Food4ThoughtWellness

Nutrition for Body and Soul

Sep 11

Mushroom Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

I love to swap traditional pasta for gluten-free, low carb spaghetti squash (what’s even better…..my husband likes it too!) Roasted until tender and scraped with a fork, the squash comes apart in noodle-like strands that hold sauce well. Roast an extra squash, scrape out the flesh, and store in ziplock plastic bags for a quick side during the week. In this meaty dish you’ll find a blend of mushrooms—dried porcini and fresh cremini and button—mimic the texture of ground beef while adding plenty of savory depth. You could substitute 1/4 cup of the canned tomato liquid for a dry red wine to add even more body to the sauce.

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 (3-lb.) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped sweet onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. white button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
  • 1 (15-oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Step 1

Combine 1/2 cup hot water and porcini mushrooms in a bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a colander over a bowl; reserve soaking liquid. Finely chop porcini mushrooms.

Step 2

Place 1 squash half, cut side down, in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Add water to a depth of 1 inch. Cover and microwave at HIGH 8 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove squash half; cool. Repeat procedure with remaining squash half.

Step 3

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion and next 7 ingredients (through button mushrooms); cook 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes. Stir in reserved porcini mushrooms, reserved soaking liquid, soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through tomatoes); reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Step 4

Scrape inside of squash halves with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands. Divide squash among 4 plates; top evenly with mushroom mixture and cheese.

Enjoy!

Thank you Cooking Light for this recipe!

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Aug 28

Yellow Squash Pasta with Caramelized Lemon

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

This gorgeous side goes well with simply grilled meat or poultry. Yellow squash has a high water content, which means that cooking the squash noodles would release a lot of liquid. We opt instead to air-dry them and keep them raw for more freshness and plenty of crunch. Look for lemons with thinner skins (smoother, shinier skins are often thinner); you’ll get a nice citrus hit with each bite, but charring the slices softens the flavor so it’s not overpowering. Serve right after tossing everything together, as the squash will start to wilt.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash (about 3 large squash)
  • 3 medium lemons, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped celery leaves
  • 3/4 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to Make It

Step 1

Trim squash ends, and halve squash crosswise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out inner seeds from each squash, removing as little flesh as possible. Cut squash into large noodles using a spiralizer. Place squash noodles between 2 layers of paper towels. Let stand at room temperature until dry, about 3 hours.

Step 2

Transfer noodles to a medium bowl. Grate rind from 1 lemon to equal 1/2 teaspoon. Cut same lemon in half; squeeze juice to equal 1 tablespoon. Set aside rind and juice. Trim tops and bottoms of remaining 2 lemons, and slice into half-moons.

Step 3

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add lemon slices; sprinkle evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle sugar over lemons. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lemons are browned on the edges and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add caramelized lemon slices to squash noodles. Add celery leaves, cheese, lemon rind, lemon juice, pepper, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss gently to combine. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve immediately.

**Add shrimp to make it a main course!

Enjoy!

Thank you Cooking Light for this yummy light dish!

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Aug 21

Chicken Saltimbocca

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

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This healthy chicken saltimbocca recipe makes an impressive, yet fast, classy dinner. Serve this Italian-inspired chicken with roasted broccoli rabe, baked asparagus spears, or serve over fresh spinach, etc.

  • 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 ounces each) (I like Free-Range Organic)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 thin slices prosciutto
  • 2-4 fresh sage leaves
  • 1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour (flour of your choice)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup dry Marsala
  1. Put chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat mallet, bash them to a thickness of about ¼ inch, but don’t bash so hard that they break up. Season with pepper. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each chicken escalope and put a sage leaf or two on top. Lightly dust the chicken on both sides with flour.
  2. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. To check if it’s done, stick the tip of a sharp knife into it: the juice that runs out should be clear with no trace of pink. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and cover with foil.
  3. Add Marsala to the pan and cook over high heat until thickened and reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the sauce over the chicken.
  • It’s tricky to find individual chicken breasts small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast—the chicken tender—removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers. If you can only find large chicken breasts, you’ll need just 1 breast for 2 servings—remove the tender and cut it in half crosswise before cooking.

Enjoy!

Thank you Eating Well for this idea!

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Aug 17

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

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This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.

  • 1½ tablespoons tahini
  • 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1½ tablespoons water
  • 1 5-ounce can chunk light tuna in water, drained
  • 4 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 medium orange, peeled or sliced
  1. Whisk tahini, lemon juice and water together in a bowl. Add tuna, olives, feta and parsley; stir to combine. Serve the tuna salad over 2 cups spinach, with the orange on the side.

Yummm!

Enjoy!

Thank you Eating Well for this idea!

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Aug 10

Eggplant Rollatini…Yummmy

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

I LOVE EGGPLANT!  How about you!?  Here is a great Mediterranean/Italian Eggplant recipe that just looks amazing, don’t you think?

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1–1½ cups marinara sauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups spinach
  • 1 package goat feta (4 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cups pecorino romano, grated
  • 1 cup raw sheep cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  2. While your oven is heating up, cut the ends off of the two eggplants and then slice lengthwise.
  3. Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake for 12–15 minutes, remove and allow to cool.
  5. Reduce heat to 400 F.
  6. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, goat cheese, spinach, oregano, parsley, basil, 1 cup pecorino romano, ½ cup raw sheep cheese, salt and pepper, mixing until well combined.
  7. In a 9×13 baking dish, add ¾ cup marinara.
  8. Place ¼ cup cheese mixture onto one end of the sliced eggplant, then roll it up and transfer to baking dish, continuing until baking dish is full.
  9. Cover with remaining marinara and cheese.
  10. Bake for 25 minutes and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

 

Thank you Dr. Axe for this amazing recipe!

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Jun 2

Summer Fixin’s!

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

There is nothing better than summer-time fixin’s!!  These Rainbow Summer Rolls look delish!  Thank you to.. The Tasky K .. for this recipe!!

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Be creative, and make it your own!

RAINBOW SUMMER ROLLS
 
INGREDIENTS
For the rolls:
  • rice paper
  • lettuce
  • cucumbers
  • carrots
  • avocado
  • papaya/ mango
  • pomegranate seeds
  • red cabbage
For the sauce:
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ tsp Sriracha sauce
  • 2-4 Tbsp hot water (depends on desired consistency)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Slice all the vegetables and fruits into thin strips/pieces about 5-6 cm long.
  2. Take a rice paper wrapper and soak it into warm water from both sides until it softens.
  3. Place it on a cutting board and arrange the fresh ingredients in the centre of the sheet horizontally (starting with the lettuce).
  4. Fold the rice paper over the ingredients (pushing them back) and fold the sides in towards the middle like a burrito. Roll it up firmly until the end and put aside.
  5. After you finished the rolls you can cut them in half and place on a serving platter or a bowl.
  6. For the sauce, mix all ingredients together and stir until you get a creamy dip (add more water for desired consistency).
ENJOY!

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Jan 30

roasted eggplant lasagna with thyme

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

A classic comfort dish takes a noodle-less twist using roasted eggplant and tomatoes as the base layers, then spiced with organic garlic powder and thyme. Complete with a quick homemade sauce, this vegetable version still has all the creamy cheesiness you love.

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Doesn’t this look delish!!! Recipe courtesy of Simply Organic!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon Thyme Leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
  • 1  Bay Leaf
  • pinch Crushed Red Pepper
  • 2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ricotta
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves, divided
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • If you don’t have fresh organic or dried ingredients on hand  I love to use my essential oils  Thyme Essential Oil….  Sweet Basil Essential Oil… Black Pepper Essential Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray.

2. Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheets and brush with olive oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until well combined, then set aside.

4. To make the sauce, heat olive oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

5. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, parsley, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Stir until well combined and let cook for 1 minute.

6. Using a sharp knife, break up tomatoes while still in can. Add to pot and break up further. Add sugar and stir to combine. Bring heat to a low simmer and cook down for 20 minutes, until thickened.

7. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, spices or sugar if desired. Turn off heat and set aside.

8. Adjust oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spoon a ladleful of sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place a layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then a layer of tomato slices on top of the eggplant.

9. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes and using a spatula, spread in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella over the ricotta mixture, then 1 tablespoon basil.

10. Continue layering in the following order eggplant, tomatoes, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, basil for 3 layers, reserving some basil for garnish. Once you lay the last row of eggplant slices, top only with sauce, remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

11. Cover baking dish with loosely tented aluminum foil, place on baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

12. Remove foil and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven, let rest for 15 minutes, then garnish with remaining basil and serve.

 

Thank you Simply Organic for the recipe!

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Dec 8

Garlic Margherita Chicken & Zucchini

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

Garlic Margherita Chicken & Zucchini

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Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6)
1 lb chicken breast, or tenders cut into 1″ pieces
1 tsp olive, coconut or avocado oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp sea salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Zucchini & Tomatoes:
1.5 lbs zucchini, cut into half moon shapes
1.5 cups fresh, halved grape tomatoes
1 tsp olive, coconut or avocado oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp sea salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish:
1/4 cup fresh chopped Basil
A sprinkle of Italian (high-quality) cheese such as natural parmesean (optional)
Instructions:
Chicken: Preheat (cast iron) skillet on medium heat add oil to coat. Add garlic and cook for just 10 seconds. Then add chicken, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Zucchini and Tomatoes: Cook the zucchini the same way as Chicken but for 6 minutes, adding tomatoes during the last 3 minutes of cooking time.
Add chicken back to skillet and stir just to warm. Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh Basil.
Refrigerate in a glass airtight container for up to 5 days.

 

Thank you Rachel at Clean Food Crush for this yummy recipe!

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Jun 25

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

It’s salad season!!!  I’m going to try this vinaigrette today over a spinach, baby kale, and quinoa salad.  I’m also going to add sliced strawberries and crumbled goat cheese!  I think I’ll also add a drop of Améo Orange Essential Oil too!

Yummmm!

Thank you Food Network and Emeril Lagasse for the recipe… read more!

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional*
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
Mesclun salad mix or favorite greens, for accompaniment
Assortment of salad ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, chopped carrots, sliced red onion, chopped celery, diced cucumbers, walnuts
Blue cheese, for garnish

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/simple-balsamic-vinaigrette-recipe.html?oc=linkback

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Jan 23

Did I hear you say Cauliflower Grilled Cheese?!?!?

by Food 4 Thought Wellness

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You’ll Rock That Low Carb

You’ve tried it, I’ve tried it. The ol’ low carb diet. We always slip up because we want some comfort food. We want some of that food we had growing up. A little bit of Mom’s grilled cheese. Well, this recipe will fill that hole for you and make you feel like you are cheating when you are not. The bread in this recipe is made from Cauliflower, which is a no-carb vegetable.

You’ll Get Your Veggies In

You need to get those servings of vegetable in some how. Why not make it delicious? You may even be able to get your kids in on this deliciousness.

You’ll Be Excited To See That Variety Helps You Stay On Track

You need to switch it up and make sure that you are allowing yourself healthy cheats in order to maintain weight loss. Let’s try to make this a lifestyle change instead of a diet. The only way that is going to work is if you are able to find new ways to satisfy the cravings. Feel like you are cheating, but watch the scale numbers and say “What? I don’t see any cheating.”

Thank you Be Healthy for this Recipe!

Click this link for the recipe….. fitness-48.com

http://www.food4thoughtwellness.com

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