Tiramisu

This recipe comes from the always amazing Giada De Laurentiis. I love Tiramisu and Giada knows how to make it right. 

Here are the ingredients you need to buy from Trader Joe's:

1/2 Dozen of Cage Free Large Brown Eggs (use just the yolks)

2 containers of Mascarpone cheese

1 1/2 cups of cold strong espresso (made from TJ's Ground Espresso Blend)

3 tablespoons of Organic Coconut Sugar 

2 packages of Soft Lady Fingers

1/2 cup of 70% Dark Cacao Chocolate (shaved finely)

You'll also need to buy Dark Rum from a liquor store. Trader Joe's doesn't make rum yet.

Directions:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/tiramisu-recipe.html

The Easiest Meal I've Ever Made!

I was inspired by an article I read on the U.S. News website by Liz DiAlto, a fitness and lifestyle coach. She writes about why you can't rely on willpower to eat healthy or workout. You have to keep it simple and enjoy it, or it won't happen. So, I went on a quest to find the easiest, most delicious meal I could possibly make. This meal took me less than 5 minutes to make and it is SO YUMMY.

A roasted chicken patty topped with melted brie and drizzled with honey may be my new favorite meal. On the side, I sauteed some organic baby chard, spinach and kale (Power to the Greens) in olive oil with lemon pepper salt seasoning. This is another 100% Trader Joe's meal. I can't help it! Shopping anywhere else for groceries is just plain silly! The trick to this meal's simplicity is the roasted chicken patty. It's precooked, lean and high in protein. I hate handling raw chicken and I always overcook it. The patty is a little more expensive than buying and cooking your own chicken, but it's so much easier to make and that's what is going to help me stick to my diet!

In total, the meal is 350 calories! It's perfect to make after a long day at work and the brie/honey combo makes it seem slightly sinful. ;-)

Healthy Eats by Cow Harbor

My dad took my brother and I boating on Monday. He's a member of Freedom Boat Club and usually takes boats out of the Britannia Yachting Center in Northport. Before we hopped on the boat, we stopped at The Purple Elephant to grab some lunch to bring with us. Most marinas have a deli or seafood joint nearby, and those don't always have the healthiest options. It's either high calorie bread piled with high sodium deli meat or fried crustaceans with butter. I was so excited to find out that The Purple Elephant specializes in whole, clean foods! 

It was very difficult to possess self control at their counter, because I wanted to try everything! We ended up getting a bison burger, tabbouleh, baked chicken, vegan taquitos, black bean salad, and 3 young coconuts to go. This was my first experience with young coconuts and I will definitely be picking some up again on a hot, sunny day this summer. They gave us the young coconuts with a hole cut in the top so we could drink the water inside and then eat the pulp with a spoon. It was so refreshing! Coconut water from a bottle is no where close to as delicious! Everything else we got was amazing. I will definitely be back to try the Mexican meatloaf and the chicken salad. I saw that they have vegan chicken wings, which freak me out a little bit (to be honest). If you want to eat off a bone, then you probably shouldn't be a vegan. But, I'm determined to try them one day! 

The Purple Elephant has something for everyone! They have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options (like those weird chicken wings). Also, they only use wild game, local and sustainable seafood, grass-fed meats, and D'artagnan poultry. It looks like they put daily specials up on their website, which is another thing I love. I hate stagnant menus. They should at least change with the seasons as do quality food supplies. They also sell cold-pressed juices if you want to try a juice cleanse and support a local business.

One of the other things that is great about The Purple Elephant is that they use LevelUp. It's a POS system that allows customers to pay through an app on their phone. I love small businesses that embrace new technology! I geek out whenever I see a small business that uses Square, too. It's sad that a lot of small businesses don't know about these great options that are more efficient and cheaper than old-school POS systems.

So, if you're near Northport and looking for a guilt-free, flavorful, quick meal, go to The Purple Elephant. You can even dine outdoors on their harbor-side deck!

2 Eggs & Quinoa Toast

One of the greatest joys in life is soaking up a runny yoke with a piece of toast. I love eggs over easy, but it's just not the same without toast. Trying to cut grains from your diet is no easy feat. I've been searching high and low for a grain-free bread that doesn't taste like cardboard. I failed, but recently discovered quinoa bread at Trader Joe's. Although it is a grain, quinoa doesn't bloat you like wheat. And, quinoa is high in protein, so there's that added benefit. I have finally found a bread that is healthy and delicious!

And, while we are talking about eggs, please buy free-range, organic eggs!!! Besides the health benefits of eating eggs produced by hormone-free chickens, it's the right thing to do. I went to school in Virginia and came across countless chicken trucks on the highway. It is so sad to see all of those chickens crammed together. I can't morally support animal cruelty. Free-range, organic eggs are just one of those things that I splurge on to feel better about myself. I like to think they taste better, too!

Creamy Raspberry Breakfast Smoothie

Happy New Year! It's time to reset your body and detox!

I love a good smoothie for breakfast! I've been experimenting with different types of fruits, sweeteners, and milks. This is one of my favorites. It's made with goat's milk, organic raspberries, and Truvia. I made it using my new Cuisinart Smart Stick that I got for Christmas. It's a hand blender and so much easier to use/clean than a standard blender.

Goat's milk is new for me. I prefer the taste of cow milk or soy milk, but goat's milk is much easier on my sensitive stomach. Here are five reasons why goat's milk is better than cow's milk:

1. Goat's milk is less allergenic due to low levels of Caesin.
2. Goat's milk is naturally homogenized (no cancer-causing DNA mutations).
3. Goat's milk is easier to digest.
4. Goat's milk rarely causes lactose intolerance.
5. Goat's milk matches up to the human body better than cow's milk.

(Source: Mt. Capra)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup - goat's milk
1/2 cup - frozen, organic raspberries
2 packets - Truvia

Put it all together and BLEND!!!!

I bought the goat's milk and frozen raspberries from Trader Joe's and the Truvia packets from ShopRite.

Here's the nutritional breakdown for this meal:

7g of fat
20g of carbs
4g of fiber
6g of protein

***4 POINTS***

This should hold you over until lunch and energize you for the day! It's quick and refreshing!

How to Eat Pasta

When you are on a diet, pasta is the enemy. But, every once in a while, it's ok to have a bowl of pasta. There are healthy choices that you can make so that you can indulge and not feel too guilty about your carb craving. 

Pick a pasta made with a non-grain flour that possesses other health benefits like high fiber or high protein. My favorite healthy pasta is Ancient Harvest Quinoa Elbows. This pasta is gluten-free, non-GMO and organic. It's made with a combination of corn flour and quinoa flour. Quinoa is a carbohydrate, but it is not a true grain. It is a seed and has a higher protein count than most grains. Choosing the right pasta is the most important decision to make when you are craving a bowl. Portion control is also very important. For this recipe, I use two ounces of dry pasta per serving. There are four servings per box of Ancient Harvest Quinoa Elbows and I don't like to measure every time I eat, so I open the box and split it equally between four Ziploc bags.

As an Italian, I believe the second most important factor is the sauce. When choosing a sauce, look for something low in fat and low in carbs. I prefer my dad's homemade sauce, but I have not been able to master it myself quite yet. Homemade sauce takes time and makes a mess. Unfortunately, 99.9% of jarred marinara sauce found in grocery stores tastes artificial. That's because the ingredients on the label contain words that are difficult to pronounce. Only one type of jarred marinara sauce has my seal of approval and that's Victoria Marinara Sauce. It's the only brand I will eat because the ingredients are simple and perfect! I buy it in bulk at Costco or ShopRite when I see it on sale. It is pricier than other jarred sauces, but you get what you pay for. I use a half cup of marinara sauce and like to add more flavor by adding a tablespoon of dried red bell pepper flakes before heating. I buy red bell pepper flakes in bulk from SpiceBarn.com. They are great for adding a mild pepper flavor to tomato sauce, omelettes and roasted veggies. I love the taste of pepper, but am not a big fan of spicy foods. These flakes are awesome!

Lastly, you have to pick the right type of grated cheese. In my mind, there's only one type of grated cheese allowed on pasta. It's Locatelli Pecorino Romano. Not only is it delicious, but it's lower in calories and fat than most other grated cheeses. I use two tablespoons on my pasta, but most people like to use only one. Locatelli cheese can be expensive, so keep an eye out for when it's on sale or mislabeled (this happens more frequently than you would think).

Here's the breakdown of nutritional information for this meal:

8g of fat
54g of carbs
5g of fiber
8g of protein

***8 POINTS***

This is not a low-carb meal! But, the carbs in quinoa will react much better with your body than carbs from grains. Read more here.