Sharing Recipe: Fall Spinach Goat Cheese Bisque

I was really missing my girlfriend Mippa today, and I thought of how we enjoyed apple and goat cheese salads at Grand Luxe cafe around this time last year.  So, I decided to make a lovely bowl of spinach goat cheese bisque, which was really good!  I adapted the recipe from one that I saw in Eating Well magazine. 

Ingredients

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced

1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Salt, Pepper to taste

1 tsp dried dill/thyme

1 medium Yukon Gold Potato (peeled & diced)

1/8-1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp sherry cooking wine (or marsala)

2 Cups Unsalted Vegetable Stock

1/2 clamshell baby organic spinach

1 T light butter

1/2 cup light goat cheese crumbles

croutons for garnish

Cooking Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until onions start to brown.
2. Add minced garlic cloves to the onions.
3. Reduce heat under onions, add 2 T water, dill, and thyme. Cover onions and cook for about 20-25 minutes to caramelize.  Stir often, but make sure to return the cover afterwards.
4. In a pot, heat 2 cups of water, add 1/4 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add the potato and cook 12-15 minutes until potato is very soft and most of the water has evaporated. Do not drain potato.
5. Add nutmeg and sherry to the caramelized onions and cook for a few minutes longer.
6. To the cooked potato pot, add the caramelized onion mixture, vegetable stock, and spinach.  Bring to a slow boil and heat until the spinach withers down but is still bright green in color.
7. Transfer the contents from the pot into a Vitamix blender (or you can use an immersion blender).  Add the butter and goat cheese and blend until smooth and bright green in color.
8. Return to the pot and add salt & pepper to taste as needed.
9. Serve in soup bowls with croutons and a sprinkle of crumbled goat cheese.
Soup should keep for about 3 days refrigerated.

This was very filling, flavorful, and made a lovely dinner on a chilly autumn evening.
Sorry - I gobbled mine up before I could take a picture :-). I borrowed the one from Eating Well magazine.  My soup was blended a more smoothly. The flavor was really incredible.

Approximate Nutritional Breakdown:
Per serving: 147 calories; 7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 447 mg sodium; 514 mg potassium.


Enjoy!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Apples

After my workout, I was famished.  I had my Coconut Milk Pumpkin Soup with Ginger Garlic Sea Scallops for dinner.  Before I headed out to the gym, I prepared a recipe for 'sweet potatoes and apples' in my slow cooker with the intention of enjoying it in the evening with dinner.  Well, my goodness, it was absolutely devine!  My picture does not do it justice :-)
Here is the recipe.  I hope that you give it a try sometime!  I modified this recipe from the Fix-It and Forget-It Slow Cooker Cookbook.  I had two bowls of it - LOL.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Apples
Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 larget tart and firm apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp Himalayn sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp light, soft tub butter, melted (I use Land O'Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil)
2 Tbsp Carey's Sugar-Free Syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp brown sugar
toasted pecans for topping

Directions
1. Place half of the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Layer half of the apple slices on top.
2. Mix together dry seasonsings. Sprinkle half over apples.
3. Mix butter, sugar-free syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Spoon half overtop of the apples.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with the remaining sweet potatoes and apples.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are soft, stirring occassionally.
6. To add a bit of crunch, sprinkle with toased pecans when serving.
7. Serve with pork, poultry, or seafood.

Recipe Post: Sunday Morning Primal Pancakes

Oh. My. Goodness.  I made primal pancakes for breakfast this morning. They were so fantastic. I modified a recipe that I found on Mark's Daily Apple. 

Fitgirl's Sunday Morning Primal Pancake Recipe

Ingredients

1 small ripe banana

1/3 cup almond flour

Splash almond milk (unsweetened)

Dash cinnamon

Capful vanilla extract

Sugar-Free Syrup (I like Carey's)

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

4-5 pecans

Directions

1. Preheat griddle to 400 degrees.

2. Mash 1/2 of the ripe banana in a bowl.

3. Add cinnamon & vanilla to the mashed banana, and stir together until well incorporated.

4. Add almond flour and mix together.

5. Put splash of coconut oil or PAM onto hot griddle.

6. Pour pancake batter onto hot griddle.  It is best to keep pancakes small in size so that they cook well.

7. Wait until the pancake edges turn brown in color and then flip the pancakes.

8. Top with butter, sugar-free syrup, remaining 1/2 banana, blueberries, and 4 crushed pecans.

The original recipe called for 1 egg, which I omitted since I already had a side of scrambled eggs ready to go with breakfast. I was in heaven eating this breakfast! My batter yielded 2 small pancakes. I also used the wrong measuring cup for my blueberries, and wound up topping with 1/3 cup instead of 1/4 cup.  Oh well :-).  My batter seemed to need to cook for quite some time in order to cook fully (maybe because of the missing egg) and were kind of dense.  Next time, I will try to add an egg white, beaten to stiff peaks to try to make them more fluffy.  My nephews are visiting for the summer, and I can't wait to give these a try for them.

If you are interested in the original recipe, follow this link to see the original recipe & article from Mark's Daily Apple : http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-many-uses-of-almond-meal/

Enjoy!

Refreshing Summer Drink...Strawberry Mango Crush

Okay, so it isn't officially summer for another 3 weeks, but the weather has been so fantastic that I enjoyed a lovely drink this evening on the porch.  I call this recipe a Strawberry Mango Crush. I made mine without alcohol, but I'm sure this would be equally refreshing with a splash of Vodka or Malibu Rum.  Here's the super simple recipe.  Add a cute little umbrella and enjoy!

FitGirl's Strawberry Mango Crush

Ingredients

Ice Cubes

Fresh Strawberries (3-4 depending on size)

Flesh of 1 Mango

Stevia (my stevia has a measuring spoon, so I used 1 spoonful)

Lemon Juice (approx 1-2 tsp)

Water (about 1-2 oz)

Directions

I simply added all ingredients to my Vitamix in the order listed and let it blend for about a minute. I'd suggest starting with just a tiny bit of water and adding more as needed, depending upon how juicy your fruits are.  It was such a delicious drink!!  Forgive my picture. I was almost finished with my drink when I realized that I hadn't snapped a picture - LOL!

I'm sure it would be great with any fresh fruit combination. I'll try it with raspberries and lime juice next time!

Sharing Recipe: Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Sea Scallops

As I mentioned a few posts back, I'm striving to go on more of a paleo diet for the next 30 days. I am actually trying to follow and learn about Mark Sisson's Primal Diet.  Well, tonight I made a coconut pumpkin soup with sea scallops for dinner. Oh my goodness, it was simply outstanding, not to mention so quick and easy to make.  I was literally licking my bowl as I ate my dinner - lol.  If this is eating primal, then where have you been all of my life??!!  Side Note: I made a pizza for my BF's dinner. I tasted a small slice, and it did not hold the same level of satisfaction that it once did. It didn't even taste good to me anymore, which is remarkable because the pizza that I cooked actually used to be my favorite.  It's only been a few days of eating "primal," and my palate has already noticeably changed. I actually find my primal meals to be so much more satisfying and filling than when I often enjoyed and craved pasta, breads, and rice.  The sugar cravings are also going away. I find comfort knowing that I can have a bit of fresh almond butter and dark chocolate to fight the cravings. A small serving is all that it takes.  Anyway, I wanted to share the recipe for the soup.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like coconut milk or coconut-anything, as I'm not a fan of coconut, but it was very tasty!

Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Ginger-Garlic Sea Scallops

Ingredients

1/2 lb sea scallops

1 small can Canned Pumpkin (organic if you can. My grocery store only had Libby brand)

3/4 can Coconut Milk (I used Taste of Thai brand Lite Coconut Milk)

3 cloves of Garlic, chopped

1T fresh ginger, chopped
Coconut oil and/or EVOO
Sea Salt & Pepper for seasoning
Handful of Blanched & Slivered Almonds, toasted (I only had whole, raw almonds. I crushed them and toasted.)
Fresh Basil & Cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2. Rinse and pat dry scallops. Put them in a shallow dish and coat with EVOO. Season lightly with salt & pepper. I added a salt-free garlic & herb seasoning that I created as well. Top with garlic and ginger. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to marinate.  (This marinade made the scallops burst with flavor! Simply outstanding!)
3. While the scallops are marinating, prepare the soup base.  Pour the canned pumpkin and coconut milk in a saucepan. Heat slowly to a simmer. Season lightly with salt & pepper to taste. Do not let the coconut milk come to a boil, as it will separate.  Allow to warm while you prepare the rest of the meal.
4. Line a cookie sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Add the almonds to the pan and place into the hot oven to toast/warm. Watch them carefully so that they don't burn.
5. Heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add scallops and all of the yummy ginger-garlic marinade. Cook the scallops 3-4 minutes per side, depending upon the size of the scallops.
6. Prepare soup bowls by adding soup base and 3-4 scallops per bowl (get some of that yummy ginger-garlic in that bowl as well).  Top with almonds, fresh basil, and fresh cilantro.

Sit down, kick back, and Enjoy!!

I did not think that I would be full after eating a bowl of this, but I was.  I even had enough leftover for another bowl.  I'll plan to eat it for lunch tomorrow.

On another note, I found myself feeling really tired today. I didn't sleep well, and I was hungry for a large part of the day. I kept putting off my workout, and I was simply exhausted and unable to perform when my clients left tonight.  I'll get a good night's sleep tonight and come back refreshed for tomorrow. I had a really great workout planned, too!

Sharing Recipe: Gluten-Free Dessert Crepes

In my discussion with my nutrition coach on Friday, he suggested that I may have an issue with wheat/gluten sensitivity and intolerance. This is not the first time this has been suggested to me. He actually recommended that I start following either a gluten-free diet or a paleo diet.  I decided to give it a shot.  Anyway, I was craving dessert last night, and I came up with this dessert crepe creation. 

I actually used to treat myself by going to a dessert crepe shop and getting a strawberry-banana dessert crepe with ice cream and nutella. I came up with a much healther option, without the sugar, fat, or gluten!  It was a nice treat. Let me know if you try it!

FitGirl's Dessert Crepe Recipe

Ingredients

1 Gluten-Free Tortilla (I used Food-For-Life's Gluten-Free Brown Rice Tortilla)

Strawberries (3-4 depending on size), sliced
Almond Nut Butter (just enough to lightly spread on tortilla)
Frozen Cool-Whip Lite (or Rediwhip)
Optional: 1 square of dark chocolate, broken into smaller pieces (99% would be great, but 80% at least, to cut down on the sugar...and just 1 square :-)!! I used World Market's 99% Dark Chocolate Bar)
Optional: Banana slices (I used 1/4 of a small banana)

Directions:

1. Warm the tortilla in the microwave. I used about 30 seconds, and the toritlla was frozen.

2. Spread nut butter on the tortilla. I used just enough to cover about 3/4 of the tortilla.
3. Add sliced strawberries. If you're eating bananas, add those next. (I must admit that I used 1/4 of a small banana...couldn't resist!)
4. Put dollops of frozen Cool-Whip on the tortilla. (I used 2 dollups, approx 2.5 teaspoons.) I also think that Rediwhip could work, but it won't have the same consistency as frozen lite cool whip. I compared the two to see if they were similar in terms of sugar, calories, etc.
5. If using dark chocolate, sprinkle it on top or strategically position your chocolate pieces.
6. Fold and eat!

This was so yummy. It actually made quite a large (and filling) dessert. I recommend half as a single serving size, and sharing the other half. Alternatively, you could just use half of the tortilla for a single serving.

Enjoy!

Sharing: Quinoa for Breakfast Ideas

I always thought that I was limited to using quinoa in lunch or dinner dishes.  However, yesterday during an internet search about the origin of quinoa, I discovered that it can also be eaten as a breakfast dish.  Naturally, I had to try to find some palatable recipes.  I came across Cookie & Kate's blog, where they'd just posted a series of recipes and photographs for breakfast quinoa recipes, which I can't wait to try!  I wanted to share the information here as well.  I plan to try one of the recipes for breakfast after my cardio workout today, but will not prepare the recipes with milk. 

Here are a few pictures (with credits to the source) to futher entice you to give quinoa for breakfast a try:



Original Recipe from Joy the Baker
Recipe URL:  http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/04/breakfast-quinoa-with-toasted-coconut-almonds-and-fresh-mango/

 


Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa from Heidi Swanson @ 101 Cookbooks
Recipe URL: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/warm-and-nutty-cinnamon-quinoa-recipe.html

 


Cookie & Kate's Warm Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa
URL: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/breakfast-quinoa/

 

Recipe Post: FitGirl's Sugar-Free Citrus Vinegrette Salad Dressing

Another great lunch!
I made another spinach shrimp & avocado salad for lunch today. However, I omitted a few things from the original recipe, added some other things, and designed a new salad dressing.  It was quite tasty, and I didn't use as much (healthy) fat today as compared to yesterday!!  I was full for several hours after eating it.  Today I used a spinach and romaine combination, added a few segments of fresh grapefruit & orange, and added some fresh raw corn off the cobb to the salad veggies.  I didn't use any olive oil or nuts in today's version of the meal.

I wanted to share the dressing recipe. I adapted it from a recipe that I saw Rachel Ray make on the Food Network. My version is sugar-free, citrus-based, and I think it's full of flavor. It also makes a nice marinade for chicken. Sometimes I add garlic to this recipe, but today I didn't.

FitGirl's Citrus Vinegrette Salad Dressing

Ingredients

This should make about 1.5 servings, depending upon how much juice you use. It was more than enough for my entire salad today.

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
fresh orange juice (I just used the juice from the piece of orange that I cut to zest)
1/2 teaspoon sugar-free apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon grated shallot/onion...start with 1/4 & add to taste
black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
pinch of dried tarragon
orange zest (I used the zest of about 1/4 of a small orange. You can use more to taste.)
lemon zest (I used the zest of about 1/4 of a small lemon. You can use more to taste.)
sea salt to taste (I used only a dash of good quality sea salt)
1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil (or olive oil)

Putting it Together:
Put all ingredients, except for the flaxseed oil, into a small bowl and whisk together. After a quick taste, add any desired enhancements to taste (i.e. more zest, pepper, salt, grated shallot).  Once combined, continue whisking and slowly add in the flaxseed oil to emulsify.

I just love this recipe. I will warn you that the grated onion or shallot can be strong, depending on how strong the onion or shallot is. I always start off with about half of the recommended amount and add in more after everything is combined.  If you want to sweeten it, you can add some all-natural honey, agave nectar, or maybe even some stevia. I like it as-is, so I didn't add any sweetener.

Thanks for letting me share my creation.  I'm learning that healthy, homemade salad dressings can be very easy to make and add alot of guilt-free flavor to your meal. 

Enjoy!