Mexican Rice

This is definitely my favourite rice recipe! It tastes amazing on it's own, or wrapped up in a burrito, quesadilla or even stuffed peppers. Packed full of protein and nutrients, this one pot wonder can be used so many ways.

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

2 cups water

1 cup rice (brown, jasmine, basmati, whatever you like)

1 vegetable stock cube



⅓ cup salsa
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp butter
1 can black beans (washes & strained)
1-2 cups spinach

Combine all ingredients, minus the black beans & spinach, in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes, stirring often.

With 5 minutes left to go on your timer, add beans & spinach. Remove from heat and let sit for another 5 minutes or so to ensure all of the water has been absorbed.

Pita Pizza

A quick & easy snack or paired with a yummy salad, these pita pizzas are the perfect, healthier option when you're craving delivery! Not only are they way less in calories (and less greasy!), each pizza can easily customized to suit everyone's taste!

Broccoli Alfredo

One of my biggest challenges since giving up meat has been avoiding becoming a carbotarian.

No, carbotarian isn't an actual word, but it is the best way for me to describe people who replace meat with pasta or other forms of carbohydrates. This is a really easy habit to get into since they are filling and leave you feeling satisfied. I LOVE pasta (and bread, rice, etc.) so this has always been a problem for me, even as a meat eater.

 Last night I had a craving for fettuccini alfredo, but since I am really trying to cut back on the massive amount of carbs I normally eat, I made a minor adjustment and substituted veggies and gardein "chicken"! It definitely hit the spot and I felt full for the rest of the evening.

** Gardein makes a whole bunch of mock-meat products, such as chicken strips, meatballs, beef tips, etc. I found these "chicken breasts" in the frozen section of WalMart , and have also seen Gardein in various other grocery stores. Check out www.gardein.com for a complete list of products & some delicious recipes as well!

Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms

Caprese (kah-pree-zay) everything is my favourite! Tomato, basil & mozzarella compliment so many dishes, especially these portobello mushroom caps. These can also be made from whole button mushrooms to make as an appetizer for any party!

Ingredients:

Portobello Mushrooms
Ricotta or Soft Mozzarella Cheese
Cherry Tomatoes (any other kind will do)
Spinach (optional)
Fresh Basil (dried will also work)
Clove of Garlic
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Olive Oil
Black Pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350⁰
2. Rinse mushrooms and remove stems. Brush tops with olive oil and cook stovetop on medium heat 3. until slightly brown. (Be careful not to burn them!) Remove from heat and set in a glass baking   dish.
4. Chop garlic & tomatoes and toss in olive oil stovetop on med-low heat.
5. Mix ricotta cheese or shredded mozzarella with chopped basil, spinach, tomato & garlic.
6. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and bake for 8-10 min

Pairs nicely with a Mediterranean Salad or Sundried Tomato Pasta!