Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Tangy Peanut Sauce

Power through your week with this light and refreshing dish! We all love a tasty pasta dish- but how about a creative change from the usual spaghetti and tomato sauce? 

Vegetable “noodles” are the perfect substitute. You can even twirl your fork and scoop up your food just as you would with spaghetti! The chicken provides satiating protein, while the vegetables add a lighter side to the meal to keep you feeling full without making you sluggish. The peanut sauce finishes off the dish with a tangy bite!

 

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Tangy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cooked chicken breasts, either boiled or pan-fried
4-6 medium-sized zucchini and summer squash
2 large carrots
About 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
About 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic (or more)
1/2-1 tsp granulated sugar (depending on taste)
At least 1/4 cup water (add 1-2 more tablespoons depending on texture)

Directions:

1. First, prepare your chicken breasts by either shredding the chicken (if you prefer to boil it) or by dicing it (if you prefer to pan-fry it). Set the chicken aside.

2. Next, make the peanut sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Start by adding 1/4 cup water as the recipe suggests, and if the sauce is too thick for your taste, add additional tablespoons water to reach desired consistency.

3. Lastly, prepare the zucchini, squash, and carrot ribbons by using a peeler. Hold the stem end of the squash in one hand and drag the peeler from the top to the bottom to create the ribbons. "Julienne" all the vegetables, keeping the carrots separate from the squash and zucchini. Briefly blanch the vegetables in a pot of boiling water by adding the carrots first for about 2-3 minutes, and then adding the zucchini and squash for another 1-2 minutes (it gets tender very quickly). Drain the hot water, immediately add cold water to stop the cooking, and once the vegetables have cooled, drain the water again.

4. Assemble the dish by putting some of the vegetable ribbons on a plate and topping them with diced or shredded chicken, then the peanut sauce, and chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature, but can also be served cool (if you would like to refrigerate ingredients before serving).

Beat The Heat With This Refreshing Salad

Summer is approaching fast, and staying cool will soon be a high priority. Stay healthy and refreshed with this deliciousrecipe for cucumber salad! This cool, high-water dish is refreshing and will help you to stay awake. It’s light, so it won’t weigh you down and make you feel sluggish.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

Chop into small ¼ inch cubes:

4 small cucumbers

2 medium tomatoes

½ medium white onion

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cracked pepper

Juice from one lemon

Optional: add 2 tbsp of chopped mint leaves

Preparation:

Mix and enjoy!!

Enjoy this cold and your taste buds will appreciate all of the flavors the coolness brings out in your favorite summer vegetables.

Celebrate Families Day With Acai Muffins

It’s International Families Day! Who loves their families more than us? Make these delicious, energy-packed, high-fiber acai berry muffins for your family to celebrate the day. The acai berry is known for its rich antioxidants—its flavonoids and anthocyanins, which help you to defend your body from life stressors, giving you more energy to spend on doing the things you want to do.

These muffins are also high in fiber and protein as they contain flax seeds and whey protein to keep energy levels stable so you won’t experience sugar crashes and the moodiness that goes along with it—and neither will anyone in your family. They will sustain you throughout long days and are so tasty even kids will love them!

Acai Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cup all-purposes flour

1/2 cup flax seeds (ground)

½ cup vanilla whey protein powder

2 t baking powder

½ t salt

½ t baking soda

½ cup plain low fat yogurt

½ t baking soda

2 tablespoons agave syrup

1/2 cup soymilk

1 egg

½ t salt

1/8 cup vegetable oil

1 cup of acai berries (fresh)

 Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a standard 12 muffin tray.

2) Combine the flour, flax seeds salt, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a bowl.

3) In a separate bowl, place vegetable oil, egg, milk, yogurt, and agave syrup in a bowl and mix them.

4) Combine the contents of both bowls and mix them together until even. Fold in the acai berries.

5) Fill the muffin tray with the mixture to the top.

6) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. Let cool for 5 minutes.

You can add in variations like other berries as well. You can also incorporate acai berries into pancakes and smoothies. If you want to get really creative you can use the acai berry powder with chocolate or even add it to ice cream!

Load Up With This Loaded Bowl

This is one of the healthiest, tastiest, no-cook meals I've made in a long time. For the minimal effort that goes into it, the flavor return is immense. The only "cooking" I did was using my rice cooker for the quinoa. This meal is great way to keep extra heat out of your kitchen on a summer night! This salad will keep well, covered, in the fridge for 3-4 days. Without the avocado, it could last up to 6 days, and may be frozen. Feel free to substitute brown rice for the quinoa, or add grilled chicken to make a heartier meal.

The Loaded Bowl (modified from Clean Eating Magazine)
serves 12

Ingredients:

3 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked black beans)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (more or less according to your taste)
2 fresh avocados, pitted, peeled and diced
Fresh lemon juice to prevent avocado from browning
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Juice of 4 limes
Zest of 1 lime

Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. While it is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, and cilantro.

3. Dice avocados and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

4. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bullet-style blender. Pulse until garlic is incorporated and dressing appears creamy. Set aside.

5. Fluff quinoa with fork and add to bean mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add lime juice and zest; toss to combine. Top each serving with avocado pieces and dressing.

Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 293
Fat - 12g
Saturated fat - 1g
Carbs - 39g
Fiber - 6g
Sugars - 1g
Protein - 9g
Sodium - 59mg
Cholesterol - 0mg

Energy-Fueling Breakfast: Egg and Salmon Sandwich

Need a breakfast that feels like a splurge yet that gives you the nutrients you need so that you can power right through today? Look no further than this healthyand tasty breakfast sandwich. The smoked salmon has omega-3 fatty acids, the egg whites are packed with plenty of protein, and the whole wheat English muffin is a healthy carbohydrate choice. This all makes for the perfect combination of energy-fueling foods to help you power through your day.

 

Egg and Salmon Sandwich

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped red onion
2  large egg whites, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon(s) capers, rinsed and chopped (optional)
1 ounce(s) smoked salmon
1 slice(s) tomato
1 whole-wheat English muffin, split and toasted

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add egg whites, salt and capers (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, until whites are set, about 30 seconds.

2. To make the sandwich, layer the egg whites, smoked salmon and tomato on English muffin.

Nutrition Info- Calories: 214, Total Fat: 5g, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 19g

You also might want to add some berries on the side of this meal to give you some extra antioxidants and energy! 

Enjoy!

A Creative and Fatigue-Fighting Breakfast

If you’re looking for a healthy, new change from your daily eggs and toast for breakfast, you may have just found your answer! This recipe is easy and definitely not your ordinary meal. It’s packed with protein which will help sustain you throughout the morning and has plenty of energy-packing carbs, good-for-you fats, fiber, and important vitamins that play a part in providing you with a burst of energy to start your day!

Ingredients:

All you need is:

·         Half of an avocado

·         An egg (or egg whites)

·         A slice of whole wheat bread

·         Your choice of seasonings to put on top (I recommend diced veggies like bell peppers and onions!) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425, have cast iron pan in there

2. Slice avocado in half, take out pit

3. Take pan out, put avocado half on, crack egg in

4. Put whatever you want on top (I recommend VEGGIES! [of course!])

5. Place in oven and cook till your eggs (are done how you) desire

6. As your eggs are cooking, toast a slice of whole wheat bread so it can be served with your egg-stuffed avocado.