Easy as Peas. Well, peppers!

This is a great dish. I go for this version of stuffed bell peppers around this time of year and it never disapoints! If you are serving your family, having friends over or just want a great week's worth of dinner, this is the recipe for you. Simple and easy, this dish screams EAT ME!!!



Quinoa is a favorite in my house. The name “keen-wah” sounds adventurous and exotic to Americans, but this “mother grain” is a staple in many other cultures. Quinoa is low on the glycemic index and contains a complete protein, making it a great addition to anyone’s diet. Since Quinoa is new to a lot of people (including me). I was not sure how to integrate it into my cooking. Since adding this complete protein to my diet I have made enchiladas with quinoa and even cookies with quinoa flakes. For this recipe, I cooked my red quinoa in my rice cooker! The rice cooker makes this recipe even more simple and weeknight friendly. I had a large number of assorted peppers to use, so this recipe serves eight.

















RED QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS
2 cups red quinoa
4 cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions, both white and green parts diced
1/4 tsp salt
2 diced tomatoes
Dash of Italian seasoning
3 small fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 small fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 of a jalapeno to 1 whole jalapeno, chopped (depending on preference)
8 assorted bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup cilantro
1 bunch kale, chopped (I like the taste and texture of kale in this dish, however, another leafy green could be sub’d in like spinach)
Squeeze of lime juice


AVOCADO TOPPING
2 avocados
juice of one lime
salt to taste




















DIRECTIONS:
Prepare your bell peppers- Hollow out, cut the membranes from the peppers, and make sure they can stand upright. Place them in a 9 x 13 dish. I do not like my bell peppers pre-cooked. If you do, boil them for a few minutes. I prefer the texture of the peppers to be crisp-tender (and overall prep to be easier) so I do not precook my bell peppers. Cook the red quinoa. This was a no-brainer for me because I used pre-rinsed red quinoa and threw mine in the rice cooker. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over med. heat. Cook the onions for two to three minutes. Add the salt. Add the kale and wilt (will take just a few minutes). Mix in the cilantro, jalapeno, basil, and oregano. Squeeze with lime juice. Remove from heat. Add the red quinoa, diced tomatoes and mix until combined. Fill eight peppers! Cover the 9 x 13 dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. While the peppers are cooking, mash two avocados with a fork, squeeze lime juice over the top, and salt in a small bowl. Top with peppers with the avocado mixture or serve on the side.
Serves 8!

I am telling you, the aroma of these peppers will make you drool. If you want a crowd pleaser or even if you just want to pleaser yer self, go for it! This paired with a butternut squash soup and you have the most elegant dinner! Packed full of protein, veggies and vitamins, this dish is sure to fuel you everytime!

Hope this week was a good one! I know that I couldnt be happier to see the end of a stressful work week. Hope you all have a great weekend! See you Monday.

-Heather

Winter Blues?

Hey guys! I am totally not feelin this cold weather this morning. I gotta say. The cold weather paired with the holidays can be a dreadful combination when it comes to modivation and depression. I wish that it was the opposite but it is, what it is. When the going gets tough that's when you have to prove it to yourself that YOU are in control and YOU have the power to continue to make the right decisions, no matter what time of year it may be. I have been so busy with work and creative projects that my blog has not gotten the attention it deserves. I am sorry for this. I will admit that it is hard to work full time (and a part time job as well), play music, do Christmas shopping, crafts, workout AND write post worthy material for my blog. This however is going to change. It is that simple, all you have to do is make your mind up and stick to it. Like "I am going to work out three days a week no matter what." Or "I will eat at home Monday-Friday to save money and choose healthy options." Or "I will only have alcohol on Friday and Saturday and no more than two drinks both days." All of these things are doable during the winter and I am hear to reinterate that you too can make changes NOW and not wait for the New Year!

Top Ten Tips To Beat The Winter Blues
by Petrene Soames/ The Essence of Self Healing

Winter means shorter days, colder weather and for many people SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). This condition affects up to 6 percent of American adults and as many as 5 percent of children between 9 and 19 years old. At least another 10 to 20 percent of Americans are estimated to suffer from milder symptoms related to the changing seasons. Women, it appears, outnumber men four to one. SAD has been recognized and written about in medical reports and journals since 1845. So those winter blues are not just in our imagination. They are a very real condition.

The lack of light exposure in the winter or an imbalance in the amount of melatonin produced by the pineal gland are believed to date to be the cause of SAD. A common treatment for SAD is light therapy, a way to replace the sun and make the body think it's spring all year round. Light therapy may be an answer for some people. In fact the majority of SAD sufferers report positive benefits after sitting with open eyes quietly in front of 2,500- to 10,000-lux light boxes.

Not all of us suffer chronically with SAD, but we are all prone to overeat in the winter, and to feel seasonal related lows. Our bodies seem to crave carbohydrates, sweet, sugary and starchy foods. Could it be that we are comfort eating to feel good and compensate for light and sun or do we need more calories to keep our bodies warm? Although we are drawn to carbohydrates and even fattier foods in the winter, we can always choose hot tasty and satisfying foods like wholesome soups and include plenty of fresh fruit and veggies in our diet, which will give that feeling of bulk and supply essential nutrients. If fresh fruit and vegetables are difficult to find in your area in the winter months, frozen ones are the next best choice. There is a part of us that longs to hibernate during the winter months, to go to bed, to snuggle down in the covers and not wake up until spring. But life goes on and few of us are in the position to hibernate! It does make sense though to go with the flow and let our bodies have the extra sleep that they crave. And with adequate sleep, there is less chance of overeating.

Even if we are not always inspired or at our best during the cold months of winter, there is a lot we can do to stay creative, fresh, alive and happy.

Just follow these simple tips and beat the winter blues:


Wear layers of clothes rather than heavy pieces to avoid feeling weighed down.
Make the most of the season: wrap up and go for a brisk invigorating walk or try a winter sport. Adapt exercise routines to the winter conditions. Keep moving. Don't forget to keep your head covered when it's really cold. You can lose anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of body heat otherwise.

Learn something new. Start a hobby. Developing an interest in something new will make you feel good during those long winter months. Try to stay sociable and interact with family and friends.

Wear bright colors, even if everyone is wearing dark earthy tones. Color will give you a real lift. You might be surprised at how many of your friends and family will admire you for bringing color into your life and wardrobe. Who knows, you could start your own fashion statement and trends! Dare to be different, dare to be yourself!

Bring color into where you live. Paint a room with bright cheerful colors. Bring flowers into your home, fresh when possible, dried or even artificial ones when it's not. Surround yourself with beauty.

Take a few minutes for yourself and ask yourself: "Which color do I need?" Then, imagine you are bathing and floating in that color. Remember that it's not necessary to see the color in vivid details in your mind; just the basic outline and feeling, even using the name of it is enough. When ready, breathe the color deeply all through your body. This short exercise is guaranteed to make you feel great.

If the sun is not shinning where you are, visualize in your mind a beautiful sunny scene. Again, just the basic outline, feeling, or even thought is enough. Feel the warmth of a sunny day and breathe deeply those good feelings all through your body until you feel full.

Feed yourself a diet of positive news (avoid watching or reading horror, disasters, violence, crime, etc). Invite and allow love into your life. If you are alone, keep working on loving you and the rest will follow.

Use positive affirmations to lift your mood and keep you balanced and centered. Repeat firmly twice a day:

Say no to colds, flu and other winter illnesses. You don't have to be sick because of the season or others around you. So focus on positive words and positive thoughts, and decide to feel great this winter and all the other seasons.

I hope this helps you stay clear of any blue feelings this holiday season, lets spread some good cheer and make it a great one! Tootles!

Healthy Holiday Tips and Substitutions

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! Todays post will be devoted to healthy subsitutions for your holiday eats! I have a ton of tips to get you through the cold weather, fatty foods and lack there of modivation. Join me this season and dont follow the crowd!



























Healthy Holiday Eating Tips:

Do you know that the average Christmas dinner has over 2000 calories? It can be a real challenge if you are watching your waistline. The following are some eating tips so that you can still look good and be healthy after the Christmas dinner without having to deprive yourself.
Healthy Holiday Eating Tips. If you are a guest or a host!

Don't go to the Christmas dinner hungry: we often eat faster and more when we are hungry - therefore eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on the day to avoid overeating at dinner time.

Christmas dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly and stop when you are full.

Turkey - go skinless: choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.

Side Dishes - watch your portion size: go for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.

Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: high fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again moderation is the key.

Drink plenty of water: alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink calorie-free water to help fill up your stomach and keep you hydrated.

If you are the honorable chef of a Christmas dinner:

Substitute high fat ingredients with lower-fat or fat-free ingredients. Learn about the 5 easy steps to recipe substitutions or see table below.

Leftover Turkey? Instead of turkey sandwiches, use the leftover turkey to make a pot of soup with fresh chunky vegetables.
Experiment with new recipes: I did a search on Google and found numerous delicious yet healthy low-fat contemporary Thanksgiving recipes. Experiment!

Healthy Holiday Recipe Substitution Tips
Recipe calls for...
Substitutions:

1 whole egg -2 egg whites
sour cream- low fat plain yogurt or low fat sour cream
milk-skim or 1% milk
ice cream-frozen yogurt
heavy cream (not for whipping)- Nutriwhip
cheese- low-fat cheese (please note: non-fat cheese does not melt well if use in cooking or baking)
butter- light butter (light smart balance)
cream of mushroom- fat-free cream of mushroom

Hope this short post helps! I will be back with MUCH more news and reviews Monday! Enjoy this glorious weekend! You deserve it!

See you Monday!
-Heather