Category: Meals

Examples of my meals

kale Salad

Today, we had our cousins visiting from Abu Dhabi and Amir decided to order Iranian  Chicken kebabs. The meat usually comes with some whole tomatoes and onions. Sadly the vegetables are only for decoration and not always eaten. We ordered the yogurt and rice as a side.

 

I felt the meal was very incomplete in its nutrients, so to add some Mediterranean foods for  good health and well being, I decided to make a kale salad and add the nutrients we were missing.

I used Tuscan kale as it has the most antioxidants. I added sun dried tomatoes, Fuji apples with the peel, goat cheese for some creaminess and sun flower seeds and  sliced almonds.

The kale gave us a high intake of vitamin A, C and K. The nuts gave us calcium, zinc and Iron. The sun dried tomatoes also had lycopene another very important antioxidant for  preventing diseases. The whole salad had fiber too.

For the dressing, the  Cider vinegar, olive oil and some raw honey were the three major ingredients. I added  salt, pepper and sumac for a kick.

Kale Salad with Apples and Sun-dried tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chopped Tuscan Kale, hard stems removed
  • 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seed
  • 1 Fuji Apple chopped
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 ounces goat cheese
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon raw honey
  • 4 tablespoon extra Virgin Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

Whisk the vinegar, honey sumac and olive oil add salt and pepper. Keep the dressing aside.

In a big bowl, put the chopped kale, chopped sun dried tomatoes and sunflower seeds. Massage the dressing into the kale to soften the tough fibers and allow the dressing to permeate. This should be done for at least 5 minutes then let the salad sit for 15-20 minutes. Then add the sliced apples, almonds and goat cheese and mix again.

For Thanksgiving, I usually add dried cranberries.

The salad was a great addition to the meat, yogurt and eggplant dip we ordered.

The dressing may need to be tweaked if its too sour. A lot of recipes use a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, so instead of the sumac you can do that.

Quick Meal Idea

If the chicken is left over, the next day I chop the onions and tomatoes and saute them in olive oil with garlic and red chili flakes. I add the left over chicken  chopped into small pieces and I have a new dish that tastes different. The kale salad stays well for two days.

 

 

 

Lunch: Avocados, Grains

My Lunch is always on the go. The days I am home I try to get the nutrients, I may not get in my dinner.

Fiber is again very important, so its either from whole wheat or another grain if your gluten free.

I am still in the process of learning about Gluten free recipes, so when I feel more comfortable will post.

I strongly believe in the Mediterranean diet, its not a typical diet like all the other diets as I do not  personally believe any  is permanent and if you follow a diet and have been successful, that is amazing. The Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle change and you can start very slow with some of the foods.

Avocados are powerhouses of nutrients, they have loads of monounsaturated fats, which help your heart and help against dementia. They have fiber, potassium and some protein. They have Vitamin A and C.

The easiest way for me to eat Avocados are as guacamole. My recipe is easy, spicy and quick. I eat them on whole grain crispbread made with lots of seeds. Trader Jo has an amazing one. I have 1/2 a glass of Pomegranate juice or some berries with this meal.

  1. 1 mashed Avocado chunky with a fork
  2. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  3. 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  6. 1/2 a jalapeno pepper
  7. 1/4 bunch cilantro

 

Brunch: Quiche

On Sundays , my husband and I love brunch as its a great way to enjoy breakfast/lunch foods together in a meal. We usually go out as I don’t make the best eggs. In general most brunch dishes are not the healthiest considering all the sugar, butter, cream and eggs that are used, but my philosophy is once in a while go all the way and that is exactly what I did today.

My girlfriends from Cleveland were coming for brunch, so I decided to make it at home. I made a Quiche with eggs and cheese and then  added the amazing colorful veggies from the Mediterranean diet. I made a whole wheat banana bread and added flax and chia seeds and coconut. I added a bowl of blueberries and a bowl of cantaloupe. We had coffee and orange juice.

I bought an organic crust made with whole wheat flour from Fresh direct as making a crust is too time consuming and my cooking is quick and practical. I made two Quiches, one was spinach and cheddar with mushrooms and red peppers.  The other was Spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Both had olive oil and garlic to add to the antioxidants.

The Quiche was high in fat but  full of Calcium. It has fiber from the whole wheat flour and added vegetables. It has Protein from the eggs, cheese and milk. Vitamin A and C from the Red peppers and  Sun dried tomatoes. Iron from the spinach and Vitamin D from the mushroom and eggs.

So overall if your eating this meal once every few months its fine but delicious.

 Spinach, sun dried tomato and feta cheese Quiche

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat Pie Crust
  • 4 Organic eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cup frozen spinach
  • 2 Teaspoon chillie flakes
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

The vegetables can be done the night before for easy preparation in the morning. The spinach has to be drained in a strainer so it is not full of water. While the spinach is  draining, saute the garlic in the olive oil, then add the sun dried tomatoes. I blot the spinach in a paper towel and add it to the mixture.

In another bowl beat the eggs with a beater add the milk then add the  salt, pepper, chili flakes. Crumble the feta and add it to the eggs.

Bake the pie crust for 10 min, take it out and first add the vegetable mix then the egg mix. Sprinkle the cheddar on the top and then bake for 45-50 minutes.

I will post the Banana bread and the other Quiche next time.

I hope you enjoy it!

 

Breakfast: Granola

Breakfast is a meal, I try to never miss. Nutritionally its one of the most important meals as it gets you fueled through the day.

However, what you eat is key and the quality of a great breakfast is what can help your day start of right.

Protein foods stay in your body the longest, I love foods that have both protein and carbohydrates and I add a fruit. Personally its not always realistic to make a hot breakfast like eggs and hot oatmeal, which are great foods that have both protein and Fiber.

My favorite is   Greek yogurt,  home made granola with blueberries and banana. The  Carbohydrates should be high in fiber at least 3 grams of fiber in a serving. The Greek yogurt should be low in sugar less than 9 grams which is around 2 teaspoons. Plain yogurt is ideal with a teaspoon of  raw honey is another option.

My Recipe for my high fiber, high protein granola is below. Its so easy.

Please send me suggestions or corrections as I am very new blogger.

Granola

Ingredients

  1. 4 1/2 cups regular oats
  2. 1/2 tsp salt
  3. 1 tsp cinammon
  4. 1/2 cup flax seeds
  5. 1/4 cup hemp or chia seeds
  6. 1 cup sliced almonds
  7. 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  8. 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  9. 1/2 cup honey
  10. 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or canola oil
  11. 1/2 tsp vanilla
  12. 1/2 cup warm water

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients then wet ingredients. I use my clean hands as it all mixes evenly.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I mix it with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes as the sides tend to brown quickly. It should be evenly browned. If it starts to get dark take it out as it burns easily.

This should be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bags and stays fresh for at least a month.

I buy a lot of my ingredients from Trader Joe’s, great prices.  Since I don’t live close to one in New York, I go to A Matter Of Health.

Other optional ideas-

For kids add 1/2 cup brown sugar, my husband loves 1/2 cup shredded coconut. The coconut should be added at the end.

I hope you enjoy it.

 

I used this mix from A Matter of Health as it has both Chia and Flax seed.