Veggie Chili Con Carne

OK, now that my health post is out of the way, I can tell you about this chili! Fall is finally here and the crisp air makes me want to sit down to a bowl of something warm that sticks to my ribs. Nothing fits the bill better than chili. 

Now there is meat in here, but anyone who is from Texas probably won’t count this as chili. I not only added beans, but veggies too. Since chili is generally a no-fuss, one-bowl meal, I wanted to make sure I was getting some other than a protein and fiber. Adding zucchini, bell pepper, onion and corn not only lighten up the meal and give your some more vitamins and minerals, they really make each bite more succulent and delicious.

Adding a tiny bit of unsweetened cocoa powder really balances out the spice and helps all the flavors meld together!

What you are getting:

Beef – Besides the obvious protein, I opt for beef instead of turkey, because red meat is the best source of iron. The iron helps your body transport oxygen, which is critical for your nervous system and cell functional throughout your entire body. Iron deficiency can leave you feeling tired, looking pale and bruising easily. And after all the blood tests I did, my iron levels were borderline anemic.

Beans – Also a great source of protein, but they are also packed with fiber that helps you stay full longer, regular your blood sugar and absorb more nutrients from your food since your body takes longer to digest it! (Nutrition Data)

Onion – While uncooked onions help kill bacteria, cooked onions still have a good amount of vitamin C and B6. (Nutrition Data)

Zucchini – Low in calories, these veggies are a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and a very good source of fiber, Vitamin A, C and K as well as Folate, Megnesium and Potassium. (Nutrition Data)

Bell pepper – They are also a good source of fiber, Thiamin, Folate, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, C (1 cup =385% DV; take that oranges!), E and B6 as well as Manganese. (Nutrition Data)

So eat up! And stay warm and healthy!

Why I've Been Gone: Hospital Stay

Above is the sad, sad food I was given to eat while at the hospital.
How can anyone recover eating this? Ketchup covered noodles with a side of two desserts??!

Hospital Stay

So, while I would really like to talk about this delicious chili recipe I am about to post, I feel like I owe anyone who might follow this blog an explanation for my extended break from blogging. About a month and a half ago, I came down with what I thought was the world's worst migraine. Light hurt, sound hurt, smells hurt. Moving in any way hurt.

After laying in the dark and taking extra-strength migraine medicine did nothing, I started to worry. My head, neck and back were only getting worse. Inescapably pain with no end in sight. So I did the only thing a reasonable person would do: I consulted the trusty Internet to find out how to proceed. And low and behold, I had almost all the symptoms for meningitis – minus the fever. When my temperature suddenly skyrocketed to about 103 F, I realized I needed immediate medical attention and went to the hospital.

One spinal tap later, my suspicious were confirmed. I was hooked up to IVs day in and day out for about a week and spent another threeish weeks at home recovering.

I am now back at work and, for the most part, I am living life as I did before, but I was lucky in that I got medical assistance early on. Now for my public-service announcement: GET TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY if you have the symptoms listed here. It is a medical emergency.

If my time in the hospital did anything, it was reaffirm my belief that without our health we have nothing. I am more interested in quality of life than quantity. Sure, we now have pills and special operations and treatments that can stretch lifeout, but what good is it if we can barely move and feel terrible.

And one of the best preventative medicines we have is a healthy, balanced diet. I have missed cooking and blogging and am excited to be back again, sharing recipes!

Tropical Green Smoothie

 

So for about the last month, I’ve been incorporating green smoothies into my morning routine. Not only are they actually absolutely delicious, they make you feel amazing! I can say without a doubt that my skin has never looked better. My energy levels are sky high in the mornings (much to the dismay and confusion of some of my coworker’s).

Now, those of your already on board with green smoothies, get excited! This recipe is a tropical take on how to get your greens in a glass. But I know there are some of you for whom the very idea of downing a green drink first thing in the morning has your stomach turning and face squinched in disgust. All I can say is, give it a try!  Look at the pros and cons: What’s the worst that could happen? You absolutely hate it and pour it down the drain. Bummer, but that’s maybe two bucks wasted. The best? You find yourself actually enjoying something that is FANTASTIC for you! You feel amazing, your skin glows and you have tons of energy. At least that was my thinking when I first tried them out.

I got hooked after watching Kimberly Snyder make her Glowing Green Smoothie (YouTube link here). One look at her shiny hair and radiant skin and you want to be doing whatever it is she is doing. Clearly it is working!
_____________________________________________________________________________

A breakdown of the benefits
Spinach and romaine lettuce – The list is long my friends. It’s high in fiber, vitamin K and A, rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants (like lutein) that neutralize free radicals; it’s anti-inflammatory and it helps regulate blood sugar and strengthen bones. And the list goes on. Click here for more.

Avocado– It’s not only creamy and delicious, it’s a super food! Along with omega 3’s that boost brain function and cardiovascular health, they are a great source of potassium (more than twice as much as a banana!), vitamin C, B-vitamins and folic acid. Their fiber keeps you full, helps you absorb more nutrients while digesting.

Lime juice – Helps your liver flush out toxins, gets your digestive system moving (diuretic) and gives you a dose of vitamin C.

Kiwi – This little sucker has more vitamin C than an orange! Helps strengthen your immune system, promotes cell repair (better skin), and helps us deal with stress better!

Banana – A dose of potassium and B-vitamins! To keep your energy up and muscles moving.

Mango – Contains cancer-fighting antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat. High in fiber. A good source of potassium, vitamin-B6, and vitamin A, C and E.

Water – Hydration. You just spent 7-8 hours not drinking anything. Give your body some liquids!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Smoothie tips:

· On a budget? Buy frozen spinach! So, so much cheaper and it keep for ages.

· New to green smoothies? Start with more fruit and less greens. Slowly add more. Like many good things in life (beer, wine), you may find it’s an acquired taste. But one totally WORTH acquiring!

· Peel and freeze your bananas for an even creamier smoothie

· Still too grassy? Citrus cuts that flavor. Add more lime or lemon juice and fresh orange, grapefruit or tangerines to help balance the taste.

· Still need the kick that coffee gives you? Try using chilled green tea, which will give you some
   caffeine with a ton of antioxidants.

Mexican Pizza

 

Smokey spiced meat and black beans covered in sweet red onions and melted cheddar cheese. To top it off, a homemade salsa and slices of creamy avocado.

So cilantro was on sale and I, not being one to pass up a bargain, decided that I needed to purchase unreasonable amounts of the herb. The result: I ended up having Mexican food four out of seven days last week. Am I sick of it yet? NOPE! I did my standard chicken enchiladas, but decided to get creative come Friday with some fusion food! Pizza meet burrito. So, so good.

Now, this is not one of my lightest meals. There is bread, cheese and ground beef involved here, but I don’t feel guilty in the least. Why? Because its actually pretty good for you. Beside the fresh tomato salsa you pile on every slice, which gives you some vitamin A and C, the avocado has health omega 3’s to boost heart health and brain function. Adding herbs like cilantro helps pull toxic heavy metals out of your body and the lime juice helps the liver flush out toxins. Plus, there is fiber from the beans and the protein I use is lean ground beef. Ground turkey is another great alternative or you could do shredded chicken.

If you are really looking to cut down on calories and carbs, simply replace the standard crust with my cauliflower crust recipe. Since we are piling on the toppings this time, I’d recommend cutting out or back on the tomato sauce to keep the crust slightly more firm.

Banana Nut Breakfast Bars

I’m sooo excited! I just can’t hidee it!! WWeeee!! My very first energy bar! Being one of those people who is always hungry and on the go, I’ve always been a fan of bars, but this is the first time I tried making them myself.

The idea hit me while I was home in the United States frequenting my beloved Trader Joes. That grocery store is my happy place. I could go on and on about the smell of freshly ground coffee in the air, the delicious samples, the wine and cheese tastings they do in the afternoons, and tasty treats they sell, like dark-chocolate-covered power berries and triple-ginger ginger snaps, but I’ll try to hold myself back here. What I really wanted to get at is their power bar aisle. That’s right. They basically have an aisle dedicated to energy and power bars: Cliff bars, Mojo bars, Builder bars, Balance bars, Luna bars, Think Thin bars. So many choices that your head is basically spinning.

Energy bars don’t seem to be a “thing” in Germany, though. Sure, they have sugary granola bars, you know, the kind that are essentially dipped in chocolate or yogurt. But they just don't fit the bill. They are mostly empty calories, simple carbs and sugar will just spike my blood sugar and leave me craving even more sweets about 20 minutes down the road. I wanted something that would actually stick to my ribs, keep me going and provide my body with nutrients. Plus, there is just some satisfaction that comes with actually knowing what you are eating and getting to select the ingredients yourself.

After digging around the internet for recipes and coming up with nothing, I just decided the best approach was some good ol’ trial-and-error baking. Much to my surprise, the first batch came out great! And they are oh-so good for you. I could not be happier!

What you get:

• Fiber: From the bran, oats and whole wheat flour
• Protein: From the assortment of nuts and seeds, oats and eggs
• Omega 3’s: From the nuts, seeds and flax seed
• Antioxidants: From the walnuts and almonds
• Vitamins & Minerals: Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Manganese, Thiamin

Health benefits:

Helps build muscle, regulate blood sugar and energy levels, lower bad cholesterol, maintain a healthy circulatory system and heart, stimulate brain function, help protect and repair the body from toxins that cause diseases, fight aging and improve the health of skin and hair.

Each bar is about 180 calories with 6 grams of protein and almost 6 grams of fiber.

Garden Pesto Couscous

Fresh summer flavors!: Juicy veggies, salty feta cheese, earthy pesto and a hint of lemon!

This is the kind meal everyone needs in their recipe collection. The kind you can throw together and have on the table in under 20 minutes. And I have to admit, I was almost unreasonably pleased with myself after I finished making this. I was so in love with my dinner, in fact, that I decided to go for seconds (read thirds) instead of dessert. That’s just unheard of.

Now until last week, I had eaten couscous at just about every potluck I went to, but never dared to cook it myself. Now don’t get me wrong, I love it, but somehow couscous just never ended up on my grocery list. That is, until now! And O.M.G., what have I been doing with my LIFE!? This stuff is amazing. Unlike pasta, there is no pot of water that keeps boiling over, you don’t have to intermittently fish for a piece to check if its done and there is no draining off the water in the end. You just pour hot water over it, pop a top on it and in less than 10 minutes it is done. One stir and its fluffy, glorious and read to be seasoned up.

I added lightly sautéed tomatoes and zucchini. My very FIRST homegrown zucchini – a big accomplishment for a girl who hates to be near bugs and lives in a place where it seems to constantly rain. While the veggies are low in calories, they provide your body with vitamin A and C as well as potassium. To make the dish more of a meal instead of a side, I added chickpeas, which boost the fiber and protein content of the dish and in turn keep you full longer and maintain your blood sugar levels.