Sausage, Pepper and Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients list for the Sausage, Pepper and Cauliflower

Fried Rice

• 1/2 cauliflower head, cut into small florets
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 9 ounces smoked sausage, sliced (not ground sausage)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. In a food processor, reduce cauliflower florets to a rice consistency, then nuke for 7 minutes in the microwave with 2 tablespoons water. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

3. In the same skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the peppers and onion, and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add about 1/2 cup of chicken broth and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer for 1 minute, then add the paprika and cayenne.

4. Stir in the cooked cauliflower rice and sausage until combined. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy!

https://www.eatwell101.com/cauliflower-fried-rice-skillet-recipe



Chocolate Cake With Avocado

How to Make Chocolate Cake With Avocado Instead of Eggs and Butter
Ingredients:
For the cake:
As soon as you try this tasty vegan chocolate cake, you will never want the try another one again!


It is light, with a silky smooth frosting, and rich in chocolate and healthy fats. When it comes to avocados, you have probably heard about their amazing health benefits, but we can say a few words once more:
These fruits have an impressive nutritional value, as they are abundant in minerals and vitamins, including:

• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B9
• Vitamin E
• Phosphorus
• Iron
• Zinc
• Manganese

An interesting fact is that avocados are even richer in potassium than bananas, having: 14% potassium

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed until smooth
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup olive  oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (HHL advises to switch to rice or coconut flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 5 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 2 cups sucanat sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

For the frosting

• 2 ripe avocados, mashed until smooth
• 5 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 cups sugar (HHL advises 1/3 cup of Monk fruit sugar)

Method of preparation:
You should preheat the oven to 350, and grease and flour two 9” round cake pans.
Then, whisk the flour,  cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk olive oil and the white vinegar, avocado, water, and vanilla extract. As soon as they a combined, add the sucanat sugar.
Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and stir well. Next, divide the mixture evenly between cake pans, and bake. After half an hour, check for doneness.
Afterward, leave the cakes to cool in the pans, and take them out after 15 minutes to be completely cold. Add a frosting layer on the first cake layer, and then top the second one.
In the end, pour the remaining frosting to the top of the entire cake.

Loaded Sweet Potato (Healthy)

By: Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN; Reboot Nutritionist

Potatoes are one of my all time, absolute, most favorite foods! What’s my guilty pleasure and number one food craving? It’s potato in almost any form. I’d pass on chocolate for a serving of salty sweet potato fries any day. And while these carb-filled gems are often seen as sabotage for health goals and likened to sugar-sweetened beverages, rest assured, they’re better for you than you may think. In fact, both white potatoes and sweet potatoes have merit; read more here in The Battle of Potatoes.
This week I decided to take a spin on a classic appetizer, loaded potatoes. While traditionally these are filled with added oils, fatty cheese, sour cream, processed meats and other nutrition no-nos, I went “Reboot-style” on mine for a fresh and healthy take that doesn’t compromise flavor or pleasure one bit!
There are substitutions and options listed below for all types of veggie-lovers. And for those who aren’t big veggie fans, this is a great way to get more of the good stuff into your diet.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients, like antioxidant-based vitamin A, beta-carotene and other carotenoids credited with helping reduce cancer risk, preserving vision with age and keeping the immune system strong. Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of fiber with 4 grams in one medium, baked sweet potato with skin–that’s about 15% of your daily needs. Electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium can also be found in this veggie.
Load up your sweet potato with more plant-based goodness. I topped mine to make it just right for “Taco-Tuesday,” with black beans, red pepper, salsa, tomato, onions, garlic, avocado and fresh herbs. Feel free to swap in other types of beans, nuts/seeds, veggies and herbs of your choice for any flavor or flair. If you include dairy in your diet, a pinch of cheese from a clean source is a nice touch but measure out to keep it to about 1 ounce per potato. Salsa is a great low-calorie, nutrient-rich swap for sour cream. And don’t be alarmed by the size of the potato in the picture… it is organic and did feed my entire family of 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• ½ cup cooked black beans
• ½ red pepper, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp scallions, chopped
• 2 large kale leaves, chopped
• ½ avocado, diced
• ½ tomato, diced
• ¼ cup salsa
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chipotle powder
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (200 degrees C)
2. Wash sweet potato and stab with a fork once or twice
3. When oven is hot, place sweet potato, whole, on rack to bake for about an hour, until soft in the middle
4. While sweet potato is cooking, wash and chop other veggies well. Drain and rinse black beans from BPA-free can or use ones that you soaked and cooked from dry
5. Once potato is cooked, cut in half and let cool a bit
6. Mix beans, tomato, pepper, onion together in a bowl and add spices, stirring to coat veggies
7. Top potato with beans and veggie mixture
8. Garnish with scallions and salsa. Top with diced avocado

Substitutions:

Sweet potato: Yam, white potato
Black beans: lentils, chick peas, pinto or other beans
Red pepper: green/orange/yellow pepper, eggplant, mushrooms
Onion: leeks
Scallion: leeks
Chipotle Spice: cayenne pepper or cracked red pepper flakes
Avocado: parsley
Salsa: Another type of salsa like verde or mango, hot sauce, cashew cream
Kale: spinach, Swiss chard
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 75 minutes
Servings: 2 

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/loaded-stuffed-sweet-potatoes/

2 Healthy Snacks to Appease Your Sweet Tooth

Fruit Leathers:
Ingredients:
4 cups diced fresh fruit, mango or strawberry, or a combination of both (That's it! No sugar, just 100% fruit)

Preheat the oven to 170°F.

In a food processor or blender, blend the fruit until it becomes a puree. 

Spread the mixture evenly onto a silpat-lined baking sheet.  It's very important to try to spread the fruit puree as evenly as possible, for even baking and easy rolling up. If you don't have a silpat, parchment paper will work, too.

Bake in 170°F oven for 3 hours, or until the fruit is dried out and no longer wet or sticky to the touch. Allow the dried fruit to cool.

Cut a piece of wax paper that is the same size as the rectangle of dried fruit. Lay the wax paper on top of the dried fruit, flip the silpat over, and remove it from the fruit, leaving the dried fruit on the wax paper.

Lengthwise, using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knice, cut strips of the dried fruit on wax paper. Cut the strips in any width you like.  Roll up each strip, and you have your homemade fruit roll up.

Store in an air tight container for up to a week.

 

    

Hot Chocolate:
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
1 can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (from a can, no sugar added, 100% pumpkin)
2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice

In a high-powered blender, preferably a Vitamix, combine all of the ingredients for the hot chocolate.

Transfer the mixture to a small pot and heat on the stove until hot warmed through, but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Last Updated: 4/16/2014


http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/recipe-rehab-two-healthy-snacks-to-curb-your-sweet-tooth/?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20151101

Protein bites

One cup peanut butter one cup of flax seed (grounded), 3/4 cup of honey and 1/2 cup dark chocolate bits. Mix together and shape into
Balls. No baking needed!!

Mediterranean Diet Month

Pompeian

May is National Mediterranean Diet Month! This diet was found to reduce the risk of heart disease, like stroke and heart attacks, by 30% and is much more effective than a low-fat diet in improving heart health for people at risk of cardiovascular disease. Help us celebrate by incorporating lots of fruits, veggies, fish and a moderate amount of olive oil into the food you eat every day.