Cold Broccoli Soup

Yes, that's what I said—Cold Broccoli Soup. It is actually good. And with warm weather just around the corner, I think you'll thank me:

Ingredients:
3c broccoli florets
2c Better Than Boullion no chicken broth
2 1/2c Fage fat free plain Greek yogurt

Cook broccoli florets in the broth until they are fork-tender. Blend the cooked broccoli and broth together using an immersion blender and let cool. Once at room temp, add the yogurt and blend again. (Important: do not add the yogurt when the broth/broccoli mixture is still hot. Greek yogurt doesn't react well with heat and tends to curdle. So stick it in the fridge for a bit if you're in a hurry, but definitely don't combine too soon.)

Chill, and eat whenever!

Pretty quick, super easy, and it makes 2 large servings of soup stacked with protein and veggie goodness. Enjoy!

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

This weekend was so sunny and warm, I couldn't bear to be stuck in the kitchen for long. So—broccoli stems and shrimp cocktail to the rescue!

Ingredients:
2 broccoli stems
2T water
2T lite soy sauce
2T lite rice vinegar
1/2T chili garlic sauce

Using a peeler, remove the woody outer edge of the broccoli stems. Slice thin and chop into bite-sized pieces. Top with the other ingredients and toss well. Serve with 11 medium cooked shrimp and 1T cocktail sauce for the protein.

Fastest. Lunch. Ever.

Garlic Parmesan Linguine with Broccoli and Scallops

This is the type of meal that reminds you that you don't have to feel like an alien just because you're on a diet. Just the way I like it!

Ingredients:
1 pouch tofu linguine
2 heads broccoli florets
6 large scallops
1T light Olivio
2T low fat Parmesan cheese
1/4c almond milk
parsely flakes
garlic salt
fresh ground pepper

Rinse the linguine well. While that drains, boil the broccoli in a pot of water. Once fork tender, remove the broccoli and set aside.

Parboil the linguine in the same water for 3 minutes; while the noodles are cooking, "pan sear" the scallops in a small frying pan with a little cooking spray, and seasoned with salt and pepper.  (2 minutes or less on each side.)

Drain the noodles and pat dry.

In the pot, melt 1T light Olivio (or similar). Add in the almond milk, Parmesan cheese, a couple shakes of parsely flakes and garlic salt, and some fresh ground pepper.

Place the pasta in your serving bowl, top with broccoli and scallops, and drizzle with the sauce. Makes 1 serving.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with a Kick

This recipe is adapted from a Closet Cooking recipe that I came across on Pinterest (love me some Pinterest!) I know it's not really the season for soup, but I often find great ideas for recipes on Pinterest and have to just go with it when the spirit moves me—usually, you can take out the oils and swap in healthier options for cheeses, eggs and cream. Which is just about all I did here:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
salt & pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1T. Better than Bouillion No-Chicken Base
3c. water
1 1/2 c. Cabot 75% fat free white cheddar, shredded
1 cup almond milk
pepper
chili flakes

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower in the oven until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep an eye on it though; without the oil, it can dry out and get too brown too fast.)

Prep a skillet with non-stick spray; add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the no-chicken base, water and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup using an immersion blender until it's smooth and thick. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with pepper. Then just mix in the almond milk, remove from heat, and serve with a dash of fresh chili flakes on top for a nice kick.

Divide this into 2 big, hearty servings, and enjoy with an ounce of low fat cheese on the side. Or, have 1/4c of fat free ricotta mixed with cinnamon and stevia for a little dessert to make up your 27g. Happy eating!

Honey Ginger Kale Salad

I've been wanting to try a cold kale salad for a while—and let me tell you, I can't believe I waited this long! This salad is the perfect combination of freshness, sweetness and a touch of nuttiness. I'm so glad my eyes have finally been opened to the wonderful world of this leafy green. (My brother would be proud, since he thinks it makes you big and strong like him.) 


You'll need:
1/2 large bag pre cleaned and cut kale
1/2 chopped walnuts
1/4c honey ginger balsamic vinegar (from a local olive oil shop)
pepper


Rinse the kale and chop up a little more, removing any stems that may have made it into the mix.  If you bought the walnuts already chopped, chop again to about half that size; smaller pieces means a little walnut in each bite (but not the calories and fat of a lot of walnut in each bite).


Simply toss the kale, walnuts and vinegar together, sprinkle some fresh ground pepper on top and let sit at room temp for about 30 minutes. Seriously. So. Good. I was in the mood for a little sweetness (without the carbs, of course) so I just had a big ol' bowl of the kale salad with a side of 3/4c cottage cheese and 1T. sugar free jam. 


Note: This doesn't last so well (just like any salad once you put the dressing on, it can die pretty quick). Since kale is so hearty, it can last overnight—as in, for dinner, then again for breakfast— but I wouldn't count on it for lunch.

Spicy Garlic Eggplant with Shrimp

Spicy food is great for a healthy diet—it forces you to take your time eating, and even kicks your metabolism up a notch. Try this one for sure!

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 eggplant
1 red bell pepper
1 tray mixed gourmet mushrooms
22 medium shrimp
2 T lite soy sauce
1 T garlic chili sauce
1 T tamarind paste
2/3c water

Spray a wok with non-stick spray and heat on high. Toss in the chopped garlic (do not mince—without oil, finely minced garlic can stick quickly) and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Add in the eggplant, water, chili sauce, tamarind paste and soy sauce and stir well until eggplant is completely coated. Cover and cook for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally until the eggplant begins to soften.

Add in the red bell pepper, mushrooms and shrimp; stir, cover and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally until the shrimp is done all the way through. The peppers should still be bright red and have a little snap.

And that's it! I added 1 whole hot red chili pepper while I cooked mine for a little extra kick. This super filling dinner serves 2 people, 27g each.

Pseudo-Shamrock Shake

The other day I stopped and had a cup of coffee at McDonald's with my dad (I cannot for the life of me explain why that man likes McDonald's, but who am I to deny him a cheap cup of coffee and a chat with his lovely daughter). The worst thing about McDonald's though, is not the greasy food—it's the temptation you experience when watching someone order a Shamrock Shake. There's something oddly appealing about a green shake when you know it's rich, sweet and delicious.

Well, this shake isn't exactly a Shamrock Shake, but it is green!

1 level scoop Isopure Zero Carb Cookies n Cream
1 large handful fresh organic baby spinach
a couple sprigs of fresh mint
just under 1/4c fat free plain greek yogurt
1c water
1c crushed ice

Blend all the ingredients together, ditch any foam at the top, and enjoy! It's got a little sweetness (without the carbs) from the shake mix, you don't even taste the spinach, and the mint just adds a touch of true Shamrock shake-ness. And it packs a crazy punch of veggies + 27g of protein!

Note: This recipe comes out a little juice-like; for a thicker shake, you can adjust the ratio of Isopure to yogurt. More yogurt=a thicker shake.

For the other half: The best thing about shakes—aside from being super quick and easy and being travel-friendly—is that it's a breeze to whip up one for me, then one for my husband with different ingredients. He likes his with 2 scoops Isopure (a whopping 50g of protein), 2 T. all natural peanut butter, 1 small banana, almond milk, ice and water. Yum.

Making the week more manageable

Got a crazy week ahead?

Do your grocery shopping on Saturday, then spend a couple hours on Sunday preparing a bunch of things ahead—even if it's just chopping vegetables, rinsing greens for salads, and packaging up 27g portions of some of your go-to protein sources. Here are a few quick reference measurements that add up to 27g:

cottage cheese (1%) = just over 3/4c
cabot cheddar (75% fat free) = 3 oz.
fage plain greek yogurt (fat free) = 1 1/4c
ricotta (fat free) = 1 1/8c
feta (fat free) = just under 4oz. (that's a lotta feta! i usually do a little of this and alittle of another protein, like eggs)
egg beaters or egg whites = 1 1/4c
shrimp = 11 medium shrimp
scallops = 6 medium scallops
tuna = 4 oz filet
most white fish = 1 filet
tilapia = 1 1/2 filets

It's an awesome feeling when you can bang out all that prep work, then relax and enjoy your Sunday night before Monday's insanity hits!

Cottage cheese with almost anything

You may have noticed, cottage cheese is definitely a staple. The great thing about it is, it takes on the taste of whatever you add to it, so I try anything and everything in cottage cheese to keep it interesting.

This is simply cottage cheese with fresh thyme, and it's not bad! A little over 3/4c=27g of protein. Enjoy this with any fresh raw vegetable or a salad for a super healthy and quick meal any time of day.