Quinoa "Meatballs!" Recipe, photos, and thoughts on healthy living

So.  I've lost a couple more pounds (go me!) and we're in a pretty good groove here, health wise.  I still have MAJOR issues with portion control, and subscribe to the believe that every pizza is a personal pizza if you believe in yourself enough.


Anyway.  Today was Meatless Monday at our house, and so we did spaghetti squash, homemade marinara sauce (thank you, skinnytaste.com) and "meatballs."

D wasn't a huge fan, he's a carnivore, but Baby T actually ate one right from my hand, the little klepto.

This recipe makes 13 pretty hearty sized "meatballs."

Quinoa Vegetarian "Meatballs"

Servings:  13   Calories:  47  Fat: 1 g  Protein:  2 g  Fiber:  1 g Carbs: 8 g


Ingredients

1/2 c uncooked Quinoa
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1 medium finely chopped roma tomato
1/4 c Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I used Progresso)
2 large, mashed garlic cloves
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 large egg


First, cooked the Quinoa according to package directions.   Saute the onion, garlic, and part of the tomato in olive oil until onions are clear.  Add the basil when the onions are almost done and saute until ready.
Put everything in a big bowl and add egg and breadcrumbs.  Mix up really well and make ping pong ball sized lumps.  Place on well greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Enjoy with marinara sauce!

These probably could have used extra salt and pepper, but I like to under-season everything.  I figure you can always add more.

Here's the deal.  Eating healthy is great.  Really.  I have found or invented a lot of great recipes in the past 6 months or so.  However, I think a world without sweets is no world I want to live in.  Pretzels and chocolate?  Forget about it.  So yummy.  So, if anyone has any ideas on how I can discover the elusive "portion control" or "will power," let me know, would you?  Because baking is a passion of mine, and I can't do it...or the whole pan/cookie sheet/bowl/whatever will be gone in a sitting.  I may be small, but I can pack it in, baby.

South Beach Diet--My Favorite Salads

So here's the deal.  Growing up, the only time we were served spinach, or most vegetables, really, were either boiled or sauteed in oil.  Normally that was fine, but frankly, soggy spinach is gross.  Like, super gross.

Then I started eating healthy.  Know what I discovered?  Fresh spinach is awesome as a salad. Move over, iceberg, because spinach and romaine are just as cheap, but taste better and are SUPER healthy for you!

(Still can't do kale, though.  Sorry, Peter.)


Anyway, now my salads consist of spinach, more spinach, and maybe some romaine if I'm not being lazy.

I thought I'd give you, dear reader, some ideas on how to make an awesome, filling salad, without pulling an IHOP and turning it into 750 calories of mess.

Rule 1--use nutritious, dark greens.  Like spinach.

Rule 2--Use low sugar dressings, olive oil, lemon juice, or even salsa instead of your normal salad dressing

Rule 3--Add protein!


So, put down your green base of salad-y goodness.

Then, choose your toppings.

Proteins:
Hard boiled egg
1/4 c shredded chicken
5 slices lean, reduced fat lunch meat
1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese.

Only pick 1 or 2 of these options for minimal calories, though.  Not all at once, haha.

Veggies:
1/2 Roma Tomato
1/4 c bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c zucchini, sliced
Chopped celery
chopped broccoli

Fats:
1/4 small avocado (or Guacamole, but only 1 serving!!)--About 70-80 calories
Salsa--10 calories for 2 tbsp
Fat Free Sour Cream--20 calories for 2 tbsp
Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing--120 calories for 2 tbsp

Seasonings:
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Italian seasoning

Tonight, this was my salad, 200 calories even

1 c chopped fresh spinach
a little less than 1/4 c red bell pepper (about 1/5 of a pepper)
1/5 roma tomato
Kroger low fat roast beef--6  slices (this was an oops, apparently a serving is only 2.5 slices.  My bad)
1 tbsp Kroger fat free sour cream
2 tbsp Frito Lay Chunky Salsa

Total--200 calories.  So, naturally, I treated myself to a mug of sugar free hot cocoa to end the meal.  Yum!

The trick, in my opinion, is the dressing.  If you can get past the traditional mindset of Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Catalina for dressings, you'll find that sour cream and salsa make GREAT salad toppings!

Good luck, and let me know what you put on your salads to make them more interesting!

South Beach Recipe--Spaghetti Squash Lasagna!!

So.  Here's the deal.  I haven't been able to drop the last 2 pounds.  Here I stay, 124 pounds, and here I think I will remain.  And that's fine, really, if it has to be.  I'm well within a healthy weight range, and frankly, I could lose another 15 pounds and still hate what I see in the mirror.

I love food, folks.  I love chocolate, I love carbs, and I'VE DISCOVERED PINTEREST.  Not good for diets.
At any rate, I've decided that my main goal is going to be loving myself just as I am, cutting cardio back to 3 days a week, and do strength training/yoga/wii Active the other 3 days.  Hopefully this will help me tone up.

Additionally, while I'm going to endeavor to continue to eat responsibly, cut out unnecessary carbs, and stay active, I'm not going to worry about being a perfect dieter any more.


That being said, today was Meatless Monday at our house.  I bought a spaghetti squash last weekend and wanted to use it.  Ergo--Spaghetti Squash Lasagna!!  (the reason the veggies are only 1/2 sizes are because I used them to make a regular lasagna dish for a friend.  Feel free to use the whole veggies in your version)

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bake

 Forgive the poor quality, SOMEBODY broke my camera.

Ingredients
1 whole spaghetti squash
1/2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 c red bell pepper, chopped
2 eggs
1/3 c white onion, chopped
1/2 large tomato, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, sliced or mashed, take your pick
1/2 tsp olive oil
Dash of Italian Seasoning
1 1/4 c Hunts Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
3/4 c Sargent reduced fat Mexican cheese blend

Cook the squash without any butter or oil.  I baked mine at 375 for about 30 minutes.  Let it cool, and use a fork to shred that sucker right up and into a big ol' bowl.  Add your chopped up veggies, garlic, oil and seasoning, with a little salt and pepper for good measure.  Mix that up really well, and plop into a 9 X 9 pan that's been sprayed with 0 calorie cooking spray. Turn oven to 350.  Pour the sauce over the top and pop into the oven for about 30 minutes.  Add the cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is brown.

Eat and serve hot with a big salad or some garlic bread!  Though that does defeat the purpose of a low carb dinner...

Serves 4
Calories:  192  Fat:  8 g  Protein:  11 g  Fiber:  5 g  Carbs:  22 g