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Tag: healthy recipes

Easy Steamed Chicken

Easy Steamed Chicken:

  • 1-2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • dry seasonings
  • steamer pot and basket

Rub the chicken breast with your choice of dry seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, chili powder, or a mix like Grill Mates).

Fill the bottom of the pot with a few inches of water.  Place the chicken in the steamer basket (try to lay the chicken flat, not piled on top of each other).  Place the basket in the pot, cover with a lid, and turn the heat on to med-high.

Steam the chicken for 15 – 20 minutes (try cutting one breast open – the juice should run clear).  Move the pot off the burner and let it sit for 20 minutes with the lid on.

When the bird is cool enough to handle move it to a serving platter, reserving the cooking liquid.  Shred the chicken with your hands or two forks.  Add in a little of the stock to keep the meat moist.  Save the rest of the liquid  – this is your chicken stock for your next soup.

2011 Health Cleanse

Happy New Year!  Did you make any resolutions this year?

While I am not going for any grand sweeping changes, I am starting a cleanse on Monday.  Nothing crazy – organic fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein.  My goal is to become more mindful of what and how I eat and to get myself bikini ready for Hawaii in one month.  Talk about motivation!

If you would like to join me or just try some new healthy recipes keep your eyes peeled here over the next three weeks.

If you want to get the jump on next week try cutting back or eliminating your coffee, alcohol and white sugar over the weekend.  Start your day tomorrow with a fruit smoothie.  Here’s an easy recipe: two cups of water, 2-3 pears, chopped and seeded, a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh ginger, juice from 1/2 a lemon, 4-5 kale leaves.  Throw all the ingredients in a blender (add a tablespoon of honey if you like) and enjoy!

For more yummy smoothie ideas check out the Raw Family website.

Here is an article about detox cleanses from the Seattle Times, and here is one from Women’s Health with a sample daily menu.  Yes you will get to eat real food!

I would love to hear your feedback as far as what is working for you or what dietary changes you may be struggling with.

No Bake Blueberry “Pie”

No bake blueberry pie

Here’s an easy summer pie recipe perfect for your next weekend BBQ or potluck.

Gary S. emailed me this lovely photo of his pie – thanks Gary!  He used more berries than the recipe calls for – 5-6 cups – and mixed strawberries and blueberries.  Feel free to add other fruit (peaches are in season now).  The next time I make this I may add some toasted coconut to the crust.  Experiment with this and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds
3-4 dates (soaked in water for ten minutes, then pitted)
1/2 cup agave divided
2 cups of blueberries
pie plate or 12 ramekins (individual dessert dishes)
pinch sea salt
dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Grind almonds in food processor until finely ground.  Pit the dates and add them, 1/4 cup of agave, a pinch of sea salt and dash of cinnamon to the finely ground almonds.  Continue to process until thickened ball forms.  Remove contents from food processor and press into pie plate or ramekins bringing crust up around the walls and top edges of the plate.  Fill your crust with fruit of choice drizzled or mixed with the remaining 1/4 cup agave.

Enjoy!

This recipe adapted from Meredith Gnau’s “A Grateful Life” Blog

Gazpacho – Summer tomato soup

A surprising number of my clients have food sensitivities or allergies garlic, onions, eggs, dairy and gluten.  One of my clients recently shared this summer soup recipe that is gluten-free and has no garlic or onions.   This is easy to prepare, healthy, low-calorie, refreshing and packed with flavor!

Gazpacho:

• 2 lbs (about eight) Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped
• One cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 cups of tomato juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup lime juice

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for one hour. Transfer to a food processor (or use a hand blender) and blend until almost pureed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This soup makes a yummy side dish as is. To make this your main course toss in a few chunks of avocado, 5 or 6 boiled shrimp, a lime wedge, and a few springs of cilantro and serve with a slice of crusty bread.   Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Corn

Listen up Portland – it is officially summer!  While here in the Pacific Northwest this may not necessarily mean shorts and flip-flops just yet, fresh corn is popping up in stores.  One of my clients passed along this grilled corn recipe (thanks Rick!) – it was a huge hit at his BBQ last weekend.

Try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Corn:

  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned

In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients except corn.  Brush the sauce over each ear of corn then wrap each ear in aluminum foil (or if you want to get fancy – pull down the husks, pull off the silks, brush the corn with the sauce, wrap the husks back over the ears and tie the ends with a string or metal twist tie).

Cook on a very hot grill for thirty minutes turning occasionally.  Just before serving peel away the foil or husks, brush the corn again with any remaining sauce, serve and enjoy!