparagus to cook.

Once the lemons and asparagus are done add the chicken back to the pan.

Rearrange to create a gorgeous presentation and serve.

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Weekend Favorites

Since, I wasn't able to post my Weekly Favorites on Friday I decided I would do a Weekend Favorites today to make up for it.

- Buying these coral color scrubs (please ignore the hair and lack of makeup) -

 

- Stocking my fridge and pantry with healthy food -

 

- Wearing one of my Saints shirt on Sunday to cheer on my team in their third pre-season game. They won by the way! WHO DAT!! -

 

- Getting in a two mile run Sunday afternoon after work and before cooking dinner -

- Cooking a healthy dinner for Jay and I. Sautéed Zucchini, Squash, and Grape Tomatoes / Sautéed Mushrooms / Dijon Mustard baked Chicken -

- See you tomorrow! Happy Monday! -

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Workout Wednesday

 

This is a great workout from LaurenConrad.com. It will have you sweating for sure. Give it a try and work hard! Happy Wednesday!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Weekly Favorites

- Date night at Restaurant Tyler where I had my favorite Seared Duck Breast. Then, ended with this amazing Molten Chocolate Cheesecake. Perfect cheat meal! -

- Making this tasty Green Smoothie to end my Thursday night. The recipe for this will be on here next week be sure to look for it -

 

-Looking forward to the river tomorrow for some sun and wake boarding fun -

 

- Best part of my whole week had to be my best friend finally moving into the house next door to mine! Many Girl's Nights to come -

 

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Workout Wednesday: Fit Tips

I figured I would share some of the things that I do that help keep me fit and healthy. While, working out is important to do so is eating right. Recently, I have found out that I am allergic to soy. This has made things a little more complicated but it is also making me more aware of the things I am eating and what they have in them. Since, soy or soy lecithin is in pretty much any item that is supposed to be able to sit on a supermarket shelf I have to eat more organic or freshly prepared meals. This allergy means I don't get too many cheat meals like ice cream, M&Ms, or candy bars. Yes, you read that correctly ice cream and M&Ms both of these usually contain soy. Anyway, one of the easiest ways to stay on track with eating healthy is too be prepared. I try to cook my meals for the week on Sunday night that way I will have them ready when I get hungry. This seems to be the most effective way for people to eat healthy. This is very effective because you can also have them already portioned out for each day in order to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition from all your major food groups. An easy recipe to make ahead and have in the fridge are Stuffed Bell Peppers. These keep you full with the added bonus of providing you with some of your daily servings of grains, vegetables, and protein. Check out the recipe for the Stuffed Bell Peppers here.  Happy Wednesday!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Workout Wednesday

I usually come up with a challenging but effective workout for you. Today I have decided to share with you one that I found on Lauren Conrad's "LC" site. Don't worry this workout is just as challenging. Give it a shot and remember push yourself.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Workout Wednesday

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

 

Homemade Popsicles

Since, the weather has gotten warmer I have been craving Popsicles. I haven't made Popsicles since I was a little kid so I thought it would be fun to play around with different flavors. I came up with three flavors: Strawberry Orange Vanilla, Blueberry Lemonade, and Pineapple Orange. So far Strawberry Orange Vanilla is my favorite. The best part is they taste great while still being good for you! Below are the recipes for the three different flavors. I hope you had wonderful Fourth of July yesterday! Happy Friday!

 

Strawberry Orange Vanilla:

1/3 cup Frozen or Fresh Strawberries

1 whole Orange

3 Tbsp of Vanilla yogurt

 

Blueberry Lemonade:

1 peeled Lemon

1/2 cup Blueberries

1 Tbsp of honey

a little water

 

Pineapple Orange:

1/3 cup Frozen or Fresh Pineapple

1 1/2 Oranges

a little water

 

 Directions:

 

1. Blend in a blender until smooth

2. Pour liquid into a small cup

3. Place a wooden Popsicle stick in the middle

4. Place in the freezer to freeze

5. Enjoy!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

 

Workout Wednesday

HITT stands for High Intensity Tactical Training which is wonderful for getting your heart rate up and get your metabolism burning. Needless, to say this workout should get you sweating and leave you out of breath after. Remember, work as hard as you can during every 50 seconds. Also, ladies those push up can be done on your knees if you need to. Work hard tomorrow is the Fourth of July! 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Shrimp, Avocado, and Chicken Salad

This salad is easy but full of flavor. It is a copy cat of my favorite salad Shrimp, Crab, and Avocado at Old Venice restaurant here in Starkville the only change I made to mine was I substituted grilled chicken to replace the lump crab meat but mainly because it was easier to find than good lump crab meat. I also pair mine with a Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing as opposed to the lemon herb vinaigrette they suggest with theirs. You can also add Asparagus to this salad to give it a little more crunch and veggies.

Ingredients:

 

Baby Greens

Arugula

Grilled Chicken

Shrimp

Avocado

Cherry Tomatoes

Asparagus(optional)

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Homemade Healthier Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This weekend I had a craving for Oatmeal Raisin cookies. I rarely ever eat these but I had a small bite of one Friday night which I believe started my craving for more. I decided to search the Internet for a healthier recipe for these cookies and I found one here. This recipe was originally adapted from Nick Malgieri's "Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs" . The best part is that these cookies are all natural, chewy, and filling. I could not get over how amazing the batter for these cookies tasted. From that I just knew these cookies were going to wonderful once baked. After, eating only two cookies I felt full thanks to all the healthy filling oats. While of course there are tastier recipes but this one wins in my book for its combination of healthfulness and taste.

It was also clear that this recipe is a winner because Mozart was in the kitchen begging for a cookie.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

*makes about 36 cookies

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup dark raisins (or dried cranberries)

* 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, foil, or silicone mats

Directions:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce, and vanilla.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.

5. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they “look dull on the surface but are moist and soft”, according to Nick. Rotate baking sheets during baking for even heating.

 

P.S. Nutritional Information can be found here.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Paleo Pancakes

I'm sure you might be asking what is Paleo? Paleo is called the "Caveman Diet" and is all about natural foods such as game meat, fish, vegetables, wild fruits, eggs and nuts to help achieve great health and a perfect physique. This is really all about cutting out processed foods and eating clean making it very healthy and good for you! Well, I am not on a Paleo diet I do enjoy using some of the recipes because they are so healthy. I have been hearing and seeing recipes for these yummy simple pancakes everywhere recently. I finally decided I would try them!

Ingredients:

 

Blueberries

1 Large Egg

1 Large Banana

* Recipe makes 3 pancakes

 

Directions: 

1. Peel and slice banana

2. Mash banana and add egg

3. Mix until fully combined

4. Heat a skillet on medium.

5. Spray with cooking spray.

6. Fill a 1/4 sized measuring cup with the pancake batter.

7. Pour measuring cup onto heated skillet. Add blueberries (5-7)

8. Cook each side until lightly brown. 

9. Enjoy! 

I think it would be fun to experiment with them by adding dark chocolate chips, sliced almonds, oatmeal, vanilla whey protein, or peanut butter. I drizzled mine with a little honey but they would be good with sugar free syrup or plain. I did add a little cinnamon to my batter. Also, if you are wondering if they taste like bananas to me they really didn't which was surprising. Lastly, each pancake is a filling 65 calories!

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Healthy Teriyaki Chicken and Garlic Spinach

Ingredients:

 

Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts (however many you want)

Olive Oil

Teriyaki Sauce

4 cups fresh Spinach

3 cloves of Garlic, diced

1 large Shallot, diced

 

Chicken Recipe:

 

1. In a saute pan heat olive oil and teriyaki sauce on medium heat

2. Add chicken breast once it is warm

3. Cook until chicken the center registers 160 degrees

4. The Teriyaki slowly starts to coat the chicken like a glaze

 

Clean Eating Garlic Spinach:

 

1. In a saute pan place the shallot and garlic with olive oil

2. Saute for 1-2 minutes

3. Add the Spinach and cook until it is properly wilted

(Serves 2)

 

 

Enjoy this simple yet healthy meal! See you tomorrow! Stay Healthy!

 

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Tilapia Packets

 Last night, I decided to make this easy, tasty, and healthy meal. I had never cooked with Tilapia before so I was a little worried. This recipe was actually surprisingly easy and quick. Also, it was healthy and filling, I mean what could be better than that. I highly recommend this dish to everyone. The original recipe can be found here.  

Baked Fish, Spinach, and Tomatoes in Foil Packets

Serves two

1 pound fish fillets, about 1-inch thick
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
1 quarter red onion, thinly sliced
20 or so cherry tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 lemon, cut into 2 wedges
Salt and pepper
Olive oil or butter

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Check the fish over and remove any pin bones. Divide it into two equal portions.

Lay out two sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12-14 inches long. Pile a large handful of baby spinach leaves in the middle of each piece of foil. Lay one fish fillet on each bed of spinach. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Lay a few slices of onion over the top of each fillet and scatter the cherry tomatoes on and around the fish. Lay two sprigs of thyme over top. Give each packet a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil (or a pat of butter).

Fold the sides of the foil inwards around the fish. Then fold in the top and bottom of the foil and pinch them closed, creating a neat package. Set them side-by-side on a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the fish is opaque.

Open the packets carefully to avoid spilling the juices. Eat straight from the packets or transfer to a plate with a slotted spatula. Spoon some of the juices over top. Eat immediately.

 

*I used Tilapia for my pound of fish

**I also seasoned the Tilapia with Tony's Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning

*** I also roasted some red new potatoes with a little olive oil and Tony's Creole Seasoning

***Added bonus the clean-up is so simple

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Ground Turkey Recipes

I have some Ground Turkey in my fridge that I am dying to use to make some yummy new dishes. While, I have made the first one (Stuffed Red Bell Peppers) which were extremely good I cannot wait to try to make the next two (Stuffed Zucchini boats & Greek Turkey Meatballs). All of these recipes are from Skinnytaste.com which has great healthy recipes. Don't worry I will be posting about these recipes and letting you know what I personally thought about them. Keep checking in!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Since, Jay and I are back to doing our weekly home cooked meal, this past week I made this very easy and healthy dinner. I did not want anything that would take a lot of time to prepare since it had been a long week. I found this recipe via Pinterest and decided to try it. While I may have used two baking dishes all of this can actually be combined into one to make it even easier.

 

Easy Italian Chicken:

 

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Green Beans

Red New Potatoes

Butter
Italian Seasoning

Salt

Pepper

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash Chicken, Green Beans, and Red New Potatoes

2. Combine all in one dish or two

3. Season with Italian seasoning, Salt, and Pepper (to taste or sight)

4. Cut up some butter and place it on top

5. Pop it in the oven for one hour

6. Enjoy!!

 

 

P.S. Along with being healthy and easy it is also fairly cheap, which makes it amazing.

 

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Healthified Chicken Pot Pie

Everyone loves a good home cooked meal especially when it is comfort food. I have been meaning to blog about this recipe for the Chicken Pot Pie that I made for Jay and I during our December Finals. While it may have been comfort food it was still some what of a healthier version. Even though it was healthier it was definitely not lacking in taste. This is one classic recipe that I will make again.

 

       Healthified Chicken Pot Pie Recipe:

1

bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables

3

tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1 1/4

cups fat-free (skim) milk

1/2

cup finely chopped onion

1

can (10 3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup

1/4

cup fat-free sour cream

4

boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/4 lb), cooked, cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)

1

box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Directions:

 

1. Cook and drain vegetables as directed on bag.

 

2. Heat oven to 375°F. In 2-quart saucepan, mix flour, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and milk with wire whisk until blended. Stir in onion. Cook over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.

 

3. Stir in soup and sour cream. Add chicken and cooked vegetables; mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated. Pour into ungreased 2-quart round casserole. Unroll pie crust; place over hot filling. Seal edge and flute as desired. Cut slits in several places in crust.

 

4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

The recipe can be found here. Enjoy!!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie