Brussel Sprouts

One of my favorite ways to cook veggies is to roast them. So simple and easy, yet oh so delicious.

I'm really not sure where or how did brussel sprouts get such a bad reputation but it's going to be hard to convince people that they are delicious if they're always served to you just boiled, unappetizing and bland.

Here's my favorite way to cook these tiny little cabbages.

I slice them into two, sometimes three if they're big enough. Spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (easy clean up). I then spritz them (very lightly) with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with lemon zest and lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender. They pair well with grilled chicken and quinoa!

Sometimes, make "chips" out of them as well. I loosen the brussel sprouts into individual leaves and I spray them very lightly with EVOO (sometimes with the chips, I don't even spray them with oil). I roast them for 25 minutes and I take them out and let them cool for a bit.

These are great to snack on or one of my favorite way is topping my kale and spinach salad with the chips. They add a little bit of smokiness and crunch to the salad. If it were okay for me to eat dried cranberries (I preferred unsweetened) at this time, I will add it to the salad along with some sunflower seeds. A simple homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing and it's salad heaven!  

Recipe: Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Pablano with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This was inspired by an old recipe that I had (http://ronnielascano.blogspot.com/2010/10/chicken-chile-relleno.html)for chicken relleno.

This version is much leaner, lower in fat and calories but just as delish!

4 large poblano peppers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red (or orange, yellow, green) bell pepper, finely chopped
1 lb of ground lean turkey (ground chicken works as well)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 tbsp dried sage
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp ground mustard 
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1½ cups cooked quinoa

¼ cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth or water
Salt & pepper to taste

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
4 red bell peppers
1 cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth or water
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat grill and oven to 350 degrees. Once the grill is hot, place pablano and red bell peppers on the grill and roast until blackened on all sides.

 

Put in ziploc bags for 10 minutes then carefully peel the skin off the peppers. 

Using small sharp knife, carefully slit peppers open along 1 side. Remove seeds, leaving stems attached and set aside.

 

Meanwhile, brown ground turkey in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, red peppers and dry seasonings. Cook until turkey is cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Add cooked quinoa and chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

 Stuff the pablano peppers with the turkey mixture placed on a baking dish.

In the meanwhile take peeled and seeds removed red bell pepper and transfer to a blender. Add roasted garlic and chicken broth (or water) and blend until smooth.

 Pour over the stuffed pablano peppers and bake in the oven for 25 minutes and serve hot! 

Note:
Ingredients listed in red above is my own mixture for italian seasoning. You can easily buy Italian chicken sausage in lieu of turkey and added seasoning. I prefer to do my own so I know exactly what goes in my food. It's also one of the benefits of having a well stocked pantry. :)

Cravings (Chicken Masala Recipe)

This week, for some reason, has been hard when it comes to taming my cravings. Maybe it's because it's been really cold and I've been resting (nurturing my fat as I call it, lol) but I have been craving a lot of things that I can't necessarily have. Mostly savory dishes. Luckily, I'm not a really big sweets person.

Yesterday, since I was feeling a whole lot better, Vince took me out to the movies to watch The Hunger Games. We ate dinner before we left the house so we would not be tempted to eat unhealthy (and expensive) stuff from the theater. When we were walking to the theater, I immediately smell the savory and delish aroma of Indian Food. Vince and I usually eat at this restaurant (one of my favorite Indian food Restaurant) when we are around this area. My mouth was watering and I was still thinking about it when we got out of the theater. 

On the drive home, I was thinking about how I could make a clean and healthier version of chicken curry/masala which is usually loaded with heavy cream and butter. By the time we got home, I had a plan! 

I took the chicken breast out of the fridge, trimmed the extra fat off and cut it into cubes. I marinated the chicken with 1/2 cup of non fat Greek yogurt, freshly grated ginger root and minced garlic and a tbsp of curry. I covered it and let it marinate in the fridge overnight. 

The next day, we had breakfast and cleaned up the apartment. I timed cooking the masala so by the time it's done, it's time to eat lunch! 

I finely chopped medium onion, 5 cloves of garlic and ginger (we always have ginger root and garlic in our house). Set aside. On a pan, I heated 1 tsp of coconut oil and toasted some ground cumin for a couple of minutes. I added my aromatics and cooked until the onions are translucent. I then added 1/2 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp of chili powder and 1 tsp of curry powder. I let that cook for two minutes. The aroma of spices cooking was amazing! Vince was getting hungry smelling it! 

I then added the marinated chicken and let it cook for about 8 minutes until the chicken are golden brown. 

I then added about 1 cup of water, about 2 tbsp of garam masala and 3 bay leaves. I turn the heat down to medium low, covered it and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. 

I knew that I needed to get my greens in somehow so I looked into our fridge and see what kid of veggies I had on hand. Perfect! Snap peas! It'll add a beautiful color, crunch and nutrition to the dish!

I cut about 2 cups of snap peas in half and added to the dish along with 2 tbsp of Greek yogurt to thicken the sauce a bit. I let it simmer for about another 3 minutes (I don't want to over cook the snap peas, I like them crunchy).

I made sure that I portioned out the right amount of chicken and veggies for my meal on top of quinoa. 

It was delicious and packedful of flavor.

I was able to satisfy my craving for Indian food and still stayed with my diet and saved money! I had everything I needed to make this dish at home! 

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep your pantry stocked with dried herbs and spices. Most dried herbs and spices have no calories and the ones that do are so insignificant that you probably burn those calories cooking that delish food! They add so much flavor without all the calories and fat. 

Healthy doesn't have to be bland, you just have to be creative!

Menu for Week 6:

Breakfast and snacks are my usual. I'm mixing it up with lunch and dinner though. If I have to eat lean protein (white fish, chicken breast, lean turkey), greens and grains for a while, I better get creative and mix things up! I usually cook brown rice & quinoa in the rice cooker and portion it into 4 oz servings in tupperwares and keep it in the fridge. That way I always have the right portion of grains that I need and I can eat it with whatever protein and greens I choose.

Sunday, we're going up to Breck for some snowboarding and I think coming home to delicious warm soup would be great!

Sunday: 
Dinner: Chicken Quinoa Kale Soup (This recipe makes plenty)

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
•  2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• salt & pepper
• 4 cups torn kale
• 4 garlic clove
• 8 cups of water (or fat free, low sodium chicken broth)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 large chicken breasts (about 1lb), cut in half
• 2large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ cubes
• 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, garlic, and onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add 7 cups chicken broth, parsley flakes, dried thyme, bay leaf and bring to a boil.

Add chicken breasts to the pot then cook for 10 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center. Remove to a plate then add sweet potato and quinoa to boiling broth. Place a lid on top, lower heat to medium, then cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and quinoa is cooked. Meanwhile shred chicken.

Add shredded chicken back to the soup, remove bay leaf, and kale. Taste and add more salt & pepper if necessary. Serve topped with parmesan cheese, if desired (Vince does). Use remaining 1 cup chicken broth to add when reheating soup, as quinoa will absorb much of the broth as it cools.

**I'm planning on making this in the slow cooker so it will be warm and ready after a day of snowboarding. I will saute the mirepoix and add the rest of the ingredients in the pot except for the kale and quinoa. I like my kale a bit more fresh instead of fully cooked. I just want the hot broth to wilt it right before serving. I'll probably have the quinoa cooked already and just add the soup on top of it. This way, I can better measure my portion.**

Monday 
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Breast with Zucchini Ribbon and Quinoa Salad

• 1 green zucchini, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler
•  2 cups of arugula or baby spinach (I like arugula because of it's peppery taste)
• ¼ cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Lightly spray/brush the zucchini with olive oil and grill on hot grill for a few minutes. Set aside, combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, evoo and mix well. Mix the zucchini, quinoa and arugula together and toss with a little bit of the dressing.

Dinner: Cilantro Ginger Baked Tilapia with Quinoa/Brown Rice & Oven Roasted Asparagus

• 2 large tilapia fillets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp reduced sodium tamari
• 1/4 cup water or fat free, low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 475 F.  Place the fish in a glass baking dish and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the garlic, ginger, tamari, water/broth, sesame oil, and cilantro into a food processor and blend it up.  Pour the mixture over the fish. Bake for 8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. Served with cooked grains and greens.

Tuesday:
Lunch: Italian Roasted Chicken Breast with Italian Roasted Snap Peas &  Mashed Sweet Potato

Italian Roasted Snap Peas: 

• 1 large leek, white part only, halved lengthwise and thoroughly washed
• 1 pound sugar snap and snow peas, trimmed
•  3 teaspoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut leek halves into 2-inch lengths and then very thinly slice each piece lengthwise, yielding 2-inch-long strips. Toss the leek strips, peas, oil and salt in a medium bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet.

Roast for 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Return to the oven and roast until the vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes more. Toss in dried oregano and serve.

Chicken:

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Rub rosemary mixture on the chicken breast and place chicken on a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast registers 155°. Remove chicken from pan; let stand for 10 minutes.

Dinner:  Chicken Quinoa Kale Soup Left Overs
  
Wednesday:
Lunch: Spicy Baked Tilapia with Sauteed Brocollini & Kale and Brown Rice

• 4 Tilapia fillets
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• a pinch or more of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Preheat oven at 450°.
Lightly brush fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and pepper flakes and lemon zest. Sprinkle lemon juice and bake fish for 10 minutes or until fish is flaky.

• 2 pounds broccolini, trimmed & steamed for 5 minutes or until bright green
• 8 ounces kale
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

Heat oil in a pan. Fry lemon slices until lightly brown and set aside. Add garlic and pepper flakes to the pan for about a minute. Toss in broccolini and saute for 3 minutes. Add kale until wilted. Toss in salt and serve with lemon slices.

Dinner:  My less fat, less sodium yet still delicious version of Ginisang Bagiuio Beans (Filipino Food)

• 1 lb of very lean ground turkey
• 1 1/2 lbs of green beans, french cut
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup of water.

Cook turkey in a pan until brown. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Saute onions until slightly transparent, add garlic and red pepper flakes. Add tomatoes and green beans. Add water and cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until green beans are tender. Add turkey back in the pan along with soy sauce and black pepper. Serve with quinoa or brown rice.

Thursday:
Lunch:  Grilled Chicken Kale Salad with Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tart, firm green apple, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• few dashes freshly-ground black pepper
• healthy pinch red chili powder
• 5-6 cups vegetable stock

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
In a large roasting pan, toss the squash, onion, garlic, and apples with the oil to coat. Season well with the salt, pepper and chili powder. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender and lightly browned, about 40 minutes.
Put all of the vegetables into a big soup pot and blend until smooth with an immersion blender.  Return pureed soup to a large soup pot. Add more broth if the soup seems too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Dinner:  Baked Salmon with Shredded Asparagus Salad and Quinoa

• 3/4 lb. asparagus, (the thicker the better)
• 1/4 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. each: onion powder, sea salt (more or less, to taste), ground black pepper (more or less, to taste)

Using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into paper-thin slices into a large mixing bowl. Hold the tough ends/stems and shave towards the spear. Throw out the tough end once stalk is shaved down. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Friday: 
Lunch: Left Overs

Dinner: Tinola (Filipino Dish - cleaner version of course)

I still haven't decided on what to do for my cheat meal this week. Although sushi is sounding really good right about now! :)

Take the Blah out of that Skinless, Boneless Chicken

Big time meat eaters (like myself) who are looking for ways to reduce the amount of fat in their meals or for people who wants to eat healthier usually resort to chicken for protein. A big problem I found about is that people think that boneless, skinless chicken breast has to be plain, dry and lacks flavor.


This week, I've played around in the kitchen, coming up with different chicken breast recipes. These are very simple to prepare but absolutely moist and do not lack flavor and of course without packing lots of fat and loads of calories on it. So I thought I would share them :)


Lemon Chicken

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lemon

1. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't let the garlic to turn brown.
2. Take pan off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9x12 baking dish.
3. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Pomegranate Balsamic Chicken 

• 2 4oz pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to even thinness
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 of a red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup of 100% pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• about a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsely

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat, coat with cooking spray. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, add to pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove from pan, reduce heat, and de-glaze with balsamic vinegar and pomegranate juice. Heat until just smoking, return breasts to pan, and simmer for about 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by 2/3. Plate chicken with onions and drizzle pan sauce over breasts. Garnish with parsley. 

Grilled Chicken with Spinach Pesto

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/3 cup plus olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Heat grill on medium high heat. Lightly oil the grill pan. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside.

2. Combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a processor. Lightly pulse. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of the oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Add salt and pulse.

3. Transfer the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Spread the pesto over each piece of chicken and serve.

Well-Stocked Pantry

Vince and I had a very productive weekend. We finally finished unpacking from our vacation, took down Christmas decorations (how come it's not as fun as putting it up??), laundry, cleaning and I managed to reorganize our fridge and pantry and immediately thought about writing a blog about a well-stocked pantry.

People always ask me what do I have in my pantry. It's a long list. I found that some people don't stock their pantry well because they think it's expensive. It could be but you'll find that once you get in the habit of keeping a stocked pantry, you will find your grocery bill decrease. With a well stocked pantry, you'll end up buying less and paying less. We buy a lot of stuff in bulk and in season, this way you're paying less. I also like keep non perishable items that work well together and could be turn into a simple dish. Having a well stocked pantry is a blessing. Not having to run to the store every time you make want to make something is great. When I plan out our meals for the week, I always go to my pantry first to see what I can make with what I have and not spend more money than I need to.

So here's my list: (I apologize in advance because I think it's going to be a lengthy one)

Canned tomatoes - (diced, stewed, whole, fire roasted, paste & sauce)
Pasta (long and shells - regular and whole wheat)
Tuna Packets
Capers
Vinegar (Apple Cider, white, balsamic, rice wine, red wine)
Condiments (mustards, ketchup, mayo, soy sauce, fish sauce)
Marinades & Seasoning
Flour (Cake, All-Purpose, Wheat)
Baking Stuff (Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Sugars, Vanilla Extract)
Canned/Single serve fruits & Dried Cranberries and Raisins
Of course Rice (jasmine, brown, wild and arborio)
Oils (EVOO, canola, peanut & vegetable)
Stocks (vegetable, chicken & beef)
I also like to stock up on my filipino food mixes such as sinigang mix, palabok & kare kare

I always have a stock of aromatics (onions (white, yellow & red), garlic and lemons on the counter)

In the freezer - we buy in bulk - boneless, skinless chicken breast & whole chicken (not only it's good for roasting - you can save the carcass and make your own chicken stock.
I also like to buy frozen veggies especially the ones that aren't in season. I prefer frozen over canned.
I also like to have bell peppers, celery and carrots in my fridge as much as possible.

To top this of course the herbs and spices every kitchen should have (there are a lot to list - get them all if possible!)

Okay the list is not as long as I expected. Of course every pantry will be different. Your pantry will be stocked based on the flavors you like to cook with and the kind of dishes you cooked often. Either way a well stocked pantry is a great pantry!

15 Minute Dinner

I usually plan our meals for the week but sometimes for one reason or another I don't get to. This week is one of those week. I guess I'll blame it on our birthday. My mom and I had our joint birthday party Sunday. Monday was spent recovering from the previous night's festivities. Tuesday the family went out to The Melting Pot for dinner. Yesterday was a very long day at work and really didn't feel like doing some chopping and cooking and all that hoopla...So for days like those simple goes along way and grilling is definitely a savior.

I had Vince defrost the salmon fillets I knew we had in the freezer. When I got home it's all thawed out and all i had to do was brush on a little bit of olive oil, seasoned it with salt, pepper, basil and rosemary.

Threw the fish on the grill 4 minutes on each side.

I also took 2 romaine lettuce hearts - cut them in half  - lengthwise - drizzled a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and threw that on the grill a few minutes on side - enough to give it some char - 4 minutes total.

When the fish is done - the lettuce should be too. Chopped the lettuce - added a bit more olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Delicious dinner in 15 minutes!

Grilled Pizza!

The weather has been so beautiful outside and we're taking advantage of using the grill while we still can. The other day, we made an Italian Grilled Pizza. It was delish! Some of you have asked me for the recipe so here it is!

We've tried many different pizza dough recipe but this one is definitely a keeper (we have about two more to try out)

This is Wolfgang Puck's Recipe I found in one magazine - can't remember which one though...

Pizza Dough

• 1 package active dry or fresh yeast
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees F
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water.

2. In a stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook), combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and mix until the mixture forms a ball. .


3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).


4. Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

 Toppings

4 Spicy Italian Sausage
1 cup of freshly grated Fontina Cheese
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Large Red Onion
1 cup of Sheep's Milk Ricotta Cheese
a few sprigs of fresh oregano
a tablespoon of olive oil

1. Grill the sausages for about 5 minutes on each side. Let it cool for a few minutes then cut into 1/4" slices.

2. Cut the peppers into quarters and lightly brush with olive oil - put on the grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Cut into thin strips.

3. Cut the onion into 1/4" thick rings and lightly brush with olive oil - grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Chop roughly.

Set all the ingredients aside.

4. Roll out each pizza dough about 1/4" -1/2" thick - brush lightly with oil and salt and pepper one side.

5. Turn the grill on high and grill the pizza dough 3-4 minutes on one side - flip - grill for 1-2 minutes.

6. Add freshly grated Fontina cheese evenly on the each dough - add sausage, peppers and onions. Close the grill cover for about 1-2 minutes (until the cheese is melted)

7. Meanwhile, add ricotta, olive oil and freshly chopped oregano leaves together.

8. Pull pizza off the grill and top with ricotta cheese mixture.

9. Enjoy!!

Lunch Box - Save Money & Stay Healthy

Well the other day, I got tired of carrying my lunch in my big purse and hates bringing Vince's lunch cooler, I did not want to carry around those bulky ugly things so I searched and searched and finally bought me a stylish "lunch box"! www.wrapables.com

Isn't it awesome?! I love it! This way I don't have to put everything in my bag. :)

I started taking lunch to work for quite sometime now. This way I know what's in my food (since I made it) and it saves me money! Going out to eat for lunch adds up! Although I splurge every now and then.

My lunch box contains a piece of wheat bread with almond butter as my breakfast or sometimes I'll have a small pack of instant oatmeal - Quaker's Simple Harvest Vanilla, Almond and Honey Flavor is my fave!. For lunch I usually have a small portion of last night's dinner or a turkey wrap or grilled chicken salad or tuna pasta salad I make ahead of time (recipes below). I also pack a granny smith apple with a few slices of Parmesan cheese for an afternoon snack and one hard boiled egg. I always have a raw almonds by my desk to snack on. Of course I drink plenty of water throughout the day. Before I leave the house in the morning I make Vince and I a smoothie. I premeasure all the ingredients (except for the milk and protein powder) on the weekends. So in the morning all I have to do is throw in everything in the blender and in less than a minute you'll have a delish smoothie!

Berries Blast Smoothie:
1/4 cup of frozen blueberries
1/4 cup of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup of frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons of chocolate or vanilla protein
1/2 cup of 1% milk
1 scoop of low fat no sugar vanilla ice cream (or frozen yogurt)
3 ice cubes

Blend everything in the blender and enjoy with a straw! :)

Marinated Grilled Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup of good balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (dried can be used too)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (dried can be used too)
1/4 cup of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 cloves of garlic of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of onion powder
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Put everything in ziploc bag, shake around to coat the chicken well. Let it marinate for at least an hour. I usually let it marinate overnight in the fridge to get all that yummy flavor in the chicken. Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come close to room temperature before grilling. I usually just do it on our George Foreman Grill 5-6 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the breast). I let it rest before cutting to get all the juices back in the chicken. I cut it into strips - put it in a tupperware and it's ready to go during the week for lunch.

Tuna Pasta Salad
1/2 a box of Barilla Whole Wheat Pasta Shell
3 pouches of chunky white meat albacore tuna
1/2 of a small white onions small diced
finely chopped flat leaf parsley (you can add as much or as little as you want)
low fat mayo (add as little or as much as you want - just enough to coat everything lightly)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together and you're good to go!

Okay that's all for now - lunch break is over! :)