Curried Tuna Salad

Coconut Curry Tuna Salad

Ingredients: makes 2 large sandwiches

5 oz package of Albacore White Tuna ( packed in water)
2 TBS pure coconut milk from the can ( I don't use mayo..use mayo if you like it)
1/4 TSP curry powder
2 TBS chopped cabbage
1 TBS red onion
1/8 TBS cinnamon
1/4 cider vinegar or white vinegar
1 TBS cilantro
1 heaping TBS of dijon mustard
Dash of Herbamare ( this is a salt seasoning) omit and just season to taste if you don't have it!
some grapes about 5-6 cut up in pieces (omit if you don't like grapes)  I like the sweetness

Basic ingredients

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and put on GF bread.  OR your regular bread.

I like mine wrapped up in red cabbage or green cabbage leaves.  This is my healthier alternative.  My husband likes his bread, so he gets his on bread.  He is so picky and loves this sandwich.


Ok people, don't let all the ingredients deter you!  If you don't have cinnamon, leave it out, if you don't have the vinegar, leave it out, or Herbamare, leave it out.  It will taste just as good.  If you only have Mayo, try it with that instead of coconut milk.  You don't have to use the exact ingredients for this to turn out good.  Just make sure you use the curry powder, that's the key ingredient here.

***   Go ahead and serve it up Lizzy Style on some cabbage leaves or lettuce leaves.  To stay lean and healthy, I like omitting bread, and processed food from my diet.  This is the secret weapon to staying slim, trim, and energetic!

 

Lizzy Style!

Why I love Coconut Milk

Also,  for those of you that are wondering why coconut milk?  It is high in fat right?  Yes.  This fat is so good for our bodies.  I use coconut milk in place of cream or milk in tons of recipes.  Eaten in moderate quantities, this fat helps maintain blood sugar and helps with inflammation in joints.

• Coconut milk is a medium chain fat which means our bodies can convert the fat to energy rather than storing it as fat on your body
• Our bodies can metabolize this "good" fat efficiently 
• Coconuts are high in Lauric Acid which helps our  immune system.
• Lauric Acid has antiviral and antibacterial properties that help our bodies fight infection and illness.

Easy Breakfast Frittata ( a.k.a Breakfast pizza)

Breakfast Pizza

Looking for a quick and healthy breakfast?  We start our days off around here with lots of good  healthy stuff.  This egg and sausage frittata is so quick and easy you can make it during the week before work and school.

Ingredients: feeds 4-5

5-6  eggs
4-5 links  (pre cooked sausage) I use *Applegate Farms Chicken & Maple
salt and pepper to taste

*for fluffier frittata whisk in about 2-3 TBS milk, I omit dairy when ever I can, healthier!

*Applegate Farms uses no chemical fillers or preservatives.

It's so easy you will make this over and over and add all your favorite ingredients.  Leftovers make a great snack too!


Turn oven to high broil

 Spray pan with non stick spray, whisk in pan all the eggs, add the cut up pre cooked sausage, season with salt and pepper.  Let it cook on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes( do not stir or you get scrambled eggs) till it looks like it's firming up on the bottom.  Transfer the pan to the oven under the broiler and let it cook the top till firm.  It starts to brown on top and it doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan.  This takes only a few minutes or less.  I keep my oven door cracked to make sure not to over cook it!

(You can add cheese to the top if you like cheese.)  I omit this most of the time...healthier!

You can add a variety of things to this versatile dish.  If it were just for me I would add tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, spinach, or green chilies.  I like some spice in my life. :)

This is so quick and easy.  My kids gobble it down before school.  This is a really healthy start to your day without the refined sugar of most processed boxed cereals.  I serve it up with a antioxidant rich fruit smoothie.

Frittata under the broiler

Look Mom!

Yummy!

Oh so good!

Thanks Mom!  I love my " breakfast pizza"!

I really feel good sending my kids to school with a protein packed breakfast instead of sugary cereal.  This helps keep their blood sugar stable throughout the morning.   Protein is a great way to start the day.   Helps you focus, keeps you from craving carb loaded sugary snacks too! We need all the help we can get around here!

Protein benefit: The body uses protein to build and repair tissue, make hormones, enzymes, and is a building block for muscles, and our skin.   There are many ways to get your protein outside of animal products such as veggies, nuts, and seeds.  More on that in another blog.

Sedona, we came, we saw, and we conquered.

We were so excited our friends Jan & Jason invited us to Sedona.  I did a cartwheel like a little girl when my Mom and Dad said they would come up to Durango to watch the kids while we went off for an adult s only weekend.  Time away from the kids is scarce these days.  So off we went excited as little kids trick or treating on Halloween!

We have never been to Sedona.  I always heard it was pretty from various people.  Well, I'll just go ahead and let you know "they" were so right.  I was expecting brown and dry but was pleasantly surprised by the trees and beauty all around.  It is a great little town with lots of out  door activities.   We did a helicopter tour that was awesome.  Again, excited as a kid trick or treating who just got a king size Reeses peanut butter cup instead of the popcorn ball.  Woo-hoo! off we went into the clear blue sky.

We hopped in and took off and in 20 minutes you can see tons of the rocky mountains with scrub oak starting to change it's color.  It was quite stunning,

We were able to copter right up to some ancient ruins that you can not get to by foot.  That was pretty amazing to see.  If you are ever in Sedona, the helicopter tour is a must do.  It only takes about an hour turn key.  That frees you up for the rest of the day.










 See the fall colors.  It was so beautiful.

see the ruins? It's the little holes in the rock.  People used to live in those holes.  Glad
I was born in the 20th century.

Here is a closer look at the ruins

After our helicopter ride we went for a hike.  Rather, it was some rock climbing I wasn't prepared for.  All I was thinking inside my head was... when are we going to have bloody marys?  This is supposed to be relaxing right?

Our hiking adventure..see those rocks...yes you gotta climb them.

Ok as far as food goes there is some yummy places to eat.  We ate to much good food while we were there but what else is new.  If you know me, that is par for the course!.  I really liked a place called Cucina Rustica.  I am going to have to recreate the dish I had there and put it up on the blog soon.  I was the best thing I've had in a while.  Raddichio stuffed with mozzarella cheese, spread with fig marmalade, rolled up and wrapped with prosciutto then grilled and drizzled with Balsamic reduction.  The sweet and savory together were fabulous!  I'm going to make this and see how I can tweak it!   So stay tuned for the recipe!

Also,  this little concoction is a key lime martini.  I have no idea what is in it but I'm gonna play around to figure it out.  I'll have to do a Lizzy number on it to make it more healthy cause I'm positive it was as calorie laden as a real piece of key lime pie.  It was like a meal but it was so good.  It had graham cracker crumbs on the outside of the rim and was rich and frothy.  It truly tasted like a key lime pie...in a glass.  I strongly advise to have it for dessert not as a before dinner drink like I did.  I drank that, then had wine with dinner...not the smartest thing I've ever done.   I should have asked what was in it before I let the bartender talk me into it!  

   Thanks to Jan & Jason for a wonderful weekend! I'm so glad we got to go and explore Sedona!

 Most of all, I'm so glad all 3 of our kids were alive when we got home.  Thanks to Mom, Dad, Aunt Mickey, & Uncle Lee for taking care of the kiddos.  ***( I think my mom was scared to come alone, she was out numbered)***

Tangy Tomatillo Salsa...Ole`!

Tomatillo Salsa

This salsa will have everyone coming back for more.  It is tangy and slightly sweet with a little kick of heat.

Tomatillo Salsa ingredients:

• 4-5 fresh peeled tomatillos ( meaning the husk surrounding them)
• 1-2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2-3 large fresh jalapenos
• * start with 2 see how spicy it is.  You can always add more heat but you can't dilute it*
•  Chicken Stock  about 1 cup +  of reduced sodium stock  ( add more if it evaporates but not too much, you don't want soupy salsa!) 
• Cilantro ( about a handful or 1/4 cup full.
• 1 TBS honey
• salt to taste

First. cut the tomatillos and put them in a pan with the chicken stock.  Let them simmer for about 10 minutes or so till soft.  Make sure the liquid doesn't evaporate!   

Add all the ingredients to the blender.  Pulse till smooth.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.  Serve with tortilla chips.  I personally eat this stuff on everything.  It is a great topping for your morning breakfast burrito or scrambled eggs.  I can eat it with a spoon...yes just like soup.  I serve it slightly warm.  It's the bomb! 

Go ahead and try it, you know you want to!

Simmer till tender and soft

Add to blender with jalapenos and cilantro.

See my fabulous Vita Mix! Love it!
just pulse till smooth.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.  

Cassidy & Jan being awesome, eating salsa!

Our antioxidant protein power blast morning get up & go!

PEANUT BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, BANANA POWER SMOOTHIE!

 This is how we start off our mornings around here.  I have one child that really doesn't eat veggies so I figured out how to slip them in to our morning smoothie.  They all beg for this everyday!

You will never guess what is hidden.  Since my little Clayton will not eat one thing green unless it's an apple, I hide spinach in this smoothie.  You can't detect it at all.  I also load it with other powerful antioxidants such as blueberries.  All you taste is banana, chocolate, and peanut butter.  The Peanut butter and almond milk give it a boost of protein to start our day and help keep blood sugar steady so we do not have that morning crash.

Helpful tips:  I keep a bag of frozen bananas already cut up and ready to go in my freezer.  I also keep a bag of fresh organic  spinach leaves in the freezer.  They freeze great.  DO NOT use already frozen spinach from a box.

Smoothie ingredients: makes about 3 cups

• 2 bananas ( I use frozen bananas because it makes the smoothie stay cold)
• 1/2 cup or more frozen blueberries
• hand full frozen spinach ( of fresh)  whatever you have on hand
• 2  heaping TBS Peanut Butter ( I use Natural not the kind loaded with sugar and hydrogenated oils)
• 1 heaping TBS Pure Coco powder ( no sugar is in this)
• few drops of Stevia ( you can use sugar if you like.  I try to stay away from sugar)
• 3 cups of Almond Milk ( use regular cow milk if thats what you like)  

Throw all the ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth.

Yes, the smoothie has a purple color but it taste awesome!  Trust me when I say my pickiest eater drinks this up!

 I have a Vita Mix blender.  It blends frozen things better than anything I've ever seen.  It's well worth the money to get one.)

Also, if you have whole peanuts on hand, you can just throw about 1/2 cup of whole peanuts in and the Vita Mix blender will blend them into the smoothie with ease.  Add more nuts if you want more pea-nutty taste.


Why Stevia?
Stevia is a all natural sweetner that is derived from a plant.  The Stevia plant is an herb that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar.  I use the liquid kind and since it is so potent, I only use a few drops at a time.  I like this substitute because of it's very low glycemic index, zero calories, it's all natural, and helps keep blood sugar stable.

Why Peanuts? Here is some great information that might help you to choose Peanuts.  They are a great source of powerful antioxidants that our bodies need to ward off disease.

• Peanuts are rich in mono-unsaturated fats.  These fats are what our bodies need for energy.  
• Peanuts are high in Oleic acid, helps lower bad cholesterol ( LDL) 
• Good Source of protein
• Quality amino acids
• They have poly-phenolic anti-oxidants which help protect our bodies from cancers
• They contain Resveratrol which is another powerful anti-oxidant
• Source of vitamin E
• Peanuts have folates, vitamin E, B- complex, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin
• Rich in Minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc

****anti-oxidants are what keep our bodies safe from degenerative disease such as cancers. This is why I try to feed my children anti oxidant- rich foods everyday!  Dairy products & meat, do not contain the phyto nutrients and antioxidants that plants, nuts, &  seeds contain.

I've only listed some of the great properties of peanuts.  Look it up and you will see other great facts about them.


Hope you enjoy your smoothie!

All my frozen fruit and spinach all bagged up and ready to go!

Plain coco powder

Ready to blend it up

You can add the whip cream if you like.  

Makes enough for all 3 kids.  I spoil them a bit by putting a bit of whip cream and sprinkles on top.  I don't do whip cream every day but sometimes it's just fun!  I know they are starting their day off with healthy nutrition that takes a few minutes each morning.

My pickiest eater on the planet drinks this down.  I feel good about giving him this anti-oxidant  and phyto-nutrient rich drink!

Left Over Rib Wraps!

Oh my gosh!  I was so glad I made enough Asian Ribs last night to make these tasty wraps tonight.  Seriously, my husband is not a fan of leftovers but tonight he gobbled it up.  So did the kids.

I pulled out my George Foreman grill and went to town.  If you don't have a GF grill, you should! Oh my I use it all the time.  Otherwise you could use a pan and spatula to grill the tortilla wrap.

First I heated up the leftover rib meat that I had pulled off the bone.

Wrap ingredients:
rib meat
wholegrain or  flour tortillas ( or GF brown rice tortillas)
white cheddar (I use Horizon Organic White Cheddar Slices)
lettuce leaf ( I used red leaf that I had on hand)
Peanut sauce ( I made yesterday for my Asian salad recipe below)
** You can also use pre-made dressing from a jar.  I just personally like homeade.

Spread the peanut sauce on the tortilla, lay a piece of cheese, lettuce, then the rib meat.
Roll it all up and tuck in the sides and stick it on the grill...or pan till its heated and the tortilla is a bit crispy to the touch.

All wrapped up and ready to go!

I served this with some peanut coleslaw and steamed green beans topped with honey roasted peanuts.

I just steam the green beans and drizzle about a TBS of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

The coleslaw is so easy.  I used already cut cabbage.  Toss it in a bowl and mix with my dressing.

Asain Dressing: makes about 1/2 cup.  Or make extra like I do so you have it on hand.  Just double the recipe and it keeps for about 5 days in an air tight container in the refridgerator.

Peanut Dressing:

1/4 cup Natural Peanut butter

1 TBS rice vinegar

1 TBS Tamari ( soy sauce)

1 small clove of garlic (pressed or minced)

1/8 TSP powdered ginger ( or use fresh)

1 TBS honey

2 TBS unsweetened coconut milk. 

juice of half a lime

*** I put a few drops of liquid STEVIA in the dressing to sweeten it up without the calories of table sugar.  It is a great nautral no calorie sweetner.  

* I like to use my little magic bullet to blend this all together.  Use can hand whisk but blending it makes it more creamy.

Pour enough of the dressing on the cabbage, mix it up and "BAM!" Asian slaw even the kids will love.

(I used this Peanut dressing to spread on the tortillas for the wraps.) 

OK now, since I try to stay away from Gluten, I used lettuce for my wrap.  If you want to stay away from processed foods, this is the way to go!  Go ahead and try it out.  It's so much better for you.  My daughter told me she had already had enough salad today so she wanted the tortilla.  She cracks me up!

This is my GF (gluten free) alternative.  TASTY!  I love veggies so this was a great dinner for me.

Steven and his veggies.  

Ava enjoying her wrap.

Here is Clayton.  He just got home from DEVO, his mountain biking program.  He showered and came to eat in his towel.  He was so ready for dinner he didn't want to waste any time getting dressed first.  I'm still trying to get this one to eat veggies.  This is a hard nut to crack.

 This took no time to make.  Think about cooking extra of anything you want and turn it into something easy for the next meal.  It makes those nights with little time a chinch!  We are all so busy shuttling kids around it's often easy to grab fast food and unhealthy choices.  You will not have to do that if you just plan ahead.  It's so simple.  Serve it up... fast, simple, and healthy....Lizzy style!

I hope you give it a try!