Meatless Monday Recipe: French Toast with Fresh Strawberries

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Karen Morse

I remember as a kid having breakfast for dinner when we’d had a busy day or it got late before we realized it. It was like a treat! Scrambled eggs and pancakes. Those were some of the best dinners!

This French Toast recipe is amazing. Seriously… I try French Toast any time I see it on the menu. Just last week after we finished the OC Half Marathon, we stayed for a few extra days at the St. Regis Monarch Beach down in Orange County. The morning after the half marathon, I had a pretty darn good French Toast with Mixed Berries. I believe this recipe (taken and modified slightly from the Williams-Sonoma Breakfast cookbook) is THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I’VE EVER HAD. Try it yourself!!

Ingredients:

6 slices sturdy French bread, about 3/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Powdered sugar for dusting
Maple syrup (warmed)
Fresh sliced organic strawberries

Preparation:

Arrange the bread slices in a single layer in a large baking dish.
In a glass mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, Grand Marnier, granulated sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Pour evenly over the bread slices and let stand for one minute, then turn bread over. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 to 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add as many slices of the bread that will fit without overlapping. Flip after 3 minutes. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the opposite side. Melt the remaining butter & repeat with the rest of the bread slices.
Transfer French toast to plates and sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top. Add fresh strawberry slices and serve with warmed maple syrup.

Mushroom Soup with Sweet Potato, Greens, and Ginger

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Karen Morse

This easy, healthy soup has become a staple for me when I feel the need to eat clean. It is super easy to throw together, and it makes a great Meatless Monday dinner! This recipe was adapted from one with chicken that was part of the Whole Living Action Plan in 2011. As a vegetarian I had to make some modifications, and I think it turned out great!

There is no milk, cream, or butter in this dish so it’s super low in calories, but the almond butter and broth make a nice creamy base so you’d never know it was dairy-free!

Here’s what you will need to make this tasty meatless soup! Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:

4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 minced garlic clove
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (2 cups)
1 pint of shiitake mushrooms (or your favorite mushroom), sliced
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1 cup collard leaves (or kale or Southern Greens mix) coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Combine the stock, onion, garlic, and sweet potato in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the mushrooms, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter and 1/2 cup of the soup mixture into a thick paste. Note: if you mistakenly use chunky almond butter, the bits of almond will float on top of the soup once cooked.
Add the collard or other greens and ginger to the soup and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the almond butter paste. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls, and squeeze with lime wedge.

Other meatless recipes you might like:

Meatless Ground “Beef” Enchiladas

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Three Cheese Baked Ziti

Meatless Monday Recipe: Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Karen Morse

I’ve gotten in to making my own salad dressings and marinades lately in an attempt to make something with much less added sugar and sodium.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day (1,500 mg if you’re age 51 or older, black, or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease). The average American is actually getting around 3,400 mg per day — way over the recommended amount — and processed foods (like store-bought salad dressings) are very much a culprit.

This Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette recipe was created by Martha Rose Shulman, author of The Very Best of Recipes for Health: 250 Recipes and More from the Popular Feature on NYTimes.com

Ginger has many medicinal properties, including acting as anti-inflammatory and easing nausea or mild stomach discomfort.

Here’s the original recipe:

1 garlic clove, finely minced or puréed
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar or agave nectar
5 tablespoons canola oil or light sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Place all of the ingredients in a minichop or blender (because the amounts are small, I prefer a minichop) and blend until homogenized.

Yield: Makes 2/3 cup.

Advance preparation: This dressing keeps for several days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional information per 2 tablespoons: 177 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fats; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 58 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 0 grams protein

Photo credit: Greatist / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Meatless Ground “Beef” Enchiladas

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Karen Morse

Going meatless doesn’t have to mean missing out on your favorites. I LOVE Mexican food – more than any other food out there!

Here is a great Meatless Ground “Beef” Enchilada recipe with my homemade enchilada sauce that will put a smile on your face!

[gmc_recipe 2188]

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grab a 13 x 9 baking pan. Spray the pan with a little non-stick cooking oil spray.

In a large skillet, spray a little more non-stick cooking oil spray and heat for about 30 seconds on medium. Add Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican Style meatless grounds and heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning or sticking.

These meatless grounds are a great substitute for ground beef. There is ZERO fat, ZERO cholesterol and only 60 calories in each serving.

Add 1/2 cup of homemade enchilada sauce (my recipe is at the bottom of this post) to the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Tilt the baking dish to make sure the sauce completely covers the bottom (and your enchiladas don’t stick!).

Next, grab your tortillas. I prefer flour tortillas to corn. There are also some really tasty whole-wheat tortillas out there now! For this recipe, you’ll need 8-10 tortillas. Pre-heat the tortillas 4-5 at a time by stacking them in between two damp paper towels & microwaving for about 45 seconds.

Now you are ready to prep!

1) Grab a pre-heated tortilla & add about 1/4 cup of the heated Mexican meatless grounds, a sprinkling of cheese (I like the Mexican cheese blends for this recipe), and a drizzle of enchilada sauce.

2) Roll it up nice & tight, and repeat until you have filled up your 13 x 9 inch pan!

3) Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the top of the wrapped enchiladas. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

4) Take the enchiladas out of the oven and remove foil. Top with remainder of cheese blend and put back in the oven for 5-7 minutes to allow the cheese to melt

5) Serve with a little chopped cilantro on top, a little low-fat sour cream, and a side of sliced avocado.

[gmc_recipe 2211]

Meatless Monday Recipe: Quinoa Two Ways

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Karen Morse

I couldn’t decide which quinoa meal idea to share for today’s Meatless Monday recipe, so I decided to share both!

The first quinoa dish I’m serving up today is one you can make for lunch or dinner, Roasted Vegetables Over Quinoa. I started out by roasting a pan of veggies that I had on hand. This time, it was butternut squash and cauliflower with several cloves of crushed garlic. Check out my Easy Peasy Roasted Vegetables recipe for cooking time & step-by-step instructions on how to roast the perfect veggie every time!

Next I simply cooked up some quinoa according to the directions on the box. I opted for the microwave method since I had tried it before and it had turned out well.

Once the vegetables were roasted, I simply scooped a few spoons over the cooked quinoa and my dinner was ready!

If you are looking for a little more flavor, add a little low-sodium soy sauce or whatever else you might put over a stir-fry when serving.

The next morning, I was really craving a hot bowl of oatmeal with sweet strawberries for breakfast, and I remembered that I had some quinoa leftover. Knowing how many nutrients are in quinoa and that it’s lightly sweet flavor would lend itself well to something that might be good for breakfast, I decided to experiment.

I simply reheated 1/4 cup of the leftover quinoa in the microwave for one minute. Next, I added cut strawberries, half a banana, 1/4 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey to make a very satisfying Quinoa Porridge. Looks good, doesn’t it?

I was pleasantly surprised, and I will be making this again.

How do you use quinoa? Tell me about it below this post!

Meatless Monday Recipe: Thai Pumpkin Soup

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Karen Morse

I tried out a nice new spicy soup to share with you for this week’s Meatless Monday recipe. This did not disappoint! It had just the right amount of heat & spice and was perfect for a cold winter night.

I used the light coconut milk to make this a little healthier, and it certainly didn’t feel like I had sacrificed anything with this substitution. Both of the canned ingredients came from Trader Joe’s. They have everything!

This is what the soup looked like after Step 1 (before adding the coconut milk and blending). It smelled delicious!

And finally, a bowl of hot & spicy Thai Pumpkin soup served up! I added just a dollop of light sour cream & some chopped cilantro. Lots of flavors going on in this soup…all of them complementing each other very well.

This recipe was actually really quick & easy to make – I even had all of the ingredients on hand, except for the fresh ginger. Instead, I used 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger instead of 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger. It tasted great!

Other meatless recipes you will love:

Butternut Squash & Roasted Garlic Soup

Thai-Style Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Milk

Zesty Black Bean & Brown Rice Bowl

Meatless Monday Recipe: Spicy Veggie Frittata

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Karen Morse

I cooked this amazing vegetable frittata last night for dinner, and was it delicious! I couldn’t wait to have leftovers for lunch today!

This simple recipe will definitely become a favorite (and a HEALTHY favorite!!) for me.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby broccoli (chopped)
1 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 eggs
1 can (10 oz.) RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
1/2 cup (4 oz.) shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz.) shredded gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon oregano

Directions:
Preheat broiler. In a large oven-proof skillet, saute garlic in olive oil for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend and chopped baby broccoli.

Saute until tender (about 10-12 minutes)

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and RO*TEL tomatoes and diced green chilis until blended. Stir in both cheeses and the oregano.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes (DO NOT STIR!!)

Remove from stovetop & place in the oven broiler (about 6 inches from broiler) for
3 to 5 minutes, until eggs are just set & frittata has started to brown/cheese has started bubbling. Makes about 4 servings.

Serve & enjoy!

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Light Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Three-Cheese Baked Ziti

Vegetarian Skinny Cowboy Soup

Meatless Monday Recipe: Light Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Karen Morse

It’s Monday again, and time for another Meatless Monday dinner idea! Nothing says comfort food like ooey-gooey warm cheese! Unfortunately, some cheeses are super high in fat & calories, not to mention what it does to your cholesterol levels – yikes!

A few days ago, I had lunch at The Melt at Stanford Shopping Center. As the name suggests, The Melt specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches. While currently there are only about a dozen locations (and just in California at the moment,) The Melt serves up high-quality grilled cheese sandwiches with seasonally fresh soups in an eco-friendly environment.

Though it was delicious, at around 30 grams of fat per sandwich, it’s not something I can treat myself to every day!

I was inspired to find a lighter version to share for Meatless Monday. Here is my take on a Light Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

2 slices light whole wheat bread
2 tsp olive oil
1 tomato sliced
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
4 oz low-fat white cheddar, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to broil setting.
Place the two pieces of bread onto a baking sheet and lightly drizzle both sides with olive oil.
Place the baking sheet into the oven and let the slices of bread gently brown. This should only take about 3-4 minutes depending on your broiler. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
Flip the bread over & repeat on the other side.
Once the bread has toasted on both sides, remove from the oven and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan and white cheddar cheeses together.
Add 2-3 tomato slices to each piece of toast, and sprinkle the cheese blend over the tomato slices.
Place the baking sheet back into the oven, and remove once the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
Remove & serve immediately!

That looks so good, I don’t think I can wait until dinner! :-)

I prefer the Classic Grilled Cheese with Tomato, as in the recipe above. Do you have a favorite grilled cheese sandwich? Tell me about it below!

Healthy Eating Tips and Recipes for the Holidays

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Karen Morse

Looking for advice on how to avoid holiday weight gain and still enjoy yourself for the next couple of weeks? Or spending some time looking for new and inspiring recipes to fix for your friends and family?

Look no further than my Healthy Eating Tips & Recipes board on Pinterest!

I’ve got some pretty darn good choices up there, if I do say so myself

This Macaroni & Cheese recipe has gotten rave reviews year after year when I make it for both Thanksgiving & Christmas meals. No one knows that I use reduced-fat white cheddar cheese. It tastes delicious!

Got a big crowd coming over for a casual holiday meal? This Three-Cheese Baked Ziti is so good, you’ll have them going back for seconds (no problem, just double the recipe

Three-Cheese Baked Ziti recipe is courtesy of CanYouStayForDinner?

Stay tuned to my blog every Monday for a new vegetarian recipe in honor of Meatless Monday and FOLLOW me on Pinterest to see more Healthy Eating Tips & Recipes, as well as Hints for Achieving New Year’s Resolutions, and loads of Motivational Tips.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Redefining Health & Wellness

How to Get Through the Holidays Without Derailing Your Diet

How Do You Know if You Need a Life Coach?

Meatless Monday Recipe: Three Cheese Baked Ziti

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Karen Morse

Even though I was having a group of close friends over for a casual holiday dinner, the proper hostess in me never wishes to disappoint.

Being vegetarian, I sometimes struggle with what I can cook for guests that won’t leave feeling disappointed. I was looking for something warm and comforting to serve on a rainy December evening and immediately I thought about my grandmother’s baked ziti.

Not having the recipe, I began my Google search to find one that measured up. This led me to Three Cheese Baked Ziti featured on Can You Stay For Dinner?

Can You Stay For Dinner? is a site run by Andie Mitchell. As soon as I read Andie’s bio which details how she is a now-healthy 27-year-old woman who lost 135 pounds! Andie embodies all that Wellness Science stands for …. and my mission to help every woman look great, feel great, and live a happy life! Thanks for the delicious recipe, Andie.

This did NOT disappoint! It tasted EXACTLY like the one I remember my Italian grandmother making — and it was a healthy version at only 431 calories per serving.

Here is Andie’s recipe coming to you for Meatless Monday!

[gmc_recipe 2065]

For the homemade marinara:

Marinara Sauce

(makes about 4 cups) Note: you will only use half of this amount to prepare the baked ziti recipe above!

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28oz can crushed or ground, peeled tomatoes

1 5-6 oz can tomato paste

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan completely. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, until browned. Lower the heat if they begin to burn. The more color that develops on the onion and garlic, the more flavor they’ll add to the finished sauce.

Once the onions and garlic are tender and caramel in color, add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Add the remaining ingredients (oregano through pepper), stir, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the bottom does not burn.

Nutrition information for 1 serving of baked ziti:

Calories: 431, Fat: 12.9g, Cholesterol: 51.9mg, Sodium: 858.3mg, Carb: 56.1g, Fiber: 3g, Sugars: 0.2g, Protein: 22.7g