Easy Quinoa Spanakopita Roll Ups

Spanokopita aka Greek Spinach Pie is delicious, but can be quite labor intensive, so I made it easier and put an extra healthy spin on it by adding quinoa! This Mediterranean delight is light on calories and high in flavor!

I am half Greek guys, in case you didn't know. I throw a while lots Mediterranean mayhem and recipes your way. Ever heard of the Mediterranean diet? Well these people live healthy and eat healthy naturally. So I thought I would send some Greek action your way.  It's a good thing too because after the holidays- it's time for some holiday detox bitches... I know you been bad. I sure know I was. Yeah I was a bad bad girl! I must have gone through like 4 pounds of butter from all the baking over the holidays!

Apple and Sage Stuffed Pork Roast & Tips for the Perfect Roast Pork!

Pork roast has never been easier, more delicious or this elegant ever before. This pork roast has been infused with apple and sage for your fall enjoyment. Also included are the tips for the perfect roasted pork.

Getting back to basics never hurt anybody, especially a food blogger. If I am gonna tell you how to make something, I should tell you the best way to do it and not the wrong way or the way I learned how to do it.

I find myself routinely googling how to roast vegetables and now how to roast pork. All I know about it is what my mom has done. I totally love my mom and her adventurous sprit in the kitchen... but let's just say she lacks in basic execution. Like me... but now I got google and some chef friends!

Roasted Brussels Salad with Pecans, Bacon and Apple Cider Dressing

Take your fall into your salad with this Roasted Brussels Salad with Pecans, Bacon and Apple Cider Dressing. It is a feast for the eyes and the stomach with whole ingredients and with some preparation comes together in minutes.

Lest we forget fall is not just about pumpkin. There are a never ending kalidescope of beautifully colored fruits and vegetables just waiting to be eaten. In season now: Apples and Brussels Sprouts among many others. I know brussels sprouts are of the epitomy of vegetables you didn't wanna eat as a kid. But you were a kid and wrong about lots of things, like where babies comes from.


So if you are a naysayer to brussels I challenge YOU to make this salad and then tell me you don't like 'em.

Reduced Fat Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This decadent looking double chocolate zucchini bread is reduced fat for your waistline's pleasure, but tastes so right making your mouth VERY happy!

2 zucchini recipes in one week, that's what you get with a zucchini that size, like the one I showed you in my last post. What's more they're both zucchini bread. Well I fell in love with it so much I had to chocolify it... (totally a word or should be).

So for the longest time guys I hesitated to write that my recipes were healthy or lower in fat or whatever. I thought oh people know this food blog has a healthy focus... but really unless you read all the time you don't. So I gotta call it out. But I hesitate because most people will dismiss it thinking this... "Ughhhh reduced fat, low fat, healthy... BORING!" I used to think that way too before I embarked upon a new healthy lifestyle.

Stone Fruit and Burrata Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

Step up your salad game with some burrata! This salad is loaded with fresh summer fruits and has a lemon and fresh basil dressing. Serve to your guests and look super fancy for very little work!

I am always inspired by other blogs. Since I have a blog, I am sure you can imagine how many I read and comment on. I forget where I saw it... but I saw a stone fruit and burrata salad, so I thought I would do my own. I mean helllllo peaches and succulent and juicy with the magical creamy cheese called burrata?! NOOOOOO brainer!

Do you guys know what burrata is? Don't feel bad, I googled it when I saw it too. Seriously, google has made it possible to not sound stupid on social media. Soooo anyways burrata is like fresh mozzarella kicked up 10 notches... why you ask? Well it is just a pouch of fresh mozzarella- inside is the best part, cream and scraps of more fresh mozzarella. Good for you? No... but come one there is only 3 oz. in the whole recipe. Savor the hell outta it!

Can you imagine all these flavors mingling in your palette?? I could when I heard stone fruit and burrata. So much so I totally made this and I am totally allergic to peach skin. I had an itchy throat, but it was sooooo worth it. Kinda dumb? Sure! But I just had to and with the lemon basil dressing- it was TO DIE FOOOOOR! Or at least to itchy throat for, right?!

It is also simple and quick to put together! Can you beat that?! Pretty damn fabulous!

What you need

1 large ripe peach (I used a white peach)

2 mango nectarines (if you cannot find those you can use regular)

3 oz. burrata

Dressing

5 large basil leaves (more for garnish if desired)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

How to make it

1- Throw all fruit and pieces of burrata on a board.

2- In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients.

3- Drizzle dressing on salad- DONE!

Nutritional Information

Yields 5 servings, under 200 calories each!

5 points plus on Weight Watchers

Summer Weight Loss- Week 14

This week's tip is all about whole grains. From fiber to protein, whole grains got you covered and will keep you full and healthy!

What the hell are whole grains anyways?

Following is the official definition of whole grains, approved and endorsed by the Whole Grains Council in May 2004:

Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked), the food product should deliver the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed.

Below is a complete list of grains...

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Corn, including whole cornmeal and popcorn
• Millet
• Oats, including oatmeal
• Quinoa
• Rice, both brown rice and colored rice
• Rye
• Sorghum (also called milo)
• Teff
• Triticale
• Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries
• Wild rice

 Okay enough of the introduction, you get it. People tell you alllll the time how awesome whole grains are. Well they are and they are NOT boring guys, you are just not used to them!

I am sure you guys have heard of quinoa the most. The thing about whole grains is that they are way more than carbs, they have fiber and protein. Not only do they keep you full longer, they also are good for digestion and for your heart health. They're GREAT for diabetics too. Processed carbohydrates like pasta can cause a spike in sugars to your system and then a crash of the sugar levels. Whole grains take longer to break down so you get a more gradual sugar release giving you more sustained energy.

So let's get real here... some of these may seem weird and scary, but like that quote last week said, "Life begins outside your comfort zone." So I challenge you guys to try one on this list you have never had before!

I am committed to try and cook farro the very first time!!

How about you? What whole grain would you like to try?

Roasted Beet Salad with Valencia Orange Dressing

A salad that is bursting with fresh seasonal summer flavors, it's like summer exploded in your mouth!

You guys may have figured out by now, I love the color Magenta, it is my signature color! So how could I NOT love beets, they dye my hands and everything they touch magenta! YAY! Besides their awesome hue they're sugary sweet and good for me! I was inspired after going to a restaurant and ordering roasted beet salad, with orange vinaigrette and goat cheeese. I mean how awesome does that sound? Sweet salty, slightly acidic and creamy! WOAH! But when I got this salad for me, it totally fell flat. It was some roasted beets cubed and tossed with field greens and almost creamy orange dressing, that really didn't taste that orangy. Then there were no orange slices as garnish- FOR SHAME!

Indian Spiced Kabobs

In the mood for Indian? These wonderfully spiced yogurt marinated kabobs are not only easy to prepare, but incredibly healthy and low in fat!

You may not know this, but I also LOVE Indian food. I used to eat Italian like alllll the time, 'til I met my husband and I really got adventurous with ethnic foods. He was unafraid, even since an infant of trying new things. Me- funny enough-- I was a pizza, pasta and hamburger girl. Yes I have changed quite A LOT over the years!

I discovered Indian and especially Chicken Tikka Masala- OMG- YUMMMM! Well if you do not know of the tikka I will explain- it's chicken marinated in a yogurt marinate and cooked and simmered into a sauce made with beautiful spices such as garam masala, heavy cream and tomato paste. It is heaven or hell depending how you look at it.

Heaven in your mouth, hell on the hips...

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Smoothie- 5 ingredients or less

This super easy to make smoothie has only 4 ingredients and is very low in fat, but has LOTS of flavor. It's the perfect start to a healthy day!

This week's tip was to start the day healthy and this is the perfect hassle free recipe for it! I made this soooooo super easy ANYONE can do it, even that person you know that can burn water somehow.
I have seen a lot of oatmeal smoothies lately and I thought it was such a fabulous idea! With lots of fiber and protein it is sure to stick to 'dem ribs! So I then it I figured why the hell not use a instant oatmeal packet that already has flavor and is sweetened. This smoothie goes down quick since its soooo delish, but you will feel full for a good while! It's also low fat!

The stats on this are QUITE impressive if I say so myself with only 5 grams of fat and 22 grams of protein!!!

So besides the foodgasm of it you have that whole healthy start to your day that is ridiculously easy!

Below you can see the mise en place (a fancy french word for every ingredient in it's place)

RECIPE: Dump all this in a blender and you are good to go, let it sit for a couple minutes for a thicker smoothie! EASY!

On a totally different note, I would like to pat myself on the back for a minute- I took all these photos in manual mode! Yes I know- my photos are pretty decent, but I always shoot in auto and I have plunged myself into the world of manual mode so I can really be legit when I call myself a food photographer!

I have fallen in love with it and I wanna have as much control as I can pre production. I am pretty psyched since post production was a breeze with these guys!

Nutritional Stats

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 9

Week 9's tip is to start the day f%$^*n healthy! When you start well you have a better chance of keeping that groove going the rest of the day, the converse is the same. If you start with a sweet you will be craving it ALL day long!

This is a lesson I learned along my journey to healthier living. It took trial and error but I totally realized how you start your day totally impacts the rest of it! This can be said for eating as well as everything else.

I noticed if I caved and had a cookie and called in breakfast I would be craving sugar the rest of the day. Then there is the old "Oh I already had an unhealthy breakfast may as well write this day off..." There is this domino effect, if you start with a healthy choice odds are that you will make another healthy choice.

For example this morning I started with a smoothie, went to work and spied a chocolate cake in the kitchen. I was totally tempted by the fudginess, the gooeyness, how moist it was and the smell of chocolate wafting in the air at me. That bitch was calling my name... BUT I didn't wanna undo the good I already did, so I completely gave that cake the cold shoulder.

But I really wanna know... how do YOU start the day healthy?

My Week 8 Recap

High Points- I got in exercise and went to a beer event that night, didn't even have 1 whole drink and I ate a snack when I got home since I forgot to eat dinner. (but ummm it was a cookie, DUMB!)

Low Points- Didn't plan enough in advance, ate a lot and did some wine tasting on Saturday. Resulted in lots of snacking and eating a sandwich called "The Heart Attack" this would have been okay if I remember I ALSO had my father's birthday the next day. I sampled pastries and dinner was eggplant parm and meatballs. Did my best to control my portions, but OUCH! Let's see what the scale beholds, but I am not feeling too lucky!

Below is evidence Exhibit A- Me and "The Heart Attack"

Summer Weight Loss Challenge- Week 5

Week 5 of NY Foodgasm's Summer Weight Loss Challenge is to Eat 5 to Stay Alive, meaning to strive 5 5 serving of fruits and/or veggies a day!

So coincidentally this is week 5 and we're talking about having 5 serving of fruits and veggies a day. When someone tells me they want to try to eat healthy and change their lifestyle, the first thing I suggest is to try to get their 5 servings of fruits and/or veggies a day?

Why you say? The answer is it is easier to add something to your diet than to take something away. If you literally make a pact with yourself to get your 5 servings a day you will also find you are eating less carbs since you need to have fruit for that snack to get that extra serving in. You may also find at dinner you eat less pasta or potatoes since you ate some veggies with that meal.

Fruits and vegetables are also just about the healthiest foods you can eat. They have lots less calories and are very low in fat (except avocado and some others). They pack in tons of vitamins and minerals, micro nutrients and FIBER! Yes your colon will thank you!! Your tribute to the toilet gods will be more frequent and enjoyable!

In short they keep you healthy, regular and stave off disease.

Moroccan Chicken Gyros

This Spicy Moroccan twist on the classic gyro will ignite your taste buds and make the summer taste that much better!

I am constantly inspired by the amount of creativity and talent of my food blogging peers out there. One of my faves has to be Half Baked Harvest. Besides her ridiculously amazing photos, there is this off the wall creativity in her flavor combos as well as amazing execution and knowledge of so many different techniques! She also happens to be like REALLY young, like 20! What?! I know sooo crazy!

Well when I saw this recipe for Spring Veggie + Lemon Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Minted Goat Cheese Yogurt I swooned!! I mean imagine all those Moroccan spices cooled down with a minted goat cheese yogurt. It was as amazing as I imagined, like soooo soooo freaking good I needed to share it with all of you!! The marinade for this makes chicken MAGIC!

A Vegan Foodgasm: Double IPA Braised Bean and Salsa Verde Bowl

This is one badass vegan and gluten free recipe that is sure to satisfy even the most carnivorous of friends kicked up with some California craft beer action!

So proud, this is my very first attempt at a Vegan recipe and it is pretty badass at that! It also happens to be gluten free! Not just some normal meal with no animals harmed in any way... but it is filling and totally kick ass complete vegan meal busting at the seams from the flavor EXPLOSION! Did I also mention it is made with some BEER!

It is well known, there are two things I don't fuck around with, FOOD and BEER!

So yeah I went ALLLL the way over the top for this puppy! I have been talking to my friend The Beer Wench and she wanted to know if any good vegetarian recipes existed for beer, there is of course the obvious beer mac and cheese, maybe beer cheese soup. But I took this shit to a whole nother level and went straight to vegan.... did I mention I like a challenge?!

Chicken Beeriyaki with Asian Slaw #beermonth

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Millennial Central for Kirin. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. All ideas presented are my own.

Here is the first group celebration of #beermonth my friends! My blogger pals have all joined together to bring you their take on beer recipes. I am super excited to introduce you all to Lauren of Hall Nesting, Heather from girlichef and Jessica from Jessiker Bakes! I love all these ladies and I want you to show them love to by checking out there blogs (I love them all and read them all every week!) and by checking out their recipes at the bottom of this post!  

This is my very first sponsored post, I often shy away from these things unless I genuinely think you guys wanna read about it. With this one, I knew I should be involved with this one. It is #beermonth after all! So when the opportunity arose for me to sample and cook with Kiran Ichiban, I was totally on board.

If you haven't heard of Kiran Ichiban it is THE Sushi Restaurant go to beer to represent Japan. To learn more about the beer, visit their website! I hadn't tried it before, so my expectations were low. But it was pretty decent, crisp and clean. Absolutely perfect to accompany any Asian dish. I think it represents Japanese cuisine pretty well; it is a simple yet elegant beer and very balanced. Not overly malty or hoppy you can pair this with most anything. But you know I don't just pair beer with food, I make food with beer!

Asian beer, Asian inspired dish! All you foodies- don't hate on me, I have a confession. I don't like sushi- nope- I tried it all and it ain't my thing. So that was out and I was glad, it's a whole lotta work. So I made something completely different with my beer. Chicken Beeriaki, it's like chicken teriaki, but like WAY better.

Everything is better with beer, but I also made this super easy too! All you have to do is brown some chicken and prepare the sauce in the food processor, then added the fresh Asian veggies. No cooking of veggies required, so it kinda makes an Asian slaw. I paired it with some sushi rice for that authentic feel. So I got what I like about sushi- protein, the sauce and that awesome sticky rice without the seaweed taste. I made a roll out of the ingredients, but I tasted it and I don't care for the seaweed AT ALL! If you do like sushi and seaweed wrappers this can easily be made into a roll. You can see I included a piece of the roll on the pictures so you could see it.

 Why is this a Foodgasm?

Chicken teriyaki is a staple- but kicked up with beer?! Even better. I find the beer flavor intensified and enhanced this and accompanied it even more than I imagined! This sauce is one of my new favorite things and I think it will be yours too! Even for the skeptical- try it! It will surprise you! Plus it is easy to make and low in fat and calories!

What you need

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil as needed for browning

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon pickled ginger
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup Kiran Ichiban beer

2 cups chopped Asian salad (the kind you buy in a bag)

 

How to make it

1- Dredge chicken in mixture of flour, salt and pepper.
2- Brown chicken on both sides in a skillet on medium heat.
3- In a food processor, combine: 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon pickled ginger, 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 cup Kiran Ichiban beer.
4- Mix together the Asian chopped salad with some of the sauce.
5- Serve atop Sushi rice.

Nutritional Information

Each serving includes chicken sauce and vegetables. Additional calories for white rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Beermonth recipes

 

Citrus IPA Poundcake #beermonth

What is an IPA you may say? (That is what my mom said to me anyways) IPA stands for India Pale Ale. IPA's belong under the larger umbrella style of Pale Ales, meaning that they use pale colored malts. The IPA is known to be a hoppy beer so you really taste the hops more than the malt. Digging deeper than that, the type of hops you use can bring out certain characteristic flavors and aromas. Many hops can bring out citrusy flavors naturally, so that is where the idea for this recipe came in...

IPA's are a hot style right now, with Double IPA's (also known as an Imperial IPA) and Triple IPA's trending I thought I would need to experiment with this style. To bring out the citrusy notes in the IPA I have wanted to make this pound cake for a WHILE now, to experiment and make something memorable with it.

It's good to have friends that brew craft beer! My friend Matt from Outer Lands Brewing Company asked me to try their Good Mojo IPA. It was the day after a beer festival, I didn't wanna look at beer or even drink it, but I took a taste. It's nicely balanced, not bitter at all with great citrus notes. Exactly what I needed for this recipe! For a non IPA drinker or someone that does not like a bitter IPA this craft  is for YOU.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Vegetables remind you of Spring right?! Spring is looooong overdue here in NY and I needed some Spring inspiration mixed with a heartier cold weather food. So this pizza is just what I needed. I am sure I have told you about the magic of roasted vegetables- they are so so sweet. Some of you may be like a 2 year old and pouting with your arms crossed and your face all scrunched up saying, "Ewwwww." Well don't be a baby and put them arms down. Have I ever really steered you wrong? The magic of roasting vegetables is the flavor it adds! As the water inside the veggies evaporates out, the flavor and sugars get concentrated- similar to how caramelizing onions makes them sweeter.

So the reason this roasted vegetable pizza was born was necessity. My husband and I are trying to eat less meat. Not necessarily become vegetarian, but just cut down on animal proteins. We all have our own reasons and I don't wanna convince you this is what you must do. We all walk our own road. But since I have been blogging about food, I have learned more about all things food. Meat in this country is mass produced, has all sorts of hormones and antibiotics and I am sure you can imagine the animals are not treated too well. I was blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is not bad, I didn't wanna know. So I want to try my best to eat farm raised meat when I can and cut back in general. I just want to share with all of you since you all read this blog. This is something I am trying out and trying on for size.

Samoa Energy Truffles

So I have been seeing a lot of these great recipes that replicate a cliff bar or to make your own cereal bars, etc. It intrigued me, mostly because most of those bars you buy at the store have preservatives, chemicals, high fructose corn syrup etc. At the start of my healthy eating and weight loss journey, I looked for anything as long as it was low fat and now that is starting to change for me. I learned of all the crap that is put into processed food. So now I try and eat very little processed food (food in a box) or stick to Trader Joe's stuff (which has no preservatives, chemicals, GMO's etc.). With all these energy bars and protein bars out there, I thought I would give making my own a shot. Looking over some recipes I was inspired by these almond joy bites by Gimme Some Oven. I wanted mine to be a little indulgent and also fun like these, so I made a Samoa version.

Little chocolate salty balls that are just the right balance of what you want and what you need! You need energy that won't make you crash and you wanna eat a Samoa cookie to get it. This is not as good as a Samoa- it's better!

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Fudgey, soft, round balls covered in toasted coconut and drizzled in caramel and melted dark chocolate- 'nuff said there. But this texture doesn't come from fat- in fact you won't believe what gives it this texture. Dates! Okay don't be grossed out and think I'm tricking you into eating some nasty health food. Give it a shot and you will taste the magic and fall in love with these balls! 

These balls are da shit! Whole foods for the win! If you want these gluten or grain free just sub the graham crackers for more nuts of your choice.

To be clear these are healthy, but not a diet food. Eat 1 or two for some hunger fighting power to get through to dinner or before a workout. But definitely don't eat many since there's sugar and fat in these- HEALTHY sugars and fat. But I want to make sure if you are trying to lose weight you won't eat a ton of these! LOL! That said they have LOTS of fiber, some protein and natural sugars that won't make you crash!

Bonus about this post- ball jokes! Gotta love it! Especially balls you can put in your mouth. OMGeeee the jokes are endless!

What you need

12 oz mejool dates (unpitted) You can also sub regular dates, but you may wanna soak them so they become soft.
1 cup pistachios (Other nut if you like)
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons melted dark chocolate
1/4 cup toasted coconut

To finish em off you need:
1/3 cup toasted coconut (to roll the balls in)
caramel sauce to drizzle (I used Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce)
Melted Dark chocolate to drizzle ( I used 1/4 bar or 1 oz. of dark chocolate in all including what I put in the balls)

How to make them

1- So I put in the dates in the food processor first and I added about 1/4- 1/3 cup warm water to help them combine.
2- Add in everything else and let 'er rip. It may take some negotiation and you may need to scrape the sides time to time
3- Roll balls in your hand and roll in toasted coconut.
4- Drizzle with caramel and melted chocolate

Nutritional Information

A Super (Quick, Easy, Delicious and Healthy) Breakfast

Why is this a Foodgasm? 

Who likes their oatmeal creamy?! Yeah I do and I know you got your hand raised too! Creamy usually means a shit ton of calories and fat, but you know that's now how I roll. This oatmeal creamy because of the magic of nonfat Greek yogurt. Yup- Greece has got you covered again! 

This is a SUPER easy breakfast that is PACKED with staying power. It will stick to yo little riblets and keep you satisfied for hours. Thank you protein! Thank you nonfat Greek Yogurt and for complete instant oatmeal with even more added protein! 

The addition of a small amount of dried cranberries and pistachios brings a variety of texture and some sweetness. Making this really seem like a treat rather than that regular drab breakfast. Plus it adds color, making it a feast for the eyes as well Regular oatmeal color by itself just aint appealing.

What you need

1 packet Trader Joe's Oatmeal Complete, made to package directions (you can use whatever brand you like, but Trader Joe's is the best I tried, not all microwave oatmeal is equal)
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons pistachios
2 tablespoons dried cranberries

How to make it

1- Make oatmeal to package directions with water, I use less, I like it thick.
2- After it's cooked stir in Greek yogurt and then cover in the pistachios and cranberries.

DONE! In less than 5! You can have a healthy breakfast in a short amount of time and no prep! Do it up!

Nutritional Info

Calories: 240 Total Fat: 4.9g  Carbs: 37g Protein: 13g Fiber: 5g

PS- I was in NOT asked by Trader Joe's to do this or compensated by them.  I just LOVE them soooo much! All their yogurt is hormone free for the same price as the leading brand. All their products have no preservatives and are high quality and extremely affordable!