a healthy balance

My first time cooking eggplant!

I don’t really like eggplant but it’s so healthy that I am trying to acquire the taste. It’s skin has the phytonutrient, nasunin, which protects brain cell membranes! Also it’s fleshy and tastes like a starchy vegetable yet only has 20 calories per cup. This was the easiest way I found to prepare eggplant: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 
• Brush sides with olive oil
• Season with salt and pepper 
• Bake for ~20 minutes or until tops are brown
• Season with lemon juice when done 

Baking or roasting vegetables is so simple, quick, and keeps your recipes clean =) Anyone else like eggplant and want to share a recipe? 

Easy eggs with tomato, green onion, avocado, salt & pepper. Paired with wheatberry and soy milk…tea and an orange. A complete breakfast for me has protein, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium.

Hello Everyone!

This is one of my favorite desserts! It’s Che! (pronounced jehhh) It’s actually really healthy for you too because it’s made of red beans giving you lots of protein, fiber, and vitamins. There’s just over 2 tablespoons of added sugar per cup of Che but my mom and I don’t drink the soup and only eat the beans so we’re not ingesting the majority of the sugar. The sugar does flavor the beans though so I’m definitely eating some sugar! We don’t use any, but adding coconut milk is traditional and makes the che more decadent.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Note: this was part of our Vietnamese New Years (Tet) Celebration back on Jan 23, 2012!

Looking for a fast, filling, flavorful way to start your day? Swap your bowl of oatmeal and brown sugar for a protein-packed, savory bowl of oatmeal, eggs, and spinach! This is modified from a recipe from Women’s Health Magazine Dec 2011. I used grated Parmesan instead of a slice of Swiss cheese

Directions:

• Mix oats and water
• Microwave for 1 minute 
• add spinach, stir
• Microwave for another 30 seconds (spinach should be wilted now) 
• Spray pan with cooking spray & fry one egg 
• Top oatmeal+spinach with egg, Parmesan cheese, & black pepper

Why I love this recipe:

• Fast <3333
• Flavorful without salt 
• 10 g of protein
• 5-6g of fiber 
• VEGETABLES for breakfast!! 
• Curbs sugar cravings for rest of the day 
• Warm breakfast for chilly mornings 

You can use oatmeal as an alternative for any grains. I eat oatmeal instead of rice porridge sometimes. (Rice porridge is big in Vietnamese cuisine.) 

I know it sounds weird to have spinach in your oatmeal, but give it a try! 

Happy December!

~Geri

Just had a Japanese Cucumber Salad and 1/2 grapefruit as starters for dinner! I loved the simple rice vinegar dressing. 

Want something sweet after dinner? Try a Broiled Mango! Just cut ripe mango halves in a crosshatched pattern, press the cubes up, and broil in a toaster oven for 8-10 minutes. There should be some brown spots now. Then squeeze lime juice on top and enjoy with a dopple of Greek yogurt! <3

Butternut Breakfast!

• 1/2 cup canned butternut squash (or pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup of rolled oatmeal  
• pumpkin pie spice 
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 tablespoons of almond milk 
• toppings & mix-in’s: raisins, cashews, PB2 powder sounds like it would be good 

Cook the oatmeal with 1 cup of water and microwave for 2 minutes. Then, stir in butternut squash until blended. Add your spices, almond milk, and toppings! This is a great and tasty way to add a vegetable in during breakfast. It’s oh-so-filling and fluffy <333 makes me feel all warm & cozy inside =) 

PS: first time eating raw cashews! Definitely not as addicting as salted/roasted ones. 

Simple Side!

You know me…I just want a no-fuss, healthy meal. So, Broccoli and Parmesan is what I’ve been pairing with protein-filled main dishes! 

Ingredients

• Steamed Broccoli (I admit, I just microwaved 1 cup of broccoli with 1 tablespoon of water, covered) 
• Parmesan Cheese (only 20 calories per tablespoon, so go ahead and use generously!) 
• Black Pepper 

The story behind the dish: As a kid, I was obsessed with Broccoli and Cheese, even (okay..ESPECIALLY) the type my older brother made with Cheez Whiz. It was the first veggie dish I liked. This is a new comfort food because it brings back some good childhood memories, but way healthier =)

All you need is a toaster oven…

I cannot emphasize enough how easy it is to cook fish.

• Thawed salmon fillets 
• Season with salt, lemon pepper or regular pepper 
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. 

Perfect for a weeknight dinner when you just want to go home and eat right away! 

A serving of vegetables for dessert?! WHAT?! 

Pumpkin (Peanut Butter) Mousse

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pureed or canned pumpkin (~30 cal) 
• 1/3 cup non-fat ricotta cheese (or low-fat if you will not use peanut-butter) (60 cal) 
• 1 tablspoon honey (60 cal)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (90 cal)  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions: Mix and blend everything in a food processor! Chill and serve with a dopple of greek yogurt, cinnamon, or crushed nuts. 

Notes: I didn’t like the chocolate chips as toppings…it was just a waste of calories. Chocolate only tastes good room temperature or in warm baked goods to me. I’m not sure if I tasted the peanut-butter enough, so maybe I’ll just leave that out next time. You can save calories by using a non-caloric sweetener like Splenda or Stevia. Overall, it was awesome! I love this recipe and discovered how versatile ricotta cheese is! 

Thanks to peanutbutterboy.com http://www.peanutbutterboy.com/peanut-butter-pumpkin-mousse/ for the recipe which I altered for a smaller serving! 

~Geriiii<3pumpkin 

PS. Weird confession…I just threw out my mostly full bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips because they are overwhelming my tastebuds with sugar, encourages mindless snacking, and I’m over my chocolate chip cookie phase…oh and raisins are a more forgivable vice. Blahh I overreact. 

Hi everyone! I’ve been following more than posting lately because of all my crazy travels. But on the plane, I’ve had time to thinking of ways to eat healthier. Taming my sweettooth an improving my diet starts with asking myself some basic questions: 

1. WHAT foods do I like? (my favorites are listed) 
2. WHY do I like them? (identify the taste, sensations, and feelings they bring) 
3. HOW can I get the same taste but from healthier foods? 

Hopefully these ideas can help you start thinking of ways to make healthy swaps and get what you desire. What are the unhealthy dishes or items you like and would like to find a better alternative too? I may have some ideas =) ! 

Some links to desserts I want to try whenever I’m craving something that will only feed the monster within (my sweettooth!) 

Desserts “Quesadilla”: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/dessert-quesadilla-recipe/index.html 

Baked Apple Almond Dessert: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/desserts/r/applealmond.htm 

Black Bean Brownies: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=9978369

Hope this gives you some ideas. 

~Geri