healthy recipes

Chickpeas, Kale, and Garlic.. Oh My!

February 6, 2014 By Joi Sigers

Chickpeas, Kale, and Red (Purple) Onion Salad

A few days ago, my stomach let me know that it was time for a quick lunch break. Since I work from home, I have the luxury of setting my lunch clock internally. I knew I wanted something fresh, healthy, filling, and (since I had plans for a big supper) light in the calorie department.

I came up with a Chickpea and Kale Salad that was as delicious and filling as it was healthy. I added a little red onion. Little secret: when no one else is around, I call them purple onions because… well, they aren’t red anymore than I am. They are, however purple. The fact that this is something I take issue with probably tells you everything you need to ever know about me.

I’m certifiable… I’ve just yet to be certified.

Let your love for each ingredient – and your own personal taste – guide you with the amounts of each ingredient. For that matter, feel free to add to the list.

I chose the following:

Fresh Kale, cut into small pieces
Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
The juice of one lemon, along with a little lemon zest to keep things pretty
A couple of red onion rings
Very finely minced garlic
Freshly ground pepper
A tiny amount of sea salt
A splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

It was darn good, which I pretty much expected because I love each ingredient with a particular passion. However, I honestly didn’t expect it to be so filling. I couldn’t even eat my entire salad. I put a lid on the leftovers and saved it for later.

The combination of chickpeas and kale was out of this world. The splash of lemon made it all come together beautifully.

Health Benefits of Chickpeas

Chickpeas are more than just a cute face – although they are pretty darn cute at that. They’re filling, fun to cook with, and have a great flavor. But there’s more. Garbanzo Beans (or Chickpeas) are a great source of fiber and are known to help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. Just 3/4 cup of chickpeas daily can reduce your risk of heart disease by helping to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Throw chickpeas into tossed, bean, or pasta salads and soups for extra nutritional value, texture, and flavor. Making hummus is another perfect way to enjoy chickpeas.

I may be an extreme chickpea fanatic, but I enjoy them as a snack all by themselves. I drain them, rinse them, and pop them in my mouth like popcorn. So good!

Health Benefits of Kale

Kale comes with its own list of health benefits. One cup of kale has zero fat and only about 36 calories, making it a great choice for calorie counters. Best of all, its high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Kale is something of a super food. Just look at its benefits:

The fiber in kale fills you up and lowers cholesterol.
The Vitamin C in Kale can help ward off diseases and infections as it strengthens your immune system.
The Vitamin C in Kale is also essential for healthy joints.
Kale also has Vitamin A which can keep your eyes healthy as you age.
Kale actually has more iron than beef!
Kale is excellent for healthy skin, hair, and nails – making it a delicious beauty secret.

So, Kale can help you lose weight and/or keep it off, fight off diseases, protect your eyesight and joints, build stronger bones AND make you pretty so pretty? What’s not to love?

Enjoy Kale in green smoothies, in salads, and soups. One of my favorite ways to prepare kale is a baked kale recipe I found on the Cooking Channel’s website. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s awesome.

Health Benefits of Red Onions

Red.. .ahem… onions (and yellow onions, for that matter) have an impressive list of health benefits, but the one that jumps out at me is their antioxidant power. These onions are some of the best natural sources of quercetin. All you really need to know about quercetin is that it’s a scavenger when it comes to free radicals.

Red onions also have cancer-fighting properties which is, all by itself, more than reason enough to include them in as many meals as possible. I love the versatility of red onions, as well as their bright color. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a bad red onion. They’re always just perfect for whatever I ask them to do.

You’re probably already familiar with the heart healthy benefits of olive oil and garlic, so I won’t get into their nutritional value right now. Quite frankly, I could be here all day talking about their health benefits because they seemingly go on forever.

A final word about eating healthy: When you eat healthy foods regularly, you’ll find that your “junk food” cravings will decrease significantly. I actually find myself craving great salads, soups, vegetables, and fresh fruit these days.. instead of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, doughnuts, and fries. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen.

It just makes good sense to eat healthier, doesn’t it?

Chickpeas, Kale, and Red (Purple) Onion Salad

Delicious Roasted Winter Vegetables (Any Season’s Veggies will Do!)

June 25, 2013 By Joi Sigers

I’ve always been a huge fan of Special K Products, so when I saw The Special K Challenge and Beyond: Your Complete Guide to Weight Management, Healthy Living & Delicious Cooking in my grocery store about a month ago, I snatched it up as fast as I grab my drinks at Starbucks as soon as my name’s called.

I have a system in place when it comes to buying cookbooks. I have to keep myself in check because, frankly, I’d spend all my money on adding to my cookbook collection if I were to be left unsupervised. What I’ve started doing is thumbing through the book and seeing if I can find 4 different recipes I really just cannot live without.

The first 4 recipes I saw were:

Asian-Style Braised Baby Bok Choy
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Greek Style Spaghetti Squash
Crispy Baked Crab Cakes with Spicy Re’moulade

They had me at Asian-Style Braised Baby Bok Choy, actually, but I went through the motions of being a tough sell. I sat the book directly into the cart (ironically right on top of a box of Special K Cereal – the kind with bits of chocolate… so, so, so, so very good!).

My grocery store didn’t have any Bok Choy that day – baby or otherwise – so I rounded up some favorite vegetables for the Roasted Winter Vegetables recipe (the recipe is at the bottom of this post).

If you see this book in a store, snatch it up – it’s fantastic. You can also order it from Amazon by clicking one of the links in the post or the picture of the book below.

Other recipes include:

Artichokes with Carrot-Cornbread Stuffing (I’m definitely making these for Thanksgiving)
Black Bean and Corn Dip with Oven-Baked Chips
Banana-Stuffed Multigrain French Toast
Spinach-Feta Frittata
Lemon-Chive Ricotta Dip
Enlightened Guacamole
Lemon-Pepper Salmon
Spanish-Style Cod with White Beans
Sauteed Shrimp Tacos
Chicken and Red Chile Enchiladas
Thai-Style Chicken in Lettuce Wraps
Oven-Fried Chicken Cutlets
Easy Chicken Potpies
Turkey Meatloaf with Barbecue Sauce
Braised Turkey Thighs with Winter Root Vegetables
Italian-Style Chicken Parmesan
Polenta Gratin
Rice Pudding with Dried Fruit
Dark Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Sauce (you should see the picture!)
Frozen Yogurt with Berries Sundaes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
And A LOT MORE!

In addition to tons of healthy recipes (with suggestions, information, and nutritional facts), The Special K Challenge and Beyond: Your Complete Guide to Weight Management, Healthy Living & Delicious Cooking serves as a handbook for weight-management and weight-loss goals. You’ll learn about the Special K Challenge and how you can use it EASILY in your day to day life and make it fit your own personal needs. Allow me to point out, though, that whether you read one word about the Special K Challenge or not, this book is more than worth it for the recipes and nutritional information alone!

I’ve made the Roasted Winter Vegetables recipe below quite a few times, and have used different vegetables each time. I’ve used sweet potatoes, corn on the cob (with the ears halved… looks better), red potatoes, carrots, garlic. and cauliflower. I’ve also used the same method on roasted tomatoes, but with a shorter baking time. The balsamic vinegar and rosemary are a perfect match for every vegetable you can imagine!

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Cooking Spray
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges
2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch pieces
2 large shallots, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mellow balsamic vinegar blends beautifully with fresh rosemary to flavor this colorful combination of roasted sweet potatoes, fennel, red potatoes, and shallots.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Meanwhile, on 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray, toss together sweet potato, fennel, red potatoes, shallots, oil, vinegar, salt, rosemary, and garlic.
Bake in preheated oven about 40 minutes or until vegetables begin to brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl.

Make it your own: Comb farmer’s markets in the cooler months of the year for a variety of root vegetables to try. Here are suggestions for other varieties to roast using the method above:

Carrots – Peel and trim whole baby carrots, or cut larger peeled and trimmed carrots into 1-inch chunks.
Garlic – Separate a garlic head into cloves and leave peels on. Squeeze garlic from peels after roasting.
Onions – Cut peeled and trimmed medium yellow onions into 1-inch pieces.
Parsnips – Peel and trim parsnips and cut into 1-inch pieces
Turnips – Peel and trim whole baby turnips, or cut larger peeled and trimmed turnips into 1-inch wedges.

Healthy Super Bowl Snacks: Brown Butter Roasted Pecans and Crab Tacos

January 31, 2013 By Joi Sigers

This post is a perfect follow-up to the last post about the number of calories in popular Super Bowl Snacks. We’ve seen what we definitely DON’T want to do, so now let’s see something we DO want to do. If you’re as crazy about pecans as I am, you’re already drooling.

Instead of celebrating the Super Bowl with the usual fried wings, dips and chips that may have unhealthy saturated or trans fats, try a few fan-friendly snacks made with heart healthy pecans.

Super Bowl snacks don’t need to be unhealthy to be good.

“Whether you’re tailgating, going to a big party or watching the Super Bowl at home this year, try working pecans into your menu,” says Vickie Mabry, National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA) executive director. “Pecans have a hearty, meaty texture that works great in recipes or eaten alone. They will stay with you longer than other high carb snacks and make an ideal snack choice for everyone, including kids.”

Pecans can be a heart healthy benefit to any dish when enjoyed as part of a healthy eating pattern. They play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease because they have an abundance of “good” heart healthy fats. These unsaturated fats can have a protective effect by lowering total blood cholesterol when eaten in moderation. Pecans contain no cholesterol and no trans-fat. Save time and money by purchasing pecans that are already chopped. They have the same nutritional value plus convenience.

So swap your usual football fare for heart healthy recipes made with pecans to overtly (or covertly) present healthier options during the game.

Brown Butter Roasted Nuts

Makes six to eight small portions
2 oz. butter
2 c. pecans (or other nuts)
1/8 c. honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground sumac or paprika (optional)
1 lg. sprig rosemary, de-stemmed

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large saute pan over moderate heat, melt butter and begin to brown.

3. Once the butter is browned and smells strong and nutty, add the rest of the ingredients; stir to coat everything evenly.

4. Transfer mixture to oven-proof pan; bake for about 10 minutes or until completely toasted.

5. Drain onto a paper towel and serve once cool.

More Healthy Super Bowl Snacks Starring Pecans!

Turkey Pecan Enchiladas

Emeril Lagasse’s Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers

Pecan Orange Slaw

Pecan Banana Bread

For more recipes using pecans, visit www.ilovepecans.org or visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter!

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PECANS SHELLERS ASSOCIATION
The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA), a non-profit trade association, is committed to educating culinary and health professionals, food technologists and the general public about the nutritional benefits, variety of uses and all around great taste of pecans. For more information on the health benefits of pecans and where to find them, visit www.ilovepecans.org.

Bob’s Red Mill Muesli + Vanilla Almond Milk = Delicious Cold Whole Grain Cereal

December 27, 2012 By Joi Sigers

Before I get to the heart of this post… aka a delicious, healthy, and – again – delicious cold whole grain cereal recipe starring Vanilla Almond Milk and Bob’s Red Mill Muesli… I just want to give a little sermon about eating healthy.

I promise to make it short.

There are a lot of health problems we can prevent simply by putting healthier foods into our bodies. Diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer are monsters none of us wants to ever find on our doorstep. The odds of them showing up (talk about unwelcomed guests!) can be greatly reduced simply by eating healthier foods.

I’ve always tried to eat as healthy as I possibly can, and strive to feed my family the healthiest meals possible. Fortunately, there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of deliciously healthy and healthily delicious foods available these days. Truth be told, healthy tastes better than unhealthy these days.

My most recent find is one of my favorites: A delicious cold whole grain cereal made with Bob’s Feed Mill Old Country Style Muesli. On the back of the bag, there are recipes and instructions for hot cereal and for cold cereal. The hot is freaking amazing, but I’ve become somewhat addicted to the cold cereal. I’ve made it with milk, 2 percent milk, coconut milk, almond milk, and apple juice – and it’s wonderful with each and every one. However, when it pairs with Vanilla Almond Milk, it’s simply out of this world fantastic.

It’s also STUPID GOOD with vanilla yogurt.

I love a bowl at breakfast and have fallen in love with having a bowl before bedtime. If you’re going to have late night snacks (and if you’re like me, you pretty much insist upon it) – they might as well be healthy ones, right?

Look in your grocery’s health food section or cereal aisle for this as well as other varieties of Bob’s Red Mill products. I think we’ve tried them all in our house – and have never been anything but blown away.

Cold Cereal: Soak 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Muesli in 1/2 cup yogurt, milk, or fruit juice for 5 – 10 minutes (or overnight like the Swiss do) and enjoy. Makes 1 serving.

Breakfasts are especially tricky when trying to eat healthier. There are so many unhealthy ways to go wrong. Bob’s Red Mill cereals can help keep you on the right road – the road that leads to better health and a longer life.

That’s a road I want to stay on!

You can actually buy Bob’s Red Mill Cereal Muesli Old Country Style — 18 oz on Amazon cheaper than in stores. Load up, you’re going to love it.

Eating Light Done Right by Tania N. Boughton Review

July 12, 2012 By Joi Sigers

A recent GREAT cookbook I was sent to review is titled Eating Light Done Right by Tania N. Boughton. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used this cookbook over the past few weeks! It’s absolutely wonderful and I’m all kinds of excited to share a recipe from this cookbook with you.

The recipe below is for the healthiest and most delicious scrambled eggs you’ve ever eaten. I’m all about breakfast recipes and this one’s a real keeper.

Book Description

At several turning points in her life, Tania realized that she, like countless others, had been burying herself in food to deal with the emotional ups and downs of life. The stories she shares are the true confessions of a reformed emotional eater who is trying to balance single motherhood with hectic everyday life.Tania cooks with common sense by dropping the fat and calorie content from her recipes and substituting healthy alternative ingredients in their place. The result is many delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes that busy women and moms everywhere will be grateful to get their hands on, and kids will love too. Truly, the result is eating light, done right.If you’re interested in eating healthy and feeding your family healthier meals, you’re going to LOVE Eating Light Done Right. If you simply enjoy cooking and finding great, delicious new recipes, you’re going to LOVE Eating Light Done Right.Some of the other recipes include:

Yogurt & Berry Parfait
Not Good, GREAT Greek Chicken Salad
Simply Sinless Non Traditional Chicken Caesar Salad
All Choked Up Chicken & Goat Cheese Pizza
Spicy Brandied Shrimp with Rice
Canadian Bacon Pizza
Va-Va Vanilla Cupcakes
Tuna Casserole
Cinnamon Raisin French Toast
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Omelet
Teriyaki Chicken & Lettuce Wraps
Superfast Chicken Pasta Salad
And many, many more.

Within the past year, I have had two family members need open heart surgery. Healthy eating is in the forefront of my mind and, given the fact that I consider my readers to be friends, I hope it’s on your mind as well. This is a wonderful book to add to your library. Not only are there tons of delicious and healthy recipes, there are tips and advice that are beyond priceless. Eating right can add years to your life and make your life a whole lot sweeter.

Order Eating Light Done Right today!

Eating Light Done Right by Tania N. Boughton Review

Recipe Type: Healthy, Breakfast

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups egg whites
1/2 cup freshly chopped basil
2 tablespoons reduced-fat grated Parmesan
1/3 cup chopped spinach
3/4 cup petite diced tomatoes with sweet onion and garlic, drained
(the author likes S & W)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
salt
freshly cracked black pepper
fat-free cooking spray

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together egg whites, basil, and reduced-fat Parmesan and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix chopped spinach, tomato mixture, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic; heat in microwave for about 1 minute.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with fat-free cooking spray, heat over medium heat, add egg mixture, and begin to scramble.
When eggs are close to cooked, add spinach and tomato mixture and stir until nicely mixed. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad

March 19, 2012 By Joi Sigers

I’m not sure there’s a bigger fan of fruit anywhere than me. I simply can’t get enough of this particular food group. My family actually has to keep an eye on me, otherwise I’ll throw fruit into everything from oatmeal and cereal to salads and pasta.

When I saw this recipe for Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Peaches are a personal favorite, so this recipe had me at “hello.” In all seriousness, everyone should eat more fruit. Fruit is insanely healthy and, let’s face it, if we’re eating fruit, we aren’t eating fatty, fried, sugary alternatives. Getting more fruit into your daily diet is a cinch. Simply have bowls of your favorite fruit handy for snacks. Grapes, cantaloupe, peaches, berries, apples, oranges – they all make delicious snacks.

Also, throw your favorite fruit into vanilla yogurt, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, and even salads. Oranges, peaches, strawberries, and nectarines are excellent in tossed salads. Give the recipe below a try asap and you’ll see what I mean.

Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad Recipe

Prep: 20 min. | Bake: 20 min. | Makes 6 servings

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 Tbsp. honey
3 peaches, peeled, halved, pitted
3 nectarines, peeled, halved, pitted
1/2 (6-oz.) package fresh mozzarella,(cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
2 cups arugula
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 prosciutto slices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl. Microwave on HIGH 90 seconds or until butter is melted. Place peaches and nectarines in a baking dish; pour over butter mixture, tossing to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, in a single layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15minutes, brushing with juices after 10 minutes. (If the juices begin to burn, add a little water and cover the pan loosely with foil.) Remove from oven, and turn peaches cut sides up. Place a cube of mozzarella cheese in center of each peach and nectarine half. Return to oven, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Reserve juices.

Toss arugula with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange arugula on a serving platter, and top with prosciutto; top with peaches and nectarines. Drizzle peaches and nectarines with 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved pan juices.

Nutrients per serving:

258 calories, 16 gms fat, 144 calories from fat, 7 gms saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 572 mg sodium, 3 gms dietary fiber, 9 gms protein

Credit: Recipe and Photo Courtesy of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association

Chili Lime Shrimp Pita Pocket

November 10, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Here’s another beautiful recipe from A Bullseye View! This is a Top Chef Master Marcus Samuelsson recipe…. so, yeah, you know it’s going to be culinary magic. Not only is this a beautiful and delicious recipe, it’s healthy. Omega 3s are as healthy for brain health as they are heart health, and shrimp is a great source. It’s also ridiculously tasty, so have at it!

Chili Lime Shrimp Pita Pocket
Serves four

What You’ll Need
1 pound jumbo shrimp, cleaned and cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno, diced small
2 scallions, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 pita breads, each cut in half
2 cups shredded romaine

What You’ll Do

Step 1 – Season shrimp with salt and pepper.

Step 2 – Mix yogurt, chili powder, garlic powder and jalapeno in small bowl.

Step 3 – Heat olive oil in sauté pan on medium-high heat.

Step 4 – Add the shrimp and cook about a minute on each side.

Step 5 – Add the lime juice and remove from heat. Finish with scallions.

Step 6 – Stuff each piece of pita with 1/4 of the shrimp and romaine. Drizzle on yogurt sauce, as desired.

Healthy Roasted Potato Wedges Recipe

July 13, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Available at Allposters.com
Today, July 13th, is actually National French Fries Day — a fun way of celebrating how much Americans love fries. Amazingly enough, the average American eats about 29 pounds of fries a year. That’s a heckuva lot of fries!

The problem is, fries aren’t exactly the healthiest thing in the world for us to be eating… and eating so much of at that. In honor of National Fry Day and as a way of encouraging healthier eating, Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa is sharing this delectable, 45-calories per serving, recipe for Roasted Potato Wedges with our food blog readers.

Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa’s Roasted Potato Wedges Recipe

1 pound russet potatoes, washed and thinly sliced into wedges
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Soak potato wedges in vinegar and water for about 30 minutes.

3. On a nonstick baking sheet, spread out wedges. Sprinkle with onion and garlic.

4. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven when wedges are crispy on both sides.

Yield: 8 Servings

Nutrition Information (per serving): 45 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1g protein, 1g fiber, 0mg sodium.

About the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa:

Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa is a brand new, 650-acre fully renovated private wellness spa and weight loss health program. Complete with exceptional fitness trainers, award winning chefs, nutritionists and renowned spa treatments. The center boosts tons of experts from health to nutrition and fitness to spa and wellness. People from all over the world travel to Pritikin to get their health back on track and get their bodies back in shape. For more information, please visit www.pritikin.com.

EDIT: I have fallen in love with the Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders pictured below. You can find a few of them in your grocery store (if you’re lucky) but all can be found on Amazon. Let me just pause a second and reiterate how very much I love Amazon. Click the link to see the different varieties on Amazon. Seriously, I’m so hooked on these I can’t even tell you.

These spice grinders are the bombdiggity!

Fresh Salsa Verde Recipe

June 3, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Salsa Verde is Delicious on SO Many Different Things!

You’ll frequently see salsa recipes and salsa love on this food blog. Why? This food blogger is, how do you say, freaking obsessed with salsa! I mean, seriously, there are so many variations and each tastes fresh and fabulous. What’s more, salsa can be as healthy as you want it to be. Mediterranean cooking is known to be incredibly healthy and some of the main components of a Mediterranean Diet are right there in salsa: Tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onions..

Nutritional expert Joy Bauer even suggests using salsa as a substitute for creamy dressings on sandwiches. Been there, done that, and called it Heavenly. I even replace salad dressing with salsa a most of the time – it ups the vegetable ante while keeping out unwanted fats and calories. I can’t wait to find tons of ways to enjoy the Salsa Verde recipe below. It’s from KRUPS, so I know it’s a knock-out.

Fresh Salsa Verde Recipe from KRUPS

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
1 Serrano chili, more or less, optional
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup chopped white onion

Rinse the tomatillos under cold water. Put them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, until their color has changed and they are cooked and soft but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomatillos to the blender along with the chili, the garlic clove and a teaspoon of salt. Puree until smooth. Stir in the chopped cilantro and onion. Taste for salt and add more, if necessary. Pour into a serving bowl.

Delicious and Yet, Somehow, Low-Calorie Spinach Recipe

January 20, 2011 By Joi Sigers

The recipe below is from a favorite cookbook of mine: The Biggest Loser Cookbook: More Than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes Adapted from NBC’s Hit Show. As you may know, I’m totally hooked on any and all things associated with The Biggest Loser. I LOVE the show’s premise of changing lives – they literally give these wonderful people a second chance at life and I don’t guess I’ve ever watched an episode without tearing up at least once.

I also have their exercise dvds (although a recent one has just about been the end of me!) and every cookbook I can get my hands on.

I haven’t bought the newest Biggest Loser Desserts Cookbook yet or the Food and Activity Journal but I will. I’ve looked through them several times at the bookstore. I even committed to memory an Orange Smoothie recipe, went directly to the store for the ingredients (you know, before the memory train rode off into the sunset) and made some that night. Delicious!!!

This healthy, low-calorie, and outrageously delicious Spinach recipe was titled “Melinda’s Holiday Spinach” in the cookbook but I’m just going with “Melinda’s Spinach” below. I wouldn’t want anyone thinking you had to wait for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, or any other holiday to make this dish. I actually first made it during the summer – I remember because I was listening to baseball (another obsession) while cooking.

Give this one a try, you’re going to love it.

Melinda’s Spinach Recipe

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped white onions
2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bag (9 oz or 12 cups) baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon light cream cheese from a block, at room temperature

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the spinach. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted. Remove from the heat. Add the cream cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 (2/3 cup) servings.

Per Serving: 91 calories

More about the Cookbook

The Biggest Loser Cookbook: More Than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes Adapted from NBC’s Hit Show is packed with recipes you’ll use again and again. There are healthy breakfast recipes, healthy snack recipes, healthy sides, soups, stews, and even healthy desserts. As a grand #1 snacker, I’m saved by the snacks in this cookbook! My family and I love to snack while watching our favorite tv shows and ballgames. If it weren’t for healthy recipes like these… well, I don’t even want to think about it. I probably wouldn’t be able to fit through my back door.

A few of my personal favorite recipes are:

Seth’s Fiesta Poached Eggs
Pete’s Man-Size Low-Calorie Breakfast Omelet
Kelly’s Cottage Cheese and Fruit Parfait
Lox-Of-Muscle Crisps (my oldest daughter and I down these like they’re doughnut holes)
Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Spinach Skinny Dip
Bob’s Popcorn with a Jessica twist
BBQ Pork Sandwich
Mom’s New Beef Stew
Parmesan-Pepper Sweet Potato Fries
Garlic and Chive Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Mo’s Spinach Ricotta Bake
Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower
Greek God(Dess) Salad (LOVE it!)
Pecan Crusted Chicken
Pan “Fried” Catfish with Southwest Tartar Sauce
Iced Buffed Mocha
Lisa’s Frozen Gramwiches
Melinda’s Holiday Spinach
…. and, well… all the rest!

I could list a lot more recipes, but quite frankly I’ve worked up an appetite. I’m 2 minutes away from fixing Seth’s Fiesta Poached Eggs for brunch and my mouth’s watering.

This really and truly is a wonderful cookbook – and one that you’ll again and again. A lot of cookbooks have less than a handful of recipes you’ll actually use. When it comes to this book, you’d need a team of hands. Plus, we’re talking about ingredients that are easy to find. In fact, a lot of them are probably in your kitchen right now. I love that! The Biggest Loser Cookbook is also packed with inspirational contestant stories and advice from the trainers.

If you’ve made a commitment to fitness and to living healthier, you’ll want to arm yourself with all the tools and motivation you can get your hands on. The Biggest Loser cookbooks, books, and dvds are an excellent way to fill your arsenal with tools that’ll help you meet (and surpass) your goals. Also, watching the show each Tuesday night will also give you tons of advice, tips, motivation, and inspiration.

Here’s an extra little tip: Follow the trainers and host on Twitter! They’re always sharing tips, advice, motivation, and even recipes. You never know what they’re going to say or do next and they’re excellent at fan interaction.

The information is below and your goals are within reach.

Alison Sweeney: @AliSweeney

Bob Harper: @MyTrainerBob

Jillian Michaels: @JillianMichaels