Healthy Lemony Green Beans

I often forget to put much thought into the veggie side dishes I make. I will prepare the main dish and then just steam some beans and broccoli and throw them on the table. Lately my little one has become more picky and will leave the veggies on her plate (unless I give her some ketchup to dip them in...totally gross I know). I guess it is time for me to get more creative and teach her that veggies are yummy. My husband will probably appreciate it too. I like this twist on the green bean from CookingLight.com-

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549731

Here are some variations to make them even more kid and adult friendly-

Lemony Green Beans

This wonderfully adaptable recipe will become a go-to side dish that works alongside fish, chicken, poultry, and many other main dishes.

For Kids: Skip the lemon juice and sweeten the dish with a touch of honey or maple syrup. Serve on top of steamed white or brown rice along with a piece of grilled chicken for a complete meal.

For Adults: Try a spicy variation to the dish: add crushed red pepper, cumin, and slivered unsweetened coconut to the hot oil. Sauté for a minute or two, then add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve garnished with a mixture of mint and cilantro leaves. Complete the meal with brown rice and grilled chicken.

Spinach Salad-

Again this one is another simple everyday idea. We had it for dinner at our house the other night and it was delicious.

Here is what I added-

Spinach leaves
Grilled Chicken (leave it out if you want vegatarian)

And lots of these-

Red Onion
Carrots
Cucumbers
Apples
Tomatoes

I used a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper on top to jazz it up...Voila!

It really isn't hard to be healthy.

I promise there are more recipes to come. Ones that will spice up your regualr routine. Enjoy!

Salad Topper or Chip Dip-

I am sorry for the lack of posts this last week. I hope to do a better job this week.

This recipe is something that I often crave. I don't have a name for it. But it is delicious. I usually use it to top off a taco or chicken salad, but it is also yummy as a dip for chips or crackers. You could aslo just serve it alone as a side dish. It is a perfect way to add veggies to your diet. Plus the black beans are a great protein option.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn (I actually prefer to use frozen corn)

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 avacados, peeled and diced

1 bunch green onions, trimmed and chopped (sometimes I use red onions in place of the green ones)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

Cilantro (as much as you like)

Lime Juice to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Just mix it all up and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash at its finest!

Spaghetti Squash Tossed with Olive Oil, Avocado and Parmesan

makes 2-4 servings

I am really excited about this one!!!

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 or 2 avocados
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 fresh basil leaves, sliced
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. (I prefer to cook the squash whole and cut it afterwards.)

3. Lay squash cut side down in a baking dish and add 1/4 inch of water to the pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until tender. For an even quicker meal you can microwave the squash whole if you pierce the skin a few times with a knife and nuke on high, 12-15 minutes.

4. When squash is close to done, put olive oil in a pan over low heat and add the smashed clove of garlic. Cook until it sizzles just to flavor the oil, turn off the heat, and remove the clove.

5. Cut the avocado and squeeze the fresh lemon juice on it to keep it from turning brown and slice up the fresh basil.

6. Remove the squash from the oven and place cut side up on a cutting board. Use a fork to separate the spaghetti-like strands.

7. Scoop a serving into a bowl, drizzle with the warm oil, top with chunks of avocado, and add the parmesan, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

You could add more veggies to the mix and make it a complete meal, or serve it as a delicious side dish.

More Veggie Ideas...

Have you fit in any of your vegetarian meals in this week?

Here is an easy one if you are still needing some ideas-

Homemade Marinara Sauce

(I started making my own sauce a few years back. There is no comparison. I will never go back to the bottle stuff. Plus it is so easy!)

Makes 4 cups

Prep- 5 minutes

Cook- 30 minutes

2 TBSP olive oil

1 med onion chopped

2 cloves garlic peeled and diced

1 can (28 oz) whole or diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano plus 1/2 tsp dried basil)

1 tsp sugar**

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black peper

1 lb whole wheat pasta

1. Heat oil in med size saucepan over med-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and their liquid, tomato sauce, dried herbs, sugar, salt and pepper,. Using clean kitchen scissors, cute tomatoes into bite-size chunks in pan.

3. Bring sauce to a simmer over meium-high heat, then reduce heat to med and simmer 20 minutes (the longer you can cook the better). Meanwhile, in a large pot of lightly salted water, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain pasta and serve topped with marinara sauce.

Load with all the cooked veggies you want!

Yummy!

Per 1 cup Marinara-

148 calories

7 g fat (1 g sat)

3 g protein

17 g carbs

3 g fiber

690 mg sodium

0 g cholesterol

**If you prefer a sugar-free version, repace the 1 tsp sugar with 1/4 cup peeled, chopped carrot stirred into the oil along with onion and garlic. For a spicier sauce, add 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes before simmering.