Chicken & Veggie Patties

Tuesday is my "Sunday" so I typically do most of my meal prepping on this day. The last few weeks I made different kinds of patties. Whether they are a mixture of chicken/veggie, veggie/beans/rice, or even tuna with sprouted peas and lentils (which were really delicious), they are the perfect option for lunches throughout the week. It's also a great way to use up leftover ingredients you have in your fridge. I normally just throw whatever I have in a bowl, mix it up and they turn out great. However, I  figured I should measure out my ingredients this time so I can share the recipe. Check it out below and feel free to play around with ingredients and spices to tailor it to your liking. I tend to eat them cold with salads, but they can be heated up as well.

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ cup tomato basil feta, or plain
¼ cup white onion, diced
¼ cup green olives, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Preheat oven to 370ºF. In a medium/large bowl, combine all vegetables and spices. Stir to combine. Add ground chicken and use your hands to incorporate ingredients. Create a little well in the center of the bowl and add the egg. Again, use your hands to combine. Using a ¼ size measuring cup, scoop chicken mixture onto a lined and greased baking sheet. The measuring cup should create a nice patty shape. Once you have all your patties scooped, place them in the oven for 8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Set your oven broil setting to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for a few minutes if you will be eating them right away. You can enjoy these warm with a salad or make a burger out of them. I usually let them cool a bit longer before storing in the fridge.

Summer Quinoa Salad

 

If you took a peek into my fridge, you would most likely find a big bowl of quinoa salad. I love having this stuff on hand. I used to just make a pot of plain quinoa but spending that extra time preparing the salad allows for quick lunch or dinner prep for the rest of the week. For lunch, I like to sprinkle over a salad and for dinner, I'll have it as a side with chicken and steamed veggies. Make this salad for yourself or try it out at your next get-together or weekend BBQ. It will pair wonderfully with grilled corn on the cob. This salad is gluten free and vegan friendly. It’s also a great source of protein, especially for those on a vegan diet, as quinoa contains a complete protein profile.

Ingredients:

Salad

1½ cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
½ tablespoon chili powder
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced black olives
1 cup green onions, sliced
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing

¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup low sodium tamari
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin

To make:

Using a fine mesh sieve, rinse quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa to a pot along with vegetable broth and chili powder. Give a quick stir and turn heat to high. Once the quinoa reaches a boil, turn heat to medium-low. You want a slow boil. Cook for about 25 minutes or until quinoa is done. Fluff with fork and allow to cool completely. Quinoa may be made a day in advance and refrigerated. In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, and remaining ingredients for the salad. Gently mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine all your ingredients for the dressing. Whisk together and pour over salad. Stir to evenly distribute dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. I like to chill it for an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

There is a magical herb shop I discovered a few years back. I’m trying to remember if I stumbled upon it myself or if someone took me there. Either way it’s one of my favorite places to visit when I’m up in San Luis Obispo. I pretty much planned my birthday afternoon around going to this place because I wanted to stock up on my favorite teas and spices. The Secret Garden Organic Herbs Shop's name pretty much sums up the place. It’s hidden off the main drag in a little outdoor type cottage surrounded by flowers and foliage. They have a large selection of medicinal herbs, spices, and teas which the owner blends herself. You could seriously spend an hour here admiring the wall holding rows of large mason jars filled with all sorts of goodness. My favorite tea that they offer is Candy Cane Lane. It’s a seasonal blend which consists of green tea, jasmine flowers, spearmint, peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, roses, and stevia leaves. I made sure to get a larger bag the last time before they ran out.
Awhile back I had purchased some different culinary spices including a Moroccan curry blend. It smelled so good. I’ve never done much Moroccan cuisine so it sat in my cupboard a bit longer than expected. Finally, I told myself I had to make something with it. And now we have Moroccan Lentil Soup! This is my go to soup recipe. It’s so easy and healthy. A bowl is a meal in itself. Lentils provide a great source of protein and fiber, keeping my stomach full and satisfied. My mom likes to serve this soup over a bowl of couscous.




Moroccan Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 medium zucchini, sliced in quarters
1 cup red lentils
1 can garbanzo beans
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used in place but would not make the soup vegan)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend from Secret Garden Herb Shop
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

To make:

Rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear and set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil.
Once the oil is hot, add onions and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add zucchini and garbanzo beans along with the Moroccan spice blend, salt, red chili flakes and pepper. Mix well to coat vegetables.
Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Turn heat up to high.
Once it reaches a boil, add lentils and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a low boil for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
After 30 minutes your soup is ready to enjoy!
Let the remaining soup cool before storing in the fridge.

Recently Shared Recipes

For those who don't know, I've recently started contributing recipes to an awesome new site called Collective Lifestyle. With that being said, I have been slacking with this blog. In case you missed them, here are the recent posts I've shared.


Matcha Latte

Superfood Pizza Crust

Cashew Coconut Butter Truffles

New Frontiers Quinoa Salad

Brie & Blenheim Apricot Grilled Cheese

Happy Monday. It's a brand new week and the start of a new month. For those who will be having a summer BBQ or dinner party, check out the recipe for Brie and Blenheim Apricot Grilled Cheese I shared with Sweet Lady Cook on her blog today. Truffle honey makes this sandwich!

Not Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

The mood of this week has been wonderfully different. I always love when my normal routine gets shifted. Sunday, which was my Friday, was spent working at the shop. It was a cold and rainy day but people still came in to get some yummy cupcakes. Even though I'm in the kitchen, it's when I work in the shop I really crave a cupcake. The flavors were so good this week and two months with no sugar made me want one even more. I gave in and ate a mini pumpkin cranberry. It was amazing. I also had some wine that night. I was worried that once I consumed sugar again I would get sick or have a flare up but I felt fine. I know it's something I just really need to monitor. I've also been house sitting since Sunday. It's like a mini vacation for me which I love. The rainy Sunday evening was spent making dinner with the boy I have a crush on and watching movies.

Brown rice pasta with chicken, broccoli, and an arugula salad.

The next night I made chicken enchiladas. Daiya vegan cheese is my favorite for this recipe. He was a bit worried when I said I would be using vegan cheese. I think he liked them though.

From both dinners we had food leftover. For the past two days I have been using these leftovers to make my lunch and dinner.

An arugula salad topped with a chicken enchilada, brown rice and beans, more Daiya cheese and ancho chile powder.

I mixed together the last of the enchilada, rice and beans and reheated in the oven with more Daiya cheese sprinkled on top. I really love this cheese. I served it on a bed of spinach with a side of avocado, cilantro and tortilla flax chips. Lots of lime juice made this extra yummy.

For the pasta leftovers I sauteed some green and red bell peppers. Served over a bed of spinach and topped with pine nuts. Pasta and pine nuts are quite the combination.

As for tonight, I ate the rest of the pasta over a bed of arugula with steamed broccoli.

Here is a shot from today's walk. It was chilly out but I very much enjoyed it. I think Fall might be my favorite season.

 Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Stir Fries and a Scramble

 I haven't been doing as much experimental cooking lately but I have been keeping up on making some yummy dinners. I also haven't been cooking in my own kitchen. I made a new friend who I happen to have a crush on. We've been making dinner at his house a lot. I thought it was going to be difficult eating together since I have so many restrictions but he's really accommodating and respectful of my dietary needs. Since my diet consists basically of veggies, protein, and grains, stir fry seemed to be a good choice. We've been making them a lot but each time a little different depending on the veggies or protein used. I wouldn't say I'm bad at preparing meat or poultry but I definitely don't take the time to season it when it comes to making a stir fry. It's amazing how proper seasoning can tie the entire dish together and add so much extra flavor. He is in charge of the protein portion of the meal and I take care of the veggies. The rice portion is a team effort. Cooking is such a love of mine and being able to share that experience with someone else who I enjoy spending time with is really nice. 

 

In addition to our stir fry dinners we made a veggie scramble for breakfast one morning. He's into adding serrano peppers on everything and it's starting to rub off on me. It's so incredibly spicy but so good.

Dinner

I haven't been too happy with the Instagram update so I've been using Picture Show instead to edit my photos. I saw that I can upload directly to my blog. This is my first attempt at it. For my dinner tonight I cooked a turkey patty with chopped spinach, steamed zucchini, and an arugula salad with tomato, green bell pepper, and some kind of chile I picked up at the farmers market. Today was a fun day. My friend Vanessa and I went for a walk and then went to the coffee shop where I had some yummy hibiscus tea. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

A Lovely Day and Dinner

Today is my Sunday. It's only fitting that I sit here drinking coffee. Coffee? I barely ever drink coffee but I'm in the process of making a quiche for breakfast and it's going to be at least an hour till it's ready to eat. The coffee is suppressing my appetite. I think it's funny how I will take the time to make myself something wonderful to eat even it it takes what seems like forever and I'm starving. Okay, enough about this quiche... that will be a later post. We'll see how it turns out. This is my first attempt.

It's raining right now and that makes this day so much better. It started on my drive home last night and it was the perfect ending to a lovely day. I drove to Santa Barbara to spend the day with my friend Josh. It was gorgeous outside so we hung out at the beach for a few hours.

On our way back to his casa we stopped at Whole Foods to pick up supplies for dinner. We were thinking of cooking up some salmon so we picked out veggies to that would pair nicely with the fish. It wasn't until we were waiting at the fish counter that we saw calamari steaks and had the idea to bread them... gluten free of course. They didn't have any gluten free flour in bulk so I got a little bit of cornmeal and brown rice flour. I figured I could try and make it work with these two ingredients. We got the calamari steak as well as some raw garlic shrimp and sweet brown rice. I've never cooked with this type of rice before. It looks just like short grain brown rice but once it's cooked it has the stickiness and consistency of sushi rice.

I love when my food represents <3

 

Sauteed veggies... simple yet so good.

For the calamari steak I used equal parts cornmeal flour and brown rice flour. I mixed them together on a plate and seasoned with dried oregano, garlic powder, and a little bit of salt. In another bowl I mixed together 1/4 cup milk and 1 egg. Whole Foods was nice enough to season the calamari steak for us with pepper and garlic. I dipped the steak into the egg and milk mixture and then coated with the flour blend. I did this process twice. In a frying pan I added a little canola oil and cooked the calamari for about a minute and a half on each side. The garlic shrimp were on a skewer but I took them off and cooked them in the pan after the calamari was done. I was a bit worried that the calamari might not come out okay since the breading idea was my first attempt but it was a very tasty experiment.

 

Favorite picture of the day

 

Dinner in a Ramekin

 One of the things I'm trying to work on in my life is to save money. As I look over my account statements I'm amazed at how much money I spend on food. What can I say, I love food. I love cooking and I love eating out... trying new places and going back to the ones I like best. So now I'm trying to do as my mom does and use up everything in the kitchen before going to the store again. After going to the gym and meeting my friend for a walk today I was starving by the time I got home. What to make... I still had some leftover tomato sauce as well as zucchini middles (these were leftover from making noodles last night.) I also had a little bit of steamed kale and green beans. I decided to make a veggie layer bake with a side salad. For the veggie bake I started by sauteing sliced zucchini with a lot of red chili flakes. I spread a layer of tomato sauce in a ramekin and added the zucchini. I sprinkled a little bit of goat milk cheddar and topped that with my next mixture of sauteed veggies which consisted of garlic, onion, and green and red bell pepper. I added half of the veggies into the ramekin and added another layer of sauce. Once I added the rest of the sauteed veggies, I sprinkled on some cheese and baked it in the oven for around seven minutes at 350 degrees.

My side salad consisted of kale, green beans, and tomato sprinkled with hemp seeds. I prepared a homemade vinaigrette of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard.

For throwing all these odds and ends together, it made for a very tasty dinner with no additional shopping or spending required.

Dinner for One

The weather was so awesome today! On my drive to work I saw lightning and after about an hour or so of being in the kitchen I smelled wet asphalt. That by the way is my most favorite smell ever. I am so in love with the rain I should probably be living in Portland. I looked outside and sure enough it was raining! It cleared up for a little bit in the afternoon but the clouds returned and showed off a beautiful sky. I took this on my walk home from the gym.

As I walked home I thought of what I could make myself for dinner. I had leftover pizza sauce from lunch yesterday and extra zucchini I had picked up to make muffins. I also had half of a gluten free pizza crust... Sometimes you just want to make half of a pizza. I decided to make zucchini noodle pasta with green beans and kale and rosemary garlic flatbread.

 The zester I have has these little rings on the end which is perfect for making zucchini noodles. I used 1 1/2 zucchini. Once you have your noodles made, blanch them in boiling water for about a minute. Strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside until ready to mix with sauce. In my bamboo steamer, I steamed green beans and kale for a few minutes. I like my veggies to still have a little crunch. I added the greens beans first because they take longer to cook.

Now for the flatbread. I minced one clove garlic and placed in a small bowl with a little olive oil. Brush on to the pizza crust and top with rosemary and a sprinkle of salt. I used some of the course ground pink Himalayan salt. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5-8 minutes.

While my flatbread was in the oven I finished my pasta. In a small saucepan I heated some of the leftover pizza sauce. I added the zucchini noodles, kale, greens beans and stirred gently to coat them completely. Once hot, I plated them and sprinkled with hemp seeds.

Sun Tacos

 Tuesday night, I spent the evening with one of my best friends. She lives down in Santa Barbara so we have to plan our hangout time around our work schedules. We used to be roommates and cook dinner together all the time. It was so much fun to be able to do that again. Having both worked in the deli at New Frontiers, we loved eating the Sun Tacos. I've totally been obsessed with them lately and have been making different variations. We decided to make our own version for dinner. 

 To accompany our tacos, we made a salad with red bell peppers, carrots, and sprouted pumpkin seeds.

Our version of Sun Tacos

Spread a thin layer of yellow miso on a corn tortilla... we each made two.

Top with sunflower seeds and Daiya Mozzerella Cheese. This is by far the best vegan cheese I have ever had. When melted, it actually tastes like real cheese. 

Place in the oven at 350° until cheese is melted.

Top with broccoli sprouts, avocado, onion, carrots and red bell pepper.

Breakfast the next morning after an early spin class.

Greek yogurt with sprouted pumpkin seeds and homemade granola made by Kayla's roommate. It was so yummy!

I told you I was obsessed with these tacos. For dinner last night I made them with zucchini, pumpkin seeds, sage cheddar cheese, green bell pepper, onion, and carrots.

Summer Salads... Plus Some

Salads make a great summertime dinner option... especially if you want to have a little ice cream for dessert.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating salads depending on what veggies, nuts, fruits, or cheeses you want to add. It was a bit warm here today so the idea of eating raw crunchy fresh veggies sounded so yummy. I started my salad off with two handfuls of mixed greens. I added some cooked ground turkey I had leftover in my fridge and topped the rest of the salad with sliced onion, green bell pepper, carrots, feta cheese and salsa. I drizzled a little olive oil and fresh lime juice on top. This salad reminds me of a taco salad without the chips. Although that probably would have been a tasty addition.

 

I recently started reading A Life of Balance by Maya Tiwari. It's a complete guide on Ayurveda. Ever since I had hypnotherapy sessions with an ayurvedic practioner I've been interested in the practice. There is a lot to understand and I feel like I'm underlining almost everything I read. There are lots of recipes towards the back of the book which I will definitely be making and sharing soon.

I had to post this picture because I love this girl so much. Her name is Liona and I get to feed and hangout with her when her masters are away. Tonight we went for a nice walk in the beautiful neighborhood she lives in. My favorite part of our walk was when we passed a house with honeysuckle bushes along the fence. The smell is simply intoxicating and makes me smile.  I feel like this post got a little on the rambling side. I have been up since 4:30 am and worked in the kitchen as well as the shop today but this blog is called happy and healthy. Along with healthy food I want to share what makes me happy.