Romesco Garlic Shrimp With Zucchini Noodles

What a great, fast and super healthy meal! This meal was inspired from Melissa and Dallas Hartwig's "Whole 30" guide to total health and food freedom. I plan to do the Whole 30 in February!  Check it out and if you are interested, I would love to have you be apart of the group. It is free! You just need the guide and a willingness to follow along!

This meal was hubby and kid approved too!  That is always a win!  Last week I made cauliflower risotto. I thought it was great and my husband was like, "Nope. Not a fan!"

My son OBSESSES over noodles and honestly, I think the fact that the zucchini was "noodle looking" totally hooked him! He could still slurp up the noodles just as if it was spaghetti!  Too cute!

I adapted this recipe from the Whole 30 to save a little time! I used fresh tomatoes instead of the canned crushed that it called for. The book said if you plan to freeze the sauce then canned tomatoes would be better. The other thing I adapted is I used already cooked frozen shrimp. I thawed the shrimp in a colander with cold water and added them straight to the sauce when it was almost finished so that they would be heated and not be over cooked. The original recipe had you saute onions/garlic in a frying plan then add the raw shrimp and cook. I am sure that would have been great, but the sauce seemed to be enough flavour for me that I didn't feel like taking that extra step but if you choose to do that, then go for it!

I decided to add more veggies to the Romesco sauce and combine that recipe with the Tomato Sauce recipe also in the cookbook for some added nutrition.   Feel free to chose the ingredients that you would like to use! Many are optional!

To get the veggies tiny enough I also used a hand powered veggie chopper. Oh my goodness it saved SO MUCH chopping time, I couldn't believe it. It has been sitting in my cupboard forever and I thought I would dig it out to see how it worked. It was amazing! I would give this kitchen tool an A++!  You could also use a food processor if short on time for getting the veggies chopped fine, but that adds another dish to wash.  I hope you enjoy!


Prepare the Zucchini Noodles:
4 medium zucchini (about 4 cups worth)

Using a zucchini spiralizer (aka: Veggetti) , prepare your zucchini. I purchased my Veggetti for about $20 at Bed, Bath and Beyond and the investment was worth it! My Veggetti is a hand operated one, but there are many other versions to get your zucchini in spiral or noodle form!

Using the Veggetti, rotate the zucchini until it has been turned into noodles.  Discard the core and set the noodles aside until you are ready to use them.  I would make sure that you have the sauce and shrimp prepared as the noodles will not take long to steam.

Ingredients for Romesco/Tomato Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c chopped almonds (*optional - this WAS in the original recipe, but I didn't use them)
1 small onion diced
1 medium carrot finely diced (*optional - not in original recipe)
2 medium celery stalks finely diced (*optional - not in original recipe)
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder (If you don't want to use the chili pepper or the paprika just use 1tsp of thyme   AND oregano for a milder flavour)
1 tsp paprika
6 fresh plum tomatoes chopped (or diced tomatoes). The recipe suggests to seed the fresh tomatoes. I did not.
1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
31-40 frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
Fresh/dried parsley for garnish (*optional)

(Optional: 1/2 cup almonds, chopped -- I didn't add this in)

Steps to prepare the sauce:
In a sauce pan, heat the oil. (***If using the almonds, then add them to the oil when it is hot and toast for 3 minutes and stir often and then continue on with the rest of the steps).  Add and cook the onion, carrot and celery until the onion is transparent.  Add in the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is aromatic.  Then add the chili powder and paprika and cook another minute.

Add the plum tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and salt.  Cook until the tomaotes become soft and some liquid has formed. Make sure to stir up the tiny bits on the bottom of the pan.  Stir every 20 minutes.  I allowed my sauce to cook for about 40 minutes.  IF USING the CANNED TOMATOES, then just cook until the sauce has warmed (about 2 minutes).

Blend/puree sauce, return sauce to pan and add cooked shrimp. Warm sauce with shrimp and heat for an additional 3 minutes or until the shrimp is heated thoroughly. (I actually did not puree the sauce and found it delicious!)

Zucchini Noodles:

Add 2 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add a colander or a steamer inside the large pot of boiling water and add the zucchini noodles.  Cover and steam the noodles for about 2-3 minutes.  Drain the noodles and transfer them to individual plates.  Top with the Romesco Sauce and garnish with fresh or dried parsley!  Enjoy! This dish would also be great with a pinch of parmesan cheese too!!

Enjoy and let me know how you like it!

Clean Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese

Ok, well if any of you know me, you probably clued in to the fact that seeing "Maple" in the title drew me to this recipe! I love MAPLE anything!!!!!  This recipe actually comes from Autumn Calbrese's Fixate Cookbook. If you don't know who Autumn is, she is the creator of the 21 Day Fix and it is her program that helped me lose 30lbs!!!!  Autumn is one of Team Beachbody's top Celebrity Trainers and when I started her program, I had no idea I would one day have not only one, but TWO opportunities to meet her and even obtain a cookbook with her autograph!  *Out of this world! Now, I know you aren't here to read about all of that, so I will get on with the recipe. :) 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of cream cheese

1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups of almond flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda (gluten-free)

1 dash Himalayan salt (or sea salt)

2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds

Steps:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Prepare nine muffin cups with parchment muffin tin liners or use coat muffin cups with non-stick spray. Pam has a new coconut spray! 

3.  Combine cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl; beat with mixers so it becomes smooth.

4.  Combine egg and pumpkin in a medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

5.  Combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well. 

6.  Add almond meal mixture to egg mixture; mix until just blended.

7.  Spoon batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling a little less than 1/2 full.

8.  Spoon about 1 heaping tsp. cream cheese mixture into the centre of each muffin. 

9.  Then, evenly fill muffin cups 3/4 full with remaining batter.

10. Sprinkle muffins evenly with pumpkin seeds.

11.  Bake 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

12.  Transfer muffins to rack to cool!  And finally, enjoy!!!

If you are following the 21 Day Fix program, one muffin equates to 1 Purple and 1 Orange.

If you are interested in obtaining a cookbook or joining one of my upcoming challenge groups, feel free to send me an email (sasijewelry@gmail.com), find me on Facebook, or check out my Team Beachbody website!

Tips for a Happier and Healthier Lifestyle

Whether you’re at home or at work, looking after your body is an essential step towards being an energetic, happy, and confident mom.  This has taken me a while to realize, but it is key for my overall happiness and wellbeing.

Always start with breakfast 

A good breakfast sets you up for the day; it provides the energy you need to get through a busy morning, it improves concentration and cognitive skills and of course, it stops you feeling hungry mid-morning.

 A well balanced breakfast should include a variety of foods from the main food groups:

• Aim for a combination of whole grains to provide starchy carbohydrate for energy 
• Fruit to provide valuable vitamins and minerals 
• Eggs or Shakeology to provide protein! 

During the school year, especially I don't have a a lot of time to invest in preparing breakfast so I love that I can get my protein, fruit and somedays if I choose I even add oats to my Shakeology to get in that extra carb!

Aim for at least 2-5 a day 

It may sound like a cliché but eating more fruit and vegetables really can improve your sense of wellbeing.

Fruit and vegetables help us to stay healthy because they contain so many vitamins and minerals needed by different functions in the body, particularly the immune system. They’re an excellent source of dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems which can cause sluggishness and fatigue.

The amount of fruit you should allot yourself per day all depends on your health and fitness goals.  A great program that teaches the basics of nutrition for lifestyle or to lose weight is the 21 Day Fix!

Include some oily fish 

A healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish. That’s because fish and shellfish are good sources of many vitamins and minerals such as iodine and vitamin D which we don’t find in too many other foods. Oily fish – such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and fresh tuna – is particularly rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which help to keep your heart healthy and boost immunity.

Keep well hydrated

Even mild dehydration (before you even feel thirsty) can make you feel tired and irritable (even without the loss of sleep), so drink little and often throughout the day to top up your fluid levels and maintain good hydration.

Healthy Snacks

When you’re concentrating hard at work or busy with the kids at home, the brain’s energy needs are high and a fall in blood sugar levels can impact on your performance

Try the following:

• Chopped fresh fruit such as melon or berries 
• Vegetables sticks 
•  A handful of dried fruit and mixed nuts or seeds 
• Wholegrain crackers with a slice or two of cheese 
• Rice cakes topped with natural peanut butter 
• Greek Yogurt Smoothies (*Shakeology is also great as a snack!) 
• A small amount of nuts 

Avoiding kids’ leftovers Avoiding your children’s leftovers can be a big problem.  They can also be called, "BLT's" (Bites.Licks.Tastes) Why do we do this? Because it’s there? Because we still feel guilty about the starving children our own parents told us about? Because hours-old pizza crusts and handfuls of semi-stale Cheerios just taste really, really good?  Did you know that "BLT's" can easily add an extra 200 calories onto your day!

Cheers to eating healthier!

Avocado Spinach Salad

Most people love avocados. But did you know that aside from tasting great, they’re also really nutritious? In a single serving avocados have 2 grams of protein, 15 grams of healthy fats, and 7 grams of fiber! Avocados are also considered to be a low-carb food. 

Spinach is another terrific plant food that’s loaded with lots of nutritious benefits. Eating spinach nourishes your skin, hair, bones, and is an incredible source of iron and folate. It’s also low in calories. Between the avocado and the spinach, it’s a great way to eat your favorite pasta dish and still get your veggies in your daily diet.

INGREDIENTS
10 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
1 clove garlic
1 avocado
1 cup fresh spinach
½ cup pecans
¼ cup basil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¾ to 1 cup pasta water
salt and pepper to taste

 INSTRUCTIONS
– Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
– While pasta is cooking, add the rest of the ingredients to your blender and blend until it turns into a smooth sauce. Start with ¾ cup of pasta water and add more as needed to get the consistency you want.
– Toss the pasta with the sauce in a bowl and serve immediately.

This sauce is best served the day it is made, as it uses avocados which will turn a brownish color.

I hope you enjoy this delicious meal! Please be sure to let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

To your health!

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Chow Mein

One of my lovely challengers, Terri shared a recipe and indicated how much she LOVED it so I thought I would give it a try. I LOVE chow mein and to have a healthier version than the local take-out order made sense to me! I took the recipe she used and adapted it to include my FAVE ingredients.  Again, another family favourite! When I made it, I cooked the spaghetti squash the evening prior and shredded it and then made the stir fry the next day!  It was easy peasy and quick to prepare!  10-15 mins to be exact having the squash pre-cooked!  Choose whichever works for you!

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash
2 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)
1/4 c tamari (gluten free soy sauce found at the local Supermarket)  or you could use lite soy sauce
1 large clove red garlic minced ( or 3 cloves of reg. garlic, minced)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1.5 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
1 large carrot grated (I used my Titan peeler - peeled them into matchsticks)
1/2 c. shredded cabbage (*optional)
1 small package of fresh sliced mushrooms, rinsed

Directions: 
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out seeds.  Add about 1" of water to a pyrex or glass dish. Turn spaghetti squash face down (skin side up) in dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until flesh is very tender.  When done, let cool for a moment and scoop out flesh with a fork so it breaks apart into strings and set aside.  When I made it, I let it cool and then put it in the refrigerator over night.

In a small bowl, whisk together tamari, maple syrup, ginger and white pepper and set aside.

Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery and cook until tender (about 3-4 mins). Be sure to stir often! Then add grated carrots and shredded cabbage and cook another minute before adding sliced mushrooms. Cook another minute longer until heated through.  Stir in spaghetti squash, cooked chicken and soy sauce mixture.  Mix it until well combined, and if you are using pre-cooked spaghetti squash make sure it is heated through before serving!

Serves 4-6 ----->21 Day Fix: 2 Green, 1/2 red per serving
Enjoy!

Baked Zucchini with Parmesan

This recipe is my new ALL TIME favourite recipe for Zucchini! And it takes 30 mins or less to be ready and on your plate!   I had gotten in the habit of chopping zucchini, tomatoes, red onion and drizzling the veggies with olive oil and sprinkling with Panko crumbs and some Epicure 3 Onion Spices and popping it in the oven.  But lately I just find I need something quick, easy and to the point. I found this recipe online under damdelicious.net (excuse the language!) just before we moved because I was limited to dishes because most of them were packed! I followed the recipe I found and tweaked it to suit my family.  I hope you enjoy it too!  This recipe serves 4, however when I made it, I doubled the recipe and found the left overs just as good!

Ingredients

• 4 zucchini (quarter each zucchini lengthwise)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme 
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/2 tsp dried basil 
• 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) 
• Optional:  2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• In a small bowl, combine parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder.  Add in some himalayan or sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. 
• Place zucchini onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the parmesan and spice mixture. Place in the oven and bake until tender (15 minutes depending on the size of your zucchini). Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. 
• Optional: The website I found the original recipe suggests to coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet and then place zucchini on the rack then sprinkle with toppings bake it that way.  I didn't have a cooling rack to try it, but it would reduce having the zucchini cook in the olive oil that falls to the bottom and create a healthier option. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Notes

Adapted from www. damdelicious.net  Enjoy!!

Shrimp Tacos

Two of my favourite clean eating cookbooks I purchased at Costco.  They are written by Sarah Fragoso and the titles include, "Everyday Paleo and Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook." Shrimp Tacos is a recipe that I have adapted from the   Everyday Paleo Cookbook and it is truly delish!  This is a family favourite in our household!  Hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients
1 bag of medium shrimp, shells and tails removed and deveined (I tend to by the frozen bags at the Superstore and thaw them the night before in the fridge).
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 small red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 c. fresh or jarred salsa (restaurant salsa "verde")
10-12 large romaine leaves (rinsed and dried off)
2 cups purple cabbage
Green Yogurt
lime wedges
Optional: 5 radishes, halved and sliced
           
Method
1.  In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil over low-medium heat and sauté the garlic, onions, and bell peppers until tender.
2.  Add the shrimp and sauté until the shrimp have turned pink in colour.
3.  Turn the heat down to low.
4.  Mix the chili powder and salsa and add to the mixture in the frying pan and cook until simmering.
5.  Place the lettuce leaves on the serving dishes so they are open faced.  Add the desired amount of shrimp mixture to the leaves.  Garnish with red cabbage, sliced radishes and a dallop of greek yogurt on top.  Serve with lime wedges on the side!

Prep time: 15-20 mins

Cook Time: 7-10 mins

Serves: 3-4

21 Day Fix Approved!  1 green (lettuce, cabbage, green pepper), 1 red (shrimp, greek yogurt), 1/2 purple (salsa verde)