Spaghetti Squash with Mushroom and Peas

As I sit here waiting for my Personal Mini Quiches to be ready for this mornings breakfast, it seems only appropriate to work on my next post which features the spaghetti squash that I randomly picked up when I was grocery shopping last week.  I've been following a woman on Instagram who's screen name is 100daysofcleaneating, and it's a daily catalog of her foods and workouts.  Some days I find what she's doing interesting, some days I glide over her post with a quick glance, and a whatever attitude.  Over the last week or so, she has either mentioned or featured spaghetti squash in her posts at least a couple times, and clearly because of this, my subconscious felt the need for some as well.

I'm a squash lover anyway, and I've definitely cooked with the vegetable before, but to be honest, it's not something that makes it into my weekly dinner regimen, and now I'm asking myself why.  In discussing it last night with my BFF Jackie, I was saying how much I enjoy cooking dishes that allow me to walk away, do some prep, and a quick saute, toss it all together, and then pretend that I did a fair amount of work.  This is totally one of those dishes. Keep in mind that outside of the squash, the vegetables that went into this dish ended up in here basically because they are what I had in my fridge, not because they are what I had planned on cooking with the squash itself.  I'm lucky enough to be at a point in my clean eating cooking that I can pick up a handful of random things, see what I'm left with near the end of my week, and then throw something together.  If you aren't there yet, just keeping researching, testing, and eating clean, and at some point it'll all just click, and you'll be able to do the same.

Ingredients:

- 1 Spaghetti Squash
- 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 c. Mushrooms (any variety would be fine)
- 1/2 c. Peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp. Olive Oil, divided
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Smoked Paprika, to taste
- 1 tbsp. Shredded Parmesan, divided





Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half from stem to stem, and hollow out seeds.  Rub 1 tsp. of olive oil between the two halves and season with salt and smoked paprika to taste.  Turn the squash halved sides down on the baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper for easy clean up) and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until squash is soft.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place 1 tsp. of Olive Oil in a medium saute pan on medium heat.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper to taste, and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, and then add peas (thawed if frozen) and garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to low, and take one of your squash halves, holding the skin in your palm carefully with a paper towel or towel, and with a fork shred the inside of the squash from top to bottom until all of the 'meat' of the squash is in the saute pan.  Repeat with the other half of the squash.  Toss all ingredients together.  Top each serving with 1/2 tbsp. of shredded Parmesan cheese.

I split this dish into two servings, however it may have been possible to break it into three depending on what serving size or calorie portion you are looking for.  If you are trying to avoid wheat products, or pasta in general, you'll find that this is a great substitution for those due to the texture of the squash.  Also, as I stated before, you are able to add whatever vegetables or meat that you would like to the dish, so feel free to modify it with ingredients that you prefer, or that you have hanging around at the end of your grocery week to ensure that you don't waste any food in your fridge.

I hope you enjoy as much as my husband and I did!

Maria

beachbodycoach.com/MLBARCLAY
myshakeology.com/mlbarclay

Chocolate Shakeology Peanut Butter and Jelly Fudge

For those of you who aren't in our Shakeology cult (which you should be because it will change your life forever), you must realize that we drink this shake daily, and using any nutritional supplement daily can get a tad bit boring.  That's not to say that the recipes that we get sent every month aren't unbelievable, and there are a multitude of recipes on the web for people to switch it up and make it new and exciting, and that's part of the reason that I'm here.  I used to use protein powder in a lot of different recipes, however as my clean eating evolved, so did my understanding about what was in most protein powders, and so I eliminated it from my diet.  However, when I started on Shakeology a few months back, I realized that there was a whole new world of opportunities for those recipes out there that do include protein powder, so I have taken it as my personal mission to find as many ways possible to incorporate this super dense, super-food meal supplement in my life in a variety of forms.

Not all of these recipes with be the 'healthiest' of snacks or meals.  There is, indeed, a difference between this recipe, and a recipe for a shake or protein pancake.  Nonetheless, I think it's important that we have a variety of avenues for any food to remain a constant in our diet, and so that is what I will achieve.  Today's recipe admittedly has a large amount of sugar, albeit natural sugars, they are still sugars. Therefore, you shouldn't make a pan of this fudge, sit in front of your TV, and stuff your face with the entire pan.  But, on those days when you're rummaging through your pantry or fridge looking for something to satiate that sweet chocolate desire, this will do just that. And rather than it being a Milky Way or Snickers, it will be something that has tons of antioxidants, nutrients, and proteins, especially when you add in all the nuts and berries that are combined into the fudge.  This recipe was modified from Averie Cooks, and looked so simple and delicious that I just couldn't help trying it out with Shakeology.  So here we go!

Ingredients:
- 3/4 c. honey (or brown rice syrup, agave nectar, maple syrup)
- 3/4 c. peanut butter (I used Teddy's All Natural Smooth)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. Chocolate Shakeology
- 1/3 c. diced dried cranberries (or diced raisin, dried blueberries, or dried fruit of your liking)
- 1/3 c. chopped almonds (or other nuts, or omit)
- 8x8 disposable aluminum baking pan sprayed with Pam



Note:  This is a fast moving recipe so have everything ready to go before you begin and work quickly through the steps.

Directions:
1.  Pour the honey into a medium-sized sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat until it almost begins to boil; turn of heat.
2.  Add the peanut better and stir until smooth.  Add the vanilla extract and stir, using caution as it could bubble up a bit.
3.  Add the protein powder and stir, taking care to work quickly because batter will get increasingly stiff as time elapses.  Quickly fold in the diced fruit and peanuts.
4.  Spread over the bottom of the 8x8 pan and place in freezer for a minimum of 90 minutes.  Remove from the freezer and slice fudge into desired size.

I would suggest keeping the fudge either in the freezer, and taking it out 5-10 minutes before you want to eat it, or in the fridge.  Otherwise, at room temperature, it may get a little bit soft.  This one's a keeper for sure, so ENJOY!!!

Keep Moving.  Keep Strong.  PUSH PLAY EVERYDAY!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

I'll be honest, I gank recipes all the time. Yup, I steal them, and then I make them, and then I share them with you.  But, let's be honest, much like reading a customer review on Amazon, wouldn't you rather have someone else learn first that all the work you're putting into a soup is worth it, than spend an hour doing it yourself only to find out it was mediocre?  I'm here to serve you people, and you're welcome!

I stole this particular recipe from The Best of Clean Eating 3, which my husband bought me for Christmas.  I had been so busy with getting my Beachbody business up and running that I hadn't had much time to jump into the books, but I think he and I are both getting sick of our baked salmon and asparagus, so I'm starting to attack these bad Larry's like a beast.  I also think that the desire to make this came from the fact that my restaurant, Gibbet Hill Grill, switched our seasonal soup from a Butternut Squash to a Potato and Vermont Cheddar, and this left me depressed and craving the old soup.  Much like a 10 year child I was like, "Fine, take it off the menu, but I'm gonna go home and make my own!  AND, I'll make it healthier! SO THERE!"

So, that's what I did!

Ingredients:

- 2 firm pears (such as Anjou), peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 3 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 3 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 c. fat-free plain yogurt for garnish (optional)
- pinch of nutmeg for garnish (optional)




Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a roasting pan, combine pears and squash.  Drizzle with 1 1/2 tsp oil, toss to coat, then spread out to cover bottom of pan, allowing for some overlap.  Roast in oven, uncovered, until squash begins to brown and soften, about 20-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil on medium.  Add onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute until onion is softened and golden in color, 3-4 minutes.  Add pear-squash mixture and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

3.  Using a hand blender or upright blender, puree mixture until smooth, about 45 to 60 seconds.  (NOTE: If using an upright blender, work in small, cooled batches to avoid scalding.  Then return to saucepan on low until reheated.)  Garnish each serving with yogurt, and nutmeg if desired.

Nutrients per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 120, Total Fat: 4.5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 17 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 8 g, Protein: 4 g, Sodium: 65 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

Shakeology Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Oh Chocolate Shakeology...how you have changed my life.  For those of you who don't know what Shakeology is, there is a link provided so that you may further educate yourself. It's my sure fire way to guarantee that I get almost all my vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and nutrients into my daily diet.  If I had to choose one food item, that if I could wave a magic wand, everyone would take part in, this is what I would choose.  This is also what I would choose if I was deserted on an island and had to choose one food item to live off of (that is if we presume that I am choosing the item that I know will benefit my health and well-being, if not, then I'm choosing a Kimball's Double Day).

Shakeology is designed to be a meal replacement, but much like protein powders, you can pretty much use the powder in a number of ways, to make a number of different meals.  Where most people probably won't do much more than throw it in a blender with some fruits and milk, I'm always looking for an alternative way to spruce it up, and sneak it into my daily diet.  Sometimes it's a Shakeology Chocolate Pancake, but in this case it was a frozen dessert!

I came across this recipe on Facebook through an Eat Clean Diet post.  I'm always a bit confused by some of their recipes that have protein powder, mostly because when you read an ingredient list on the majority of protein powders, it's nothing but mystery words that cannot be deciphered.  But, it does not mean that I'm required to use protein powder, because to me that seems to take any food item from "clean" to scientifically altered (which just doesn't seem quite so clean).  But, when I come across something that tells me I can make Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, damn straight I'm gonna find a way to make it cleaner, and healthier so I can enjoy this tasty little treat!

Ingredients:

1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology
5 tbsp. Unsweetened Chocolate Soy Milk
5 tsp. Almond Butter
Olive Oil Spray





Directions:

1. Combine Chocolate Shakeology and Unsweetened Chocolate Soy Milk in a small bowl, and whisk until smooth.  (I'm not going to lie, I just kept adding soy milk until it was a thick shiny consistency that could be scooped, but wasn't really liquidy).
2. Spray 5 silicon mini-muffin holders with Olive Oil spray. (If you use regular muffin tins with wrappers, make sure that they are aluminum, not paper, or else they will not come out.  Honestly, I've tried this same idea with aluminum and it's still difficult, so I would highly recommend only using silicon muffin holders.)
3. Divide half of the Shakeology mixture between the five silicone mini-muffin holders.  Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Take the holders out, and in each container place 1 tsp. of Almond Butter in the center, and then cover each of the 5 holders with the remaining Shakeology.
5.  Place back in the freezer for 30-45 minutes.
6.  Enjoy these tasty frozen Shakeology Chocolate Almond Butter Cups as they slowly melt on your fingertips and you decide that maybe you could live without a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ever again!

Individual Mozzarella, Spinach, Red Pepper, and Soy Sausage Quiche

Who doesn't love individualized little breakfasts???  My friend Mallory is going to love this recipe because we're always talking about breakfasts that are easy to make, but also travel easily so we can send our husbands off with breakfast, or leave them in the fridge for when they need to be out of the house before us. This is also a great recipe if you're having guests over, and want to prep them before hand so that you already have the precooked veggies, and then scramble some eggs, and throw them in the oven.  These are also great because you can switch up whatever veggies you want, with whatever meat that you want.  No need to follow this recipe to the tee, but rather add broccoli in place of pepper, or turkey in place of soy sausage, or goat cheese in place of fat free mozzarella.  Switch up the ingredients for whatever you're in the mood for that day!  There aren't a ton of calories in this little quiche, so as you can see I served it with a small piece of wheat and gluten free toast, so feel free to add on a small yogurt, or a piece of fruit on the side to make it a complete meal!

    

       


Ingredients:
1/2 Medium Red Pepper, diced
1 Large Handful Baby Spinach
1/8 C. Soy Sausage, crumbled
1/4 C. Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
6 Eggs, scrambled
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Smoke Paprika to taste
Olive Oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Spray saute pan generously with Olive Oil spray, and saute red pepper with some salt until slightly tender.
2. Add crumbled soy sausage and saute until slightly browned.
3. Add baby spinach and saute until wilted.  Put pan aside, allowing to cool.
4. In a small bowl combine 6 scrambled eggs, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Fat Free mozzarella cheese.
5. Spray EITHER an 8 in. pie pan, or four large ramekins with Olive Oil spray.  Divide the vegetable mixture evenly in the bottom of the ramekins.  Then evenly divide the egg mixture evenly between the four ramekins.  (If you are using a pie pan just place the veggie mixture on the bottom and cover with the egg mixture).
6. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until eggs are set.  (I'll be honest, it can be hard with the ramekins to see if it's cooked all the way through, so insert a toothpick, or cut into one, just to make sure.)
7. Let cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing from ramekins, or cut the pie pan into 4 different servings.

As you can see, this is such an easy recipe, and yet, so delicious.  Try out your favorite version of this meal, and feel free to share it with me and everyone else!

Enjoy!

Maria
beachbodycoach.com/MLBARCLAY
superfitmaria.blogspot.com

The Evolution of Eating Clean: Trying New Things

Lamb Porterhouse with Broccoli and Parsnip Puree

Phew, as I type I am wiping the sweat from my brow from all the tasks I have taken on in my life.  Developing as a person is some serious work, and man have I taken on the beast.  In addition to starting my Beachbody business and really focusing on that, I've also been trying to get my own Personal Training Business set up with my Facebook page, Maria's Super Fit Training, and also managing my other Fitness Blog at superfitmaria.blogspot.com.  As you can imagine, with all that going on, I haven't had too much time to try out new recipes, and make too much exciting stuff.

However, in my ever growing need to refine my diet, and find what works for my husband and I, I have taken on the new task of trying to eat for our blood type.  There are so many controversial views of this idea, (some scientists will argue that the idea is all based in theory, while those who have done it, will tell you it's changed their lives), but I am excited to try something new, and look at every avenue of nutrition that helps my body function at a higher level.

That being said, I've focused a lot more on meats, vegetables and other whole foods, as opposed to making a lot of fancy dishes and sauces. One meat that is considered 'Highly Beneficial' for both my, and my husband's, blood type is Lamb.  I have forever stated that lamb is really not on my favorite meats list, but there aren't many meats that align as highly beneficial for us both, so I jumped in feet first and took on the challenge.  To my surprise, I was delighted!

I purchased a back of Lamb Porterhouses - opened my fridge, mulled around the idea of what I wanted with it, and settled on steamed broccoli, and parsnip puree. YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

Ingredients:

1 pkg Lam Porterhouse
1 head of Broccoli
1 pkg of Parsnips (or five medium total)
2 tbsp. Skim Milk
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt
Smoked Paprika
Red Pepper Flakes
Garlic Powder
Pam




Directions:

1. Peel, clean, and cut the parsnips into equal size.  Steam parsnips with 2 tbsp. of Skim milk, and lightly season with salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.  Remove from heat when the parsnips are soft enough to pierce with a fork, and move into a food processor or blender.  Puree until smooth, slowly adding olive oil until you get the desired consistency.

2.  At the same time, cut and clean the broccoli  and steam with salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until pierced with a fork, but not mushy.

3. Prepare the Lamb by seasoning with salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, and placing in a cast iron pan (if available, if not a regular saute pan is fine) that is lightly sprayed with Pam.  Lamb tastes it's best when it is prepared med rare, which would be about 3-4 minutes on each side, but if you prefer it cooked more, you can always keep it on for an additional minute or two on each side.

This dish is so simple, but there's something so rich about parsnips, that when you combine the flavor of the lamb with the richness of the parsnip puree, and then the nice simple steamed broccoli with a kick of heat from the red pepper flakes, it make you feel like you're eating at a fine dining restaurant.  Not to mention, the little baby porterhouse lambs are just too cute for words!

Healthy and Easy Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp and Asparagus Buckwheat Pasta

I know, I know, you're asking yourself where I've been.  OK, maybe not, but the truth is ever since I decided to get AFAA Personal Trainer certified, everything else in my life came to a stand still.  In life, we must zero in on our goals, define our steps of action to achieve them, and keep our eye on the prize.  Now, with that out of the way, I have re-dedicated myself to some things that have been pushed aside, my food blog being one of them.  So, let's get going!

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I WILL NEVER STOP EATING PASTA!!!  Alright, perhaps that was more of a shouting, but I'm Italian, and I only have one volume.  The reality is, people who say you shouldn't eat carbs, or that they avoid pasta at all cost, are just eating the wrong carbs or the wrong pasta.  My all time favorite pastas to use are Organic Soba noodles.  Often found in the Asian isle in your grocery store, Soba noodles are made with buckwheat, are extremely thin, and cook in about 4 minutes.  Talk about healthy and easy!  They even come in three individual bundles so you can choose your serving size!

Shrimp and Asparagus Buckwheat Pasta

2 Pre-portioned bundles of Soba noodles

1/2 lb. Medium Shrimp Cooked, de-veined

8 Stalks Asparagus, ends removed

2 Vine Ripe Tomatoes, diced

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1/2 c. Sliced Mushrooms

1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbs. Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Prepare Soba noodles to package directions.

2. Cut asparagus stalks into three even pieces, at a bias (at an angle).

3.  Heat olive oil on medium in a saute pan, and add asparagus.  Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

4.  Add the mushrooms and saute for two minutes.

5.  Add tomatoes and garlic, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  

6.  Add the shrimp (I take the tails off of mine because I can't stand working for my food once it's placed in front of me), and the drained Soba noodles, and heat through.  

7.  Top each potion with a small amount of Parmesan cheese.  

I break this amount of pasta into four different servings.  I'm not huge on calorie counting so I apologize to anyone who wants to know calories, carbs, proteins, etc.  I eat whole foods, control potion sizes and workout like a maniac.  Depending on how my metabolism feels that day, I may eat more or less.  

What I LOVE about this recipe is how quickly it all comes together.  I buy pre-cooked shrimp, boil my pasta while I'm chopping everything else, toss ingredients in while I'm waiting for my pasta to be done, and by the time it's drained, I'm throwing my last couple of ingredients in, and heating the whole dish through.  Super easy, super healthy!  Enjoy!

Remember, pasta is good.  People who tell you that is not, are bad! <3