Pesto Marinated Chicken Breasts

I made this meal prior to my vegan cleanse and it was delicious! It is a great thing to have on hand especially for a night when you know you will be crunched for time. There is no prep, it comes pre-marinated from Trader Joe's and it is really reasonably priced. I served it with a green salad and baked sweet potato.

Ingredients:

a package of Genovese Pesto Chicken Breasts

Directions:

Spray a pyrex dish with some cooking oil, preheat your oven to 400. Pop the chicken in and let if bake for 35- 40 minutes! That's it! It is super flavorful and really juicy! I give it 5 stars and look forward to coming up with my own pesto marinate in the future!

THE FUTURE IS HERE! Here'a a recipe for Homemade Pesto!

Spicy Eggplant

This was so yummy, I could have eaten the whole dish! This recipe tops the charts, I am sure you will love it... the pictures don't do it justice! It is fast and easy to make, it maybe took me 15 minutes!! Great flavor and some spicy kick to heat things up. Serve it over a bed of brown rice.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion

3 cloves garlic

3 TBSP soy sauce

3 TBSP rice vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 TBSP grape seed oil

Directions:

Heat your grape seed oil in a hot frying pan with your red pepper flakes (I used 1/2 tsp and it was pretty spicy, next time I would use 1/4 tsp- but if you are a lover of spice, heat it up to 1/2). After that has a minute to heat up, add your chopped eggplant and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes, turning it every minute or so. Next add your chopped bell pepper and onions and minced garlic cloves and cook that for another 3 minutes, turning it as well. Last add your seasonings. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and either leave on low or remove from heat until serving. I let mine sit for about 30 minutes before eating, and everything was really well marinated and juicy... umm umm!

New Year Cleanse....

So, it has been awhile since I have posted, the holidays kept us busy with lots of cooking and baking, delivering and traveling, and eating, too much eating- so I am just now getting a moment to post my newest New Year's Plan- I am doing a vegan cleanse to kick off the New Year. I have done a handful of cleanses in the past and love the way I feel physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally when I follow through with it. If you've never done one, it's a great challenge in discipline, it helps you see what you REALLY are eating, the "detox" part helps you see how many toxins you have built up in your system, and the clear mind, energy, restful nights, and overall good healthy feel makes you realize how much food really does impact your day to day life.

So, here's my 6 week plan for the cleanse, I am already finishing up week 1 and feel great- honest, really, REALLY great (although I felt really junky the first 4 days, not going to lie about that) but it was evidence to me that my body needed to detox and get rid of the junk in my system and get a fresh start. I am not claiming to be a "certified anything" on here so look into what would be right with you, especially if you have previous health conditions, but I think you would be amazed at the results- so if you feel up for it give it a whirl, join in the fun! For clarity sake, I have cut out all animal products (including meat, dairy, cheese, butter, limited eggs- I per week) as well as sugar, processed foods, and minimal wheat (like 2 pita's a week). Any snacks or munchies during the day are raw fruits and veggies. And when I am about to loose my marbles on any given night... I sneak a bite of 71% dark chocolate bar to help me with my sanity!

This is just what I have mapped out from my reading, research and studies- mostly from some favorite places and people :

• Dr.Furhman
• Eat to Live, Disease Proof Your Children (Furhman's books)
• Dr. Mercola
• Clean Food (cook book)
• Gearsen Therapy

So, for this 6 weeks I have made it my task to remove any animal products from my diet- which seemed daunting at first, but with a few new recipes and my new Christmas Present Cook Book "Clean Food", I felt encouraged and like I had some direction. I would challenge you, even if you aren't up for the cleanse to see if you can eliminate some animal products from your meals, maybe just one meal a week- to not only save around your waist line, your internal health, but also in your pocket book!

My cleanse started out with a 24 hour water fast... that's right, nothing but water from 3 pm until the following days dinner. And like with any fasting, break your fast gently with something light like a baked sweet potato or light bowl of soup.

Here's what my breakfasts will look like for the week these 6 weeks:

Sunday: 1 piece of Ezekiel (cinnamon raisin) bread, almond butter, 1 piece of fresh fruit

Monday: Green Smoothie (kale, tomatoes, carrots, flaxseed, brewers yeast, + fruit) & 1 handful almonds

Tuesday: 1 cup steel cut oats, 1 oz raw cashews, 1 piece fresh fruit

Wednesday: 2 egg whites or 1 egg, 2 oz raw walnuts, 2 pieces fresh fruit

Thursday: Green Smoothie (kale, tomatoes, carrots, flaxseed, brewers yeast, + fruit) & 1 handful almonds

Friday: 1 cup steel cut oats, 1 oz raw cashews, 1 piece fresh fruit

Saturday: 2 pieces fresh fruit, 2 oz. mixed nuts, 1 TBSP flax seed

* I also start the day with a glass of water with a half of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

When I first looked at that line up I thought "yeah right I will starve" and the first few days I did feel super hungry, but as my body adjusted to the new "normal" I felt really content, light, and energized by these breakfasts.

You may also have noticed I did allow myself 1 egg per week (not very vegan of me) but it was allowed by Dr. Furhman in his book, "Eat to Live" in which he reminds you to give yourself some room for adjustment- I chose to allow myself 1 egg and the use of chicken broth in some of my soups. That was worth a cheat for me.

As for lunches and dinners, I got a few recipes from my sister and used a few recipes I already had on this blog- using some small modifications where necessary. I will list some recipes I used and then post some new ones as well. Even if you're not doing in the cleanse, you still might enjoy the change up, you would be surprised how tasty they are!

Vegan Recipes Already on this Blog:

• 17 Mixed Bean Soup (minus the ground turkey)
• Spinach Salad with Nuts, Crans, & Apples
• Black Bean Soup
• White Bean Salad
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Brown Rice Medley
• Grilled Veggies
• Swiss Chard
• Harvest Grains (minus the butter)
• Mango Sorbet
• Santa Fe Salad (minus chicken & chesse)
• Oat 'Nana Pucks (minus the chocolate chips... or not, I won't tell!)
• Green Veggie Salad (Lots and lots of this!!!)
• Guacamole
• Snappin' snap Peas
• Asparagus
• Confetti Slaw
• Cucumber Salad
• Artichokes
• Strawberry Salad (minus the chicken)
• Steel Cut Oats
• Taco Salad (minus the meat & cheese)
• Kale Smoothie
• Split Pea Soup (minus the ham)
• Harvest Potato Soup

***The only thing that would disqualify any of these recipes would be the use of chicken broth (so you can use veggie broth is you prefer) or a pinch of sugar in a salad dressing.... but I never was one to comb through things with a fine toothed comb anyhow ;)

Let me know if you try it out.... I will tell you that you won't feel the results of the cleanse without doing it with complete commitment (24 hour detox first, then the healthy eating to follow) how do I know this??? Reason # 1. because I used to think I would have an eternal headache if I didn't eat meat and I don't- I actually feel WAY better off of meat than I every would have imagined. AND Reason # 2. because my sweet husband is eating what I am eating for the most part (with the exception of some lunches and snacks) and he's not feeling it like I am! Thanks for being a good sport honey, I always seem to drag you into my crazy ideas!

So, if you don't have a New Year's goal OR if your New Year's goal was to eat better or loose weight, you really might want to consider this! ("Eat to Live" says you can loose up to a pound a day up to 20 pounds or more by switching to a vegan life style).

Peppermint Cookies...

I have to confess, I am a Christmas loving gal- I love everything about the holiday including the desserts, and my favorite--- anything pepperminty! I love the Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks, I love the chocolate dipped thin candy cane thing-ies, I love the Peppermint Joe-Joe's at Trader Joe's (honestly, you haven't experienced Peppermint heaven until you try these!!!)

**Side Note Picture of Peppermint Heaven, Trader Joe's Joe Joe's**

Ok, back on track now----So, I am always (well, that's not true) almost always in the mood to try a new recipe, so when I saw these in a Rachel Ray Magazine and they looked so divine all sprinkled with peppermint goodness, I have to give them a go. They turned out pretty good, so for the sake of not rewriting a recipe, I thought I would just link it here and you can follow hers if you are feeling in the mood for something new and pepperminty! I will include my pictures, because I am a visual learner and thought some of you may be too.

Side Note- She recommends baking cookies for 18 minutes- that will give you a crispy cookie (like an oreo) but if you want a fluffy or chewy cookie, I would remove them after about 10 minutes. You choose... or maybe do a sheet of each :)

Here's this weeks meal plan... and if you need a movie plan and want to stir up the way you feel about food and how it goes from the processing to your table--- check out the film "Food, INC." if you haven't seen it already. It will definitely get you thinking on what you buy and what you eat. (And if you're interested in some Grass Fed Beef and you live local, let me know, I have a great rancher that sells and drops off here from Tehachapi).

For now, the menu:

Monday: Steak Cob Salad

Tuesday: Dover Sol, Green Salad, Sweet Potatoes (the farming connections have hooked us up with a 40 pound box of sweet potatoes, so we have a lot of them to eat- Thanks Buddy!)

Wednesday- Firehouse Tortilla Soup **New Recipe**

Thursday- Turkey Chili, Asparagus and Cornbread

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

5 Minute Fudge

This is one of my favorite desserts to make and give away during the holidays, probably because it's so easy and yet so incredibly tasty! It really only takes 5 minutes to make (REALLY!), refrigerate until it hardens, and then it's ready to cut and serve!

Ingredients:

12 oz chocolate chips

9 oz butterscotch chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Super simple. Put your chips in a glass bowl and microwave them for about 1 minute, stop and stir, and continue in 30 second intervals until the chips are completely melted (be careful, the glass bowl will be hot!). Once the chips are melted and mixed, add your condensed milk and vanilla, give it another swirl, add your chopped walnuts, and mix until it's consistent throughout. Using a 8 x 8 greased baking dish and spatula, scoop the fudge out and smooth until it's evenly distributed. Refrigerate until firm, cut into squares and put on cute Christmas Plates! Wasn't that easy??? and it really was 5 minutes huh??

(Thanks for your request Katy~ sorry it took me so long! Happy Fudging!)

Quinoa, Chicken, & Veggie Pilaf...

Ok, so here's what I do when I don't feel like a lot of prep (or brain effort) but still what a good meal loaded with protein and lots of yummy veggies. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WA) is a great staple to have on hand- it's packed with protein, calcium, and iron plus it cooks quickly! At the end of the week, I pull out whatever veggies are left, saute them, and throw them in this dish. It's different every time, but easy all the time!

Chicken pieces browning

Sauteing vegetables; red pepper, onion, & garlic

Everything combined in one skillet before adding it to the quinoa...

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth

1.5 cups quinoa

2 cloves garlic

1/3 onion (use what you have)

1-2 chicken breasts

veggies of your choice; I have used these combinations:

• red pepper, brocholi, red onion, chicken
• mushroom, snowpeas, yellow bell pepper, green onion chicken
• carrots, celery, onion, left over turkey pieces

Directions:

In a large skillet, add your chicken broth and quinoa, and let comet to a boil while you prep everything else. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 10-12 minutes. Wash & dice you veggies (if you are adding chicken, wash & dice that too and brown it in a separate pan, seasoning it with s & p and some garlic powder). Once all your veggies are chopped, add a TBSP of grape seed oil into a hot pan, add your veggies & garlic and let sautee for about 3-4 minutes. At this point, hopefully your quinoa will almost be done cooking, so add your veggies and chicken, stir altogether, cover and let cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add any seasoning you prefer, or leave it as it is with its light flavor and yummy vegetable taste.

*** Lots of times people give me feedback in person, so I will try to pass it on when I remember to add it to the post. A recommendation for this dish was to serve it with Soy Sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos if it is to bland for your pallet.