Spaghetti Squash

 3 reasons why I substitute flour noodles with Spagueti Squash

1. Spaghetti squash helps me to restrict my caloric intake. It helps fill up my plate without adding lots of calories. Each cup of the cooked squash contains only 42 calories. Substituting a cup of squash in place of pasta saves me 179 calories.
2. Consuming spaghetti squash also boosts my intake of important vitamins and minerals. One cup of squash contains 170 international units of vitamin A. The squash also contains several B vitamins, as well as vitamins C, E and K. In addition, spaghetti squash provides a source of the essential minerals calcium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. According to Journal of Environmental Science and Health, report that the flavonoids (molecules) found in plant foodsworks with vitamins and minerals (as spaghetti squash) play a role in protecting the body from cancer.
3. Spaghetti Squash is one of my favorite vegetable because it has a good taste to it and it’s easy to incorporate into my diet. I like to eat spaghetti squash noodles with alfredo sauce, spaghetti sauce, stuff it with vegetables and make lo mein with it.

Here is the easy way to prepare Spaghetti Squash noodles:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise.
3. Scoop out seeds; discard.
4. Pour 2 cups of water in a baking bowl and place the spaghetti squash in it with the cut side down, bake 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven.
5.  Remove squash from oven and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled. Use a fork to scoop and separate squash strands; add any other ingredients or sauce you like.

Healthy Frozen Mint Chocolate Chips, made with Spinach and Avocado!

Ingredients:
-2/3 cup almond milk or milk of your choice
-A hand full of organic spinach
-A slice of avocado
-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract organic
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cup ice
-1-2 tablespoons 100 % maple syrup
-1/4 chocolate chips ( I use EnjoyLife mini chips )
-Optional- 1 scoop of protein supplements

*Put all ingredients in a blender except the chocolate chips, blend until everything is mixed. Serve and add the chocolate chips. Enjoy!

🔹Creamy Scallop and Mushroom Sauce with Quinoa Penne Pasta!
August is our anniversary month and every week of this month my husband and I will have a date in our kitchen. Together, we will plan and prepare our romantic dinners.
We had our second date this past weekend. We decided to make scallops in a rich and creamy sauce over healthy quinoa pasta accompanied with a little Pinot Grigio and John Legend music. Wrapped Scallops was one of the first meals that my husband cooked for me. That is why we wanted to incorporate them into this romantic date. We had so much fun preparing and eating this perfectly delicious dinner that now we would like to share it with you. You are going to love this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 cup unsweetened almond milk,
2 tablespoons organic cream cheese
2 tablespoons spelt flour
½ dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ red pepper, crushed
Sea salt to taste
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
½ red pepper, chopped
½ pound wild caught scallops (you can substitute for wild caught shrimp)
1- 8oz box quinoa penne pasta (I use Ancient Harvest gluten free quinoa penne pasta)

Preparation:
1. In a large skillet, sauté coconut oil and garlic for 1 min.
2. Add almond milk, cream cheese, spelt flour, thyme, oregano, crushed red pepper and sea salt. Stir occasionally, cover and let simmer for 2min.
3. Add into the skillet mushrooms, red pepper and scallops and cook over medium for 8-10 min. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
4. Cook ¾ of the of penne pasta following the box directions.
5. Serve the scallop sauce over the pasta. Enjoy!

My breakfast today was delicious, easy and nutritious.

Organic, Almond butter, Flaxseed and Fruit over Sprouted Raisin English Muffins:

Raisins- are good for treating anemia, fever, constipation, diabetes, preventing cancer, helping in the formation of bones, the absorption of calcium and more.

Almond Butter – from this I’m getting some of the antioxidants, magnesium, and protein that my body will need during the day. Have I told you that almonds are among the world’s best sources of vitamin E? Vitamin E is very good for preventing cancer and Alzheimers.

Bananas- with this delicious fruit I’m getting potassium, fiber, iron, vitamins C, B6 and A.

Strawberries- from these I’m getting more magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and antioxidants. Also, strawberries are good for the heart and they help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Because of the antioxidants that they contain they will help my body in protecting it from cancer and other sickness too.

Flaxseed is thought to prevent the growth of cancerous cells because its omega-3 fatty acids disrupt malignant cells from clinging to other body cells. In addition, the lignans in flaxseed have antiangiogenic properties - they stop tumors from forming new blood vessels.

You should try this nutritious breakfast, it’s sooo good. You and your body will love it!

Vitamin Water!

By http://juicing-for-health.com/make-your-own-vitamin-water.h…

1. Cut fruits of choice
2. Tear some mint or basil leaves, or rosemary
3. A pinch of natural sea salt for its minerals (optional)
4. Put all the above into mason jar
5. Use the food pusher from your juicer to crush the fruits gently to release the vitamins/enzymes into the water
6. Add pure drinking water
7. Close lid tight and refrigerate overnight
8. Drink within 48 hours

SALSA MARINARA, homemade and fresh. No preservatives, additives or hydrogenated oils. This sauce is super healthy and tastes good too! We use it to make spaghetti, pizza and also as a dip for garlic and cheese bread.

By preparing your own sauces you can make sure that you and your family eats healthy meals. Discarding the bad ingredients and replacing them with fresh produce and using the most nutritious ones.

Here's my recipe for marinara sauce, I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons coconut oil
-3-4 teaspoons garlic, crushed
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon thyme
-1 teaspoon basil
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-1 teaspoon parsley
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-3-4 Boxes of tomato sauces Pomi or 5-6 15oz cans of organic tomatoes sauce
-2 tablespoon coconut sugar
-1 cup vegetable broth
- A hand full of spinach
- 6-8 mushrooms
- 1/2 onion

Directions:
1. In a saucepan put 2 tablespoons coconut oil with garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and parsley on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add into the pan the tomato sauce of your choice: Pomi sauce or tomato sauces in cans. I prefer to make it as much as possible with the Pomi sauce to avoid BPA from the cans
3. Add sugar and vegetable broth. Move, cover and let simmer for 50 minutes over low heat.
4. Then using a blender, mix the spinach, mushroom and onion. You can add some of the tomato sauce to the blender to help mix the vegetables. Put this mixture into the pan, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes over low heat.
5. Remove from heat set aside to cool. I like to divide the sauce into small bags and freeze them.

* Blending the ingredients at the end is optional. If you like your sauces "chunky style” where you can feel the veggies, you could add them into the pan with the seasoning.

I like to blend my vegetables for 2 reasons:
1. to make the sauce "kid friendly". My children do not like to feel the veggies in the sauce; they prefer it completely settled/smooth.
2. Also, I prefer to add the vegetables at the end and not cook them for a long time, to avoid losing their nutritional value.

I try to consume oil as little as possible, but when I do I use healthier alternatives. There are other types of oils that do not damage your health and give essential nutrients. Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, sesame seed oil and hemp seed are good choices.

1. Organic Olive Oil, Extra Virgin-
Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats and contains vitamins E and K. It can serve as a natural anti inflammatory. The real extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants, some of which have powerful health benefits.
* To be sure I am consuming the real olive oil I try to buy the exta virgin, cold pressed. It has been found that some companies of olive oil have not been honest. They dilute their oils with other types that are hydrogenated (such as canola or cooton oil)
How I use the olive oil? I prefer not to heat it, I use it to season cold foods like salads.

2. Organic Coconut Oil - The health benefits of coconut oil include: stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. It also provides relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength.

I use two types of coconut oils:
A. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, unrefined –The benefits and nutritional value is higher than others. I use it for hair and skin care as well for baking and cooking over low heat. This oil is very pure/concentrated, therefor before using it, it is good to know that you could smell and taste the coconut flavor in your food. It's smoking point is 350 F.
B. Organic Coconut Oil, refined- I use it to: sauté and stir-fry vegetables and meat, make rice, pastas do for baking. The smoking point is 400-450 F. You can't taste much of the coconut flavor.

3. Avocado Oil- Is rich in protein and unsaturated fats. It also contains the highest concentration of monounsaturated fat, potassium, and vitamins A, E and D.
How I use the avocado oil? I use it for frying or cooking at high temperatures. The smoke point is 500 F.
I’ve bought it in Costco, HEB, Marshalls and TJ Max.

Juicy Rack of Lamb with herbs, Quinoa with Shrimp and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Onions and Cranberry! 

This month we are celebrating our anniversary. This time, for our third cooking date that we been having in our kitchen, I wanted to make my husband happy by preparing one of his favorite meals, rack of lamb. I had not eaten red meat since the Holidays but I couldn’t resist so I gave it a shot. It came out VERY tender, juicy and with a good flavor. Also the lamb gave an elegant touch to our special dinner. For those of you that like to eat lamb you would definitely enjoy this recipe. 

I have to say that my favorite part of this meal was the roasted Brussels sprouts. It was a great idea of cooking them with onions and cranberry. It gave a sweet touch to our romantic dinner!!! Just in case you did not know, Brussels sprouts improve stability of DNA inside of our white blood cells, help to prevent cancer and are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. I definitely see myself cooking this recipe for Brussels sprouts again very soon
The Quinoa with shrimp, as always, was delicious! I don’t think that I will never get tired of eating quinoa; I love the flavor and the nutritional benefits that it provides my body.

Recipe for Rack of Lamb with Herbs

Ingredients
2 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoon coconut oil plus 2 tablespoon
4 rack of lamb

1. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees F.
2. Mix together the 3 tablespoon coconut oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and onion powder in a large bowl.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
3. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sear golden, about 1-2 minutes in each side. Remove from the stove.
4. Season the lamb well with the herb mix.
5. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!

Anniversary date night #1https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1637140733168238

Anniversary date night #2
https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1639896619559316

More info about brussels sprouts http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=10

Why quinoa?
https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1621814991367479

Quinoa with Shrimp

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
¼ onion, chopped
½ pound wild caught shrimp
½ teaspoon cumin
1 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth (low sodium or homemade). You could use water instead (just add more salt, pepper, cumin and other herbs)
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt or salt to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
*If you would like to spice it up add ½ jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional.)

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, onion and jalapeno (optional), stirring frequently for 1-2 minute.
2. Add shrimp, cumin and salt; stir and cook for another 1-2 min.
3. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth or water, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil and cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 25 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro (if desired). Serve and enjoy

Why Quinoa?
https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1621814991367479

Why coconut oil?
https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1642945825921062:0

White Cauliflower Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower, chopped, without the stem

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups water

1 tablespoon garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon coconut oil or Ghee

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or oil of your choice

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1/3 almond milk, unsweetened

2 tablespoons cream cheese and 1/4 Parmesan cheese grated (optional, for those who are not vegan)

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper, crushed

Directions:

1. Boil the cauliflower with 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt for 15 minutes.

2. After the cauliflower is soft enough drain the water and blend it with vegetable broth and oil. If you find the sauce is too thick you can add a little more of vegetable broth until it is the consistency that you want.

3. In a skillet, sauté coconut oil or ghee and the garlic. When the garlic becomes golden add the cauliflower sauce, milk, cheese red pepper and salt.

4. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, serve with pasta. Enjoy!

Chickpea Cake with Coconut and Chocolate Chips. No flour required!

This is one of the desserts that I enjoy without feeling guilty. This cake is 100% healthy as it is full of good nutrients. Chickpeas contain exceptional levels of protein, iron, fiber, vitamin B-6 and magnesium.

When I prepare and share this dessert I keep it a secret that it is made with chickpeas. So far everyone that has tried it has enjoyed the flavor.

This recipe is very versatile. I've been making different variations of it over time. If you decide to try it, feel free to play with it. For some examples you could make it with peanut butter instead of almonds, add blueberries or maybe do it with black beans and 2 tablespoons of cacao powder if you want to turn it into brownies.

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas or 1 can (15 ounces) of organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup maple syrup or pure honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use mega chocolate chunks by Enjoy Life)

¼ cup coconut flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a small plate (8 × 8) or cover the bottom of the container with parchment paper (parchment paper will work better).

3. In a blender combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and coconut until the mixture is smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the pan and add the chocolate chips and coconut (optional).

5. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Chill at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

-1/2 Cup rolled oats

-1-1 / 4 cup 100% whole wheat flour, organic

-2 Teaspoons baking powder

-1/4 Teaspoon salt

-1 Teaspoon cinnamon

-1 Teaspoon of flaxseed (optional)

-1-1 / 4 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

-1 Egg or a flax egg

-1 Tablespoon of coconut oil

-1 Teaspoon vanilla                                                      

-1/2 Cup chocolate chips (optional)

Procedure:

 1. In a food processor or blender combine all dry ingredients except chocolate chips and mix well.

2. In a bowl combine the wet ingredients and mix well.

3. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.

4. Melt butter or coconut oil in skillet over medium heat.

5. Poor about 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot pan. After the pancakes are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked it’s time to flip them.

5. Top with 100% maple syrup or pure honey, fruits of your choice and/or chocolate chips.

Drinking Wheatgrass could improve the quality of your life because it offers a good amount of important nutrients and contains a high concentration of chlorophyll. One of my favorite characteristics of Wheatgrass is that it is gluten-free because it’s cut before the grain forms.Wheatgrass juice can contain up to 70% chlorophyll, the chemical in plants that makes them green and also allows them to make energy from sunlight through photosynthesis.
I try to consume it as much as I can either in a juice or smoothie.

🔹Here is my favorite wheatgrass smoothie recipe:

In a blender blend:
-1 tablespoon wheatgrass powder
( you can find in healthfoods: Freshmart, Whole Foods Market,vitacost.com and Amazon.com. pic in the comments).
-2 1/2 cups almond milk (or your preferred milk)
-1 tablespoon cacao or cocoa (I use cacao)
-2-3 dates, pitted
1 banana, frozen
-3-4 ice cubes
-1 tablespoon chia seed (optional)
Blend well. Enjoy!

5 good reasons to incorporate WHEATGRASS in your diet

1. Wheatgrass juice is a superior detoxification agent compared to carrot juice and other fruits and vegetables.

2. Wheatgrass is used for cancer and arthritis in alternative treatment programs.

3. Wheatgrass juice is an effective healer because it contains all minerals known to man, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, l and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and contains 17 amino acids, the building blocks of protein

4. Wheatgrass is used for increasing production of hemoglobin, the chemical in red blood cells that carries oxygen; improving blood sugar disorders, such as diabetes; preventing tooth decay; improving wound healing; and preventing bacterial infections.

5. Wheatgrass juice is used for treating skin problems such as eczema or psoriasis and to keep the hair from graying. Also, it is great for relief from constipation and keeping the bowels open because it is high in magnesium.

Vegetable oil is the main enemy in my kitchen. Research has confirmed that vegetable oil can damage body cells, molecules degenerate, cause heart problems, depression, cancer and Alzheimer's. Not to mention that it is loaded with saturated fat, trans fat, leading to weight gain, type 2 diabetes and other serious diseases. It's name "vegetable oil" does not necessarily mean that it is made with vegetables. Along with: canola oil, corn oil, soybeen oil, sunflower oil, seed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil. These are all highly processed and refined. They are high in omega-6 fats and are often produced with seeds or corn filled with chemicals and genetically modified.

Besides this, studies have found that when cooking with these oils, some of the carcinogenic compounds actually vaporize and may contribute to lung cancer when inhaled. Therefore it is very important to know what is the Smoke Point or whatever is the temperature at which the fat and oil begins to break down into smoke. It is very important to minimize exposure to noxious and carcinogenic compounds. You should only cook with healthy oils that are stable at high temperatures.
I try to consume oil as little as possible, but when I do I use healthier alternatives. There are other types of oils that do not damage your health and give essential nutrients. Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, sesame seed oil and hemp seed are good choices.

* Coconut, avocado and extra virgin olive oil are the most commonly used in my house. Here are some of their nutritional benefits and how I use them: ⬇https://www.facebook.com/jodyclarkonmyway/posts/1642945825921062:0

Are you and your family ready to get fruits and vegetables part of your diet??

🔹We are ready to starts our week! At this point you already know that I'm a big fan of fruits and vegetables. In fact 80% of my diet consists of them. In the picture you can see part of our food that we are going to be eating in the next few days. Make sure that we eat them is our #1 priority because they will keep our family healthy and strong. With these fruits and veggies I can make a good variety of tasty recipes to eat them on our breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems. It has a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check (by: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/…/what-s…/vegetables-and-fruits/ ).

Are you and your family ready yet? If no, what are you waiting to get fruits and vegetables part of your diet?? There is not excuse to eat healthy. It can be done. It’s what matter the most!!