Rosemary Roasted Turkey
Rosemary Roasted Turkey
This is by far the best turkey I’ve ever had. The cayenne pepper adds a rich flavor that is delicious and compliments the rosemary and lemon. Watching the cooking carefully and removing before the turkey is overdone will keep the turkey moist.
• I organic turkey (14 to 18 pounds) thawed if frozen
• 9 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 4 meyer lemons, cut in half
• 1 ½ cups fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped, divided
• ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ tbsp sea salt
• 1/3 to ½ cup olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Remove and discard truss from turkey. Remove giblets and neck. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place turkey, breast side down in a 12 to 17 inch roasting pan. Rub the back of the turkey with some olive oil and half of the garlic. Squeeze the juice of 4 of the lemon halves over the turkey back. Sprinkle ½ cup of chopped rosemary and half the cayenne pepper over the turkey back.
4. Turn the turkey breast side up. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the breast meat and spread some chopped rosemary in the pocket over each breast.
5. Rub the turkey breast with olive oil and remaining garlic. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon halves over the turkey breast. Sprinkle salt to taste and the remaining cayenne pepper over the breast. Sprinkle the remaining chopped rosemary over the turkey breast and inside the turkey cavity.
6. Roast turkey, uncovered, basting occasionally with pan drippings until thermometer reaches 165-170 degrees when placed in the breast, 3 to 4 hours. Legs will usually fall away from the turkey as it is finishing.
7. Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil and let rest in a warm place for approximately 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Healthy Chicken Soup with Quinoa
The flu season is here and taking care of your family, friends and neighbors with a big bowl of hearty, homemade, healthy chicken soup is the best way to show them your love. This recipe is low in sodium, gluten free and dairy free with lots of good-for-you ingredients to heal the soul. Prep time is about ten minutes and cook time is thirty minutes.
Chicken Soup With Quinoa
5 cups chicken stock – low sodium, organic
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3-5 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup quinoa
1 tomato, chopped
1-2 cups edemame, peas and/or green beans or any fresh vegetables that you have on hand.
Bring chicken stock to a boil, add garlic, herbs de provence, pepper, lemon juice, green onions, carrots and celery. Add quinoa and boil for ten-fifteen minutes until carrots and celery start to soften. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and any other vegetables that you decide to put in. lower heat and simmer for an additional twenty minutes until quinoa is soft.
For added deliciousness, garish with avacado slices on top of each serving.
If gluten free is not an issue, 1/2 cup whole grain broken lasagna noodles or whole grain penne pasta can be added with the quinoa for chicken noodle soup.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
It’s cold out so I took a favorite from my childhood and made it a little healthier, replacing the white rice with zucchini or cabbage and mushrooms. This is perfect for a warm-your-soul feel-good meal that is still low in sodium. is low-glycemic and all around good for you.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
4 large bell peppers, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking spray
1 onion, chopped fine
1 pound ground, extra lean, organic, grass fed beef, pork, chicken or turkey
2 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 medium sized mushrooms, diced
1 cup of cabbage or zucchini, diced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons low/no salt tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 clove minced garlic
ground pepper to taste
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a shallow baking dish, cook bell peppers in boiling water for two minutes, drain and set aside. Brown the meat, add the onion, tomato, mushrooms, cabbage (or zucchini) and cook until the vegetables are tender. Drain excess liquid from the pan, add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, garlic, pepper and salt. Mix well. Place the peppers into the baking dish and fill each with the mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Dairy Free Chocolate Mousse or Hot Chocolate made with Avacado (Dairy Free)
This is an amazingly rich, delicious, simple recipe for a healthy, dairy-free, chocolate mousse or chocolate dip for sliced fruit, strawberries, or just plain eating. Try two tablespoons in a warm cup of almond or soy milk for an awesome hot chocolate. The avocados add a rich, creamy smoothness to the mousse without overpowering the chocolate for a surprisingly scrumptious dessert that is good for you! This will completely satisfy when you need a chocolate fix.
Chocolate Mousse or Hot Chocolate made with Avacado
Two avocados, halved and pitted
1/2 cup agave syrup (honey can be substituted)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Remove avocado from the peel and place in blender or food processor. Add agave syrup, vanilla and coca powder and blend until smooth and creamy. This can be served right away but an hour or more in the refrigerator is best.
Tip: Add a little almond or soy milk for a lighter chocolate flavor
Peanut Curry Chicken
It is cold and wet outside and I opened my freezer, found my leftover Peanut Curry Chicken and am in heaven. It is perfect for cold winter days. It can be prepared as a soup or made with quinoa and edemame, it is a hearty, delicious stew. Either way it is high in protien, low-glycemic and low in sodium. As prepared, the dish is mild but with a little added Thai chili or cayenne pepper it can easily go from a one to five-star spicy rating. Thanks goes to Brian Thiel with The Helathy Edge for this one. Enjoy!
Peanut Curry Chicken
(Prepared in a 3 ½ to 6 quart slow cooker (crock pot))
(Serves 6-8)
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil or
olive oil
• 2 sweet onions, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock or
broth
• 2-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
thighs and/or breasts
• 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy
sauce
• 2 tsp red or yellow curry sauce
• 1 cup lite coconut milk
• 2 cups green peas or shelled edemame, thawed if frozen
• 1 cup quinoa (if desired)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ¼ cup raw, unsalted peanuts,
chopped
• Thai chillis, diced or cayenne pepper to taste
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1. Lightly coat inside of slow cooker stoneware with non-stick cooking spray. Add chicken to bottom of crockpot stoneware.
2. In a large frying pan, heat coconut or olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and
cook, stirring frequently until carrots soften. Add garlic, ginger and cracked black pepper,
cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken stock or broth, bring to boil.
3. Remove mixture from heat and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 hours
or high setting for 2 ½ hours.
4. In a medium sized bowl, combine peanut butter, lemon juice, tamari or soy sauce and curry
sauce. Mix all ingredients well. Add mixture to stoneware along with coconut milk, peas or edemame
and red bell pepper.
5. If desired, boil 1 cup of quinoa in 5 cups of water until tender (8-10 minutes), drain, add to curry.
6. Continue to cook on high setting for 30 minutes, until peppers are
tender.
7. Serve with a garnish of chopped Thai peppers, peanuts and cilantro.
Tips
• For additional protein, substitute edamame (soy beans) instead of green peas.
• Serve this dish with plenty of brown basmati rice if quinoa is not used.
French Basil Chicken
French Basil Chicken
(Prepared in a 3 ½ to 6 quart slow cooker (crock pot))
(Serves 6-8)
Ingredients
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour (whole grain flour preferred, but not required)
• 3 lbs bone-in skinless, chicken thighs (about 12 thighs)
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, including juice
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and quartered
• 2 cups red bell peppers, diced
• ½ cup fresh chopped basil leaves
1. Lightly coat inside of slow cooker stoneware with non-stick cooking spray. Add all ingredients with the exception of red bell peppers and basil to stoneware and stir well. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High setting for 3 hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.
2. 30 minutes prior to completion add diced red bell peppers and chopped basil leaves. Stir well. Continue to cook on High for 30 minutes, until peppers are tender.
Brian’s Tips
• To save preparation time, purchase store bought pre-chopped onions, red peppers and minced garlic.
• This dish can be partially prepared before it is cooked. Add ingredients to stoneware, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• If you are watching your intake of sodium, use low sodium canned tomatoes and choose low sodium chicken stock.
• Herbes de Provence is a traditional blend of aromatic herbs which grow both wild and cultivated throughout Provence in southern France. It is a blend of basil, fennel, lavender, marjoram, savory, tarragon, and thyme. It can be found in most grocery stores in the spice section.
• Add a tossed or spinach salad and brown rice, basmati rice, or any variety of whole grain rice with plenty of toasted pine nuts for a complete and healthy meal!
Nutrients per serving
Calories 230
Protein 26.5 g
Carbohydrates 12.4 g
Fat (Total) 8.3 g
Sat Fat 1.9 g
Monounsat Fat 3.2 g
Polyunsat Fat 1.8 g
Dietary Fiber 3.4 g
Sodium 549 mg
Cholesterol 103 mg
Greek Salad with Chicken
This recipe comes from Brian Thiel with The Healthy Edge. It is the perfect hot, summer day dinner and I take it without the chicken to barbecues and potlucks. It keeps well in the sun and tastes like you took a LONG time preparing it.
Greek Salad with Chicken
(Serves 
Ingredients
• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into small chunks
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 oz low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup black olives, diced
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1. Mix first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle mixture with oregano.
2. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the salad. Add olives and chicken and toss.
Brian’s Tips
• Best if placed in refrigerator to allow to chill prior to serving.
• Enjoy with a slice of whole grain bread (Ezekiel) for a delicious lunch.
Mediterranean Shrimp and Mahi-Mahi Soup
Mediterranean Shrimp and Mahi-Mahi Soup
Orange Juice and white wine combine in this delicious soup to create a base for the shrimp and mahi-mahi. Another easy, excellent recipe that will leave your friends thinking you are amazing in the kitchen. Most of the prep can be done before leaving you free to take care of everything else in that busy time before dinner. This is one of our favorites and definitely worth trying.
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt added, diced tomatoes
4 cups reduced salt chicken broth
1 can (8 oz) no salt tomato sauce
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup orange juice
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup black olives, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried basil leaves
¼ tsp fennel seed, crushed
¼ tsp black pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb mahi-mahi, cod or whitefish
Place all ingredients except shrimp, olive oil and fish in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 4-4.5 hours or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in shrimp. Cover and cook 15-30 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Brown mahi-mahi in olive oil in skillet until just flaky, chop into chunks, add to soup and serve immediately.
Nutrients per serving:
144 calories (19% of calories from fat)
3g total fat, less than 1g saturated fat
117mg Cholesterol
330mg of sodium
17g protein
12g Carbohydrate
2g Dietary Fiber
Baked Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
Baked Salmon with Strawberry Salsa
An easy prep for an outstanding entree. I’ve served this at formal dinners and it is beautiful to look at and the strawberries and green chiles add an amazing flavor combination to the salmon. This is a super healthy dish that tastes too good to be good for you; low glycemic, low sodium and high protien. Use organic ingredients and wild salmon to make it even better.
Ingredients
• 4 – (12” x 18”) sheets parchment paper
• 4 – 6 oz salmon filets (see below)
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup red onion, sliced
• 4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 can diced green chilies (4 oz)
• 4 tsp cilantro
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 4 tsp low/no sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• Cooking spray
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Unfold parchment paper and coat lightly with cooking spray.
3. Place fillet in the middle of paper. Top fillet with ¼ cup each of red onion, yellow bell pepper, ¼ cup of the green chilies and top with the sliced strawberries,. Sprinkle with 1/4th of the cilantro. Drizzle fillet with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon chicken stock.
4. Fold paper and seal edges with narrow folds. Repeat with the remaining parchment paper, fish, and toppings. Place packets on baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. To serve, open packets and transfer the fillets with their topping to plates. Pour remaining juices over top of fillet.
The Beginning
Almost a year ago we went through a program that transformed my body and attitude and probably saved my husband John’s life by helping us release almost 100 lbs between the two of us. We did it without counting calories or only eating proteins, exercising twice a day or any other fad that is unsafe and unsustainable.
Throughout the seven week program we had the support and education we needed to change our habits around eating. Within a week, we were both feeling much better, sleeping through the night and had more energy.
By the end of the program, we were consistently making good decisions about what we were putting in our bodies, had dropped significant weight and several sizes. At the end of twelve months, we still are releasing the weight and living a healthy lifestyle.
We have watched and helped hundreds of others transform their health too, including our families. It is a good feeling to know I’m giving my children habits that will keep them healthy and strong throughout their lives.
This blog is about our journey now. What does being healthy mean, what are the day to day decisions we face, how are we overcoming challenges to stay on course and most importantly, what are we eating that is good for us and tastes decent too.