Love Everything You Eat Simple and satisfying food ideas JAMIE MENDELL
Table of contents The Basics of Putting Together a Meal... 1 Breakfast... 2 Quick Breakfasts... 3 Basic Green Smoothie... 3 Peanut Butter Toast... 3 Fruit and Yogurt Toast... 4 Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles... 5 Veggie and Egg Scramble... 6 Poached Eggs on Top of Sautéed Veggies and Toast... 6 The Egg Sandwich... 7 Oats, Oats, Oats... 9 Overnight Oats... 9 For Special Days When You Have More Time... 10 Protein Packed Caramelized Banana Pancakes (Made With Oats and Egg Whites)... 10 Pumpkin Pancakes... 11 Love Everything Simple and satisfying You Eat food ideas I
Table of contents Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins... 12 Fresh Ginger and Berry Scones... 13 Shakshuka... 14 Egg White Veggie Frittata Muffins... 15 Lunches & Dinners... 17 Salads, Sides, Soups & Chilis... 18 How to Create the Perfectly Satisfying Salad... 18 Massaged Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing... 19 Italian Seafood Boil... 20-21 Kale and Lentil Stew... 22 Pumpkin Chili... 23 Honey Rosemary Roasted Carrots... 24 Maple Rosemary Sweet Potatoes... 24 Spicy Roasted Potatoes... 25 Sandwiches & Tacos... 25 The Non-Boring Veggie Sandwich... 25 Open Faced Ricotta Smoked Salmon with Pesto... 26 Apple and Feta Chicken Burgers... 27 Veggie Tacos... 28 Love Everything Simple and satisfying You Eat food ideas II
Table of contents Italian: Pizza, Pasta, and Meatballs... 29 Homemade Pizza... 29 The Best Turkey Meatballs... 30 Pasta with Veggies in a Light Butter Sauce... 31 Mom s Famous Pasta Sauce... 32 My Favorite Ways to Prepare Chicken and Fish... 33 Desserts... 34 Jamie s Famous Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies... 35 Zucchini, Carrot and Chocolate Chip Cookies... 36 Lightened Up Pumpkin Pie... 37 The Simplicity and Beauty of Chocolate... 38 My Go-To Dessert and Snack... 39 Love Everything Simple and satisfying You Eat food ideas III
The Basics of Putting Together a Meal Putting meals together can be really simple and easy. So often, we overcomplicate it and get so in our heads about it, which can be really frustrating and discouraging. Here s exactly what to think about when putting a meal together: a) What are you in the mood for? Something hot or cold? Something carb heavy or veggie heavy? b) What else have you had lately? Did you have pancakes for breakfast? If so, try to diversify. Your body wants a variety of nutrients. c) Always keep things interesting. If you ve had chicken three times this week for dinner, try something new. d) Protein + carb + fat + veggie + sauce/dressing/seasoning. Some meals won t have one or two components (totally okay) but try to generally think of this when putting together your meals. a. Protein: fish, chicken, beef, tofu, eggs, nuts, beans, yogurt b. Carb: bread, quinoa, rice, potatoes, fruit c. Fat: hummus, egg yolks, avocado, olive oil, nuts, beans, cheese d. Veggies: leafy greens, salad veggies, starchy veggies e. Sauce/Dressing/Seasoning: This makes it interesting. Use pesto, marinara, some butter, a good salad dressing, BBQ sauce, soy sauce. Use plenty of spices and even fresh herbs. The most important part: Are you excited to eat it? 1
breakfast 2
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Basic Green Smoothie: Get your veggies in right away! 1 banana handful of raw spinach or kale ice ½ cup 1 cup water or milk Blend everything together! Options to add: berries, peanut butter, avocado, protein powder, flax, honey. Peanut Butter Toast: Simple and filling! Any kind of wholesome bread: Ezekiel, Bakery Bread... something REAL! Peanut butter, almond butter, etc. Variations: add jam, honey, cinnamon 3
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Fruit and Yogurt Toast: Good because it has protein to help you fill up. Good bread + greek yogurt + sliced fruit + drizzle of peanut butter for some healthy fats! Variations: add honey, cinnamon, jam 4
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles Buy whole grain pre-made waffles (or make your own if you re ambitious!). Toast and top with peanut butter and jelly. Add some fruit for fun and nutrients! Quick and easy. 5
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Veggie and Egg Scramble Scramble eggs or egg whites with any veggies on hand. Add some cheese and top with hot sauce or salsa. Serve with fruit and/or toast on the side for a very well balanced meal. Poached Eggs on Top of Sauteed Veggies and Toast Another great way to sneak in your veggies. Sauté any veggies on hand (here you see kale and mushrooms), add to toast and top with two poached eggs. Well-rounded, nutrient PACKED, and delicious! 6
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts The Egg Sandwich One of my all time favorite foods is an egg and cheese sandwich. I grew up eating them all the time, and I would say that if there is one food that I am picky about, it s my eggs and cheeses. When I used to diet, I used to dream about devouring a huge bagel, egg and cheese sandwich. Now, I make sure I have eggs and cheeses whenever I crave them, and that keeps me from seeing it as a power food or trigger food. Here is how I sometimes make them a little lighter and healthier, but still extremely satisfying. Use egg whites. Sometimes I am craving the yolk, sometimes not. If you are not craving the yolk, use egg whites to make it a little lighter. Use one slice of cheese, and don t use the fake stuff! Make it on great bread. That could be a fresh bagel, artisan bakery bread, or if you re not as hungry, an English muffin or quality whole-wheat toast. For a healthy variation, and as a perfect choice if you re not too hungry, do an open-faced egg and cheese with avocado and cheese sprinkled on top. 7
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Oats, Oats, Oats. So Versatile! You can make oats hot or cold (see overnight oats for the cold version). For a single portion, add 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup water or milk to a pot. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 2-5 minutes (2 for quick oats, 5 for old-fashioned). Add cinnamon and nutmeg while it s cooking. When it s done, add whatever toppings you d like! Some ideas: Banana, peanut butter, coconut, slivered almonds, crumbles of a leftover muffin, raisins, apple, blueberries, granola. To add protein: use milk instead of water, stir in a couple tablespoons of liquid egg whites while the oats are cooking, top with nuts or peanut butter Advanced oatmeal! I love stirring chopped banana into my oatmeal while it s cooking. I add the banana right into the pot at the beginning so they cook together. It makes a sweet and delicious meal! You can do the same thing with apples-just cook them for a minute or two first before you add the oats & water. 8
breakfast} Quick Breakfasts Overnight Oats 1/2 cup dry oats 1 cup water or milk fruit of choice cinnamon and nutmeg (optional) 1 T ground flax (optional) nuts or peanut butter (optional) 1. Combine everything into a bowl except for nuts if you want to keep them crunchy. Stir. 2. Set in fridge overnight 3. Eat in the morning! Eat cold or heat up if desired. Variations: Fruit: apples, banana, nectarine, blueberries, strawberries anything Add yogurt to thicken. Water or milk. Maple syrup, honey, or jam Healthy fats: flax, nuts, peanut butter, other nut butters Add on top in morning: cereal, granola, nuts, raisins, additional fruit *It doesn t matter what you put in the night before vs. the morning. Just keep out whatever you don t want getting soggy! 9
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Protein Packed Caramelized Banana Pancakes (made with Oats and Egg Whites) Makes 3 hearty pancakes 1 cup of quick oats 1 cup liquid egg whites 1 t cinnamon 1 t vanilla 2 bananas, sliced 1 or 2 T butter depending on size of skillet. You just need enough to line the pan while cooking the pancakes. 1. Get your bananas cookin. Heat up a grill pan or skillet and add some cooking spray. Once hot, lay down the sliced banana. Let these hang out for a few minutes over medium heat. Then flip, and let them cook on the other side for a few minutes until soft and browned. 2. Mix up the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. 3. Melt 1/3 of the butter onto your heated pancake skillet and swirl it around. Using a ladle, spoon out your pancake mix onto the pan. Add slices of banana to the uncooked sides. Once the uncooked sides start lightly bub bling, flip the pancakes. Let them cook for another minute or so and then take them off. 4. Top with maple syrup or use my little syrup trick: pour syrup in a small bowl instead of all over your pancakes. Then dunk each bite into the bowl. You end up using much less syrup! 10
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Pumpkin Pancakes Serves 4-6 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 1 t allspice 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t ground ginger 1/4 t ground nutmeg 1/8 t cloves 1/2 t sea salt 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 egg 2 1/2 cups milk 2 T maple syrup 1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix to combine. Mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl. 2. Preheat a large non-stick skillet on your stovetop. Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix together just until combined. Pancake batter should be relatively drippy. Pumpkin naturally makes this a bit thicker, but if it s still too thick to easily pour, slowly mix in an extra 1/2 cup of milk. 3. Once the skillet is hot, ladle about 1/4 cup of batter at a time to create each pancake. Let it cook until bubbles start to appear on the surface then flip and cook for another minute or two. Serve immediately! 11
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins Makes 12 muffins 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup wheat bran 1 1/4 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 1 large zucchini or about 1.25 cups shredded zucchini 1/2 cup milk (I used 1% but doesn t matter) 1 egg 1 banana 2 T honey 1 t vanilla 1/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg and salt 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Mix flour, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside. 3. Chop banana in a bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute or until it s mushy and you can easily mash it with a fork. Mash it. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, honey, and shredded zucchini (use a cheese grater to shred it). Mix well. Add to dry ingredients. 4. Stir in chocolate chips. 5. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350, or until muffins are cooked through. 12
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Fresh Ginger and Berry Scones Makes about 14 scones 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 T baking power 1/2 t baking soda 4 T turbinado (raw) sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top 5 T butter 1/2 cup greek yogurt (any kind) 1/2 cup milk (any kind) dash of cinnamon 1 cup fresh berries 1/2 cup crystallized ginger 1 T lemon juice + 1 T lemon zest dash of salt 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Combine yogurt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. This will turn the yogurt in a light, fluffy, meringue-type texture. 3. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together. 4. Cut the butter into bite sized pieces and then add it in to the flour mixture. Use your hands to coat the butter with the flours and to mix it all together. 5. Add in the greek yogurt and milk. Mix well. 6. Add in the chopped berries and chopped ginger. Add in lemon zest, and squeeze of lemon juice. 7. Mix well together. On a floured surface, lay out the dough and spread until it is a 1/2 inch thick. Cut into triangles and lay out on baking sheets lined with butter or parchment paper. 8. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly brown on edges. 13
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Shakshuka Serves 4-6 4 cups diced tomatoes 1/2 medium onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 T tomato paste 1 T olive oil 1 t chili powder 1 t cumin 1 t paprika pinch of cayenne pepper S&P 5-6 eggs 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1. Heat a large skillet on medium and then add olive oil. Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté until onion is soft. 2. Add bell pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium. 3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan. Add spices. Stir until blended and allow mixture to simmer for 5-7 minutes. It should start to look like pasta sauce at this point. Add S&P as needed. 4. Once the mixture looks like pasta sauce, add in the eggs. Crack them right into the sauce. Keep heat on medium, and cover the pan. Watch closely until the clear part of the eggs start to turn white. This typically takes about 5 minutes. Once they are white, remove the pan from the heat. The eggs will continue to cook for a few more minutes as you get everything out on the table, so if you do want runny eggs, be sure not to overcook. 5. Garnish with parsley and serve with warm bread! 14
breakfast} Egg White Veggie Frittata Muffins about 2 cups baby spinach 1/2 a zucchini, chopped about 1 cup of egg whites (I use them out of a large container) 1/4 cup feta cheese cooking spray For Special Days When You Have More Time 1. Sauté the spinach and zucchini in a skillet with cooking spray for about 4 minutes until it cooks down. 2. Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray. 3. Once the veggies are cooked, evenly distribute throughout muffin tray. 4. Top with egg whites until each muffin cup has about a 1/4 inch left. These don t rise much, so you can pretty much fill each cup up. 5. Top with a sprinkle of feta. 6. Pop the tray into a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the muffins are slightly crispy. 7. Allow to cool and then remove from tray. 15
breakfast} For Special Days When You Have More Time Egg White, Veggie and Herb Frittata Serves 5-6 about 1 cup of egg whites 1 small red onion, sliced very thin 3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped 3 large mushrooms 1/2 cup assorted bell pepper, chopped handful or two of kale, chopped 2 T fresh dill 2 T fresh parsley 1/4 cup feta EVOO, S&P 1. Add a couple tablespoons of EVOO to a skillet. Add chopped garlic and let it cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat. 2. Add sliced onions and let them caramelize for about 10 minutes while you are chopping everything else up. Stir them occasionally and season with S&P. 3. Add mushrooms and peppers and let them cook until soft. Finally, add Kale and herbs. Allow everything to cook for a few more minutes. Season with additional S&P if desired. 4. Line a quiche dish or pie dish (or you can just keep it in the skillet) with some cooking spray. 5. Add cooked veggies to the pie dish and top with egg whites. 6. Top with a sprinkle of feta, salt and pepper. 7. Pop into a 350 degree oven. Once the egg whites are mainly cooked (after about 20 minutes), put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn t burn! You just want the top to get slightly brown and crusty. 8. Cut and serve! Top with hot sauce if you like a kick. 16
Lunches & Dinners 17
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis How to Create the perfectly satisfying salad To create a perfectly satisfying salad, think about this: a) Do you actually want it? If not, don t do it! You ll probably end up reaching for something else afterward because you aren t satisfied. b) If you do want it, the first thing to think about is greens. Use it as an opportunity to get in some leafy greans. Typically spinach and kale go great as salad bases. c) Add a few salad veggies such as carrots, peppers and cucumbers. d) Make sure you have a lot of colors going on. Studies show that the more beautiful your plate, the more satisfied you ll be! e) If you want to get really interesting, add some sautéed veggies for a different texture and temperature. f) Be sure to add a fat! Avocado, cheese, nuts. g) Keep it vegetarian with beans, or add some animal protein. h) Add anything else that s leftover in the fridge to spice it up. Anything can be added to a salad! i) Sprinkle with salt and pepper. It adds so much good flavor. j) Pick a simple dressing. Stay away from fat free dressings and dressings that have a ton of ingredients. Stick with basic ingredients when putting together a dressing: olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon, tahini, etc. 18
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Massaged Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing Serves 4-5 as a side salad, or 1 or 2 as a main salad 1 bunch kale 1 medium red onion 1/2 avocado, chopped 2 T sunflower seeds (I use roasted and salted) 1 T tahini 2 T water 1 T olive oil (half for the pan, half for the dressing) 1. Slice onion very thin. Add to an oiled pan and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. Every few minutes, just stir the onions to keep them from burning. 2. While onions cook, prepare kale. Break leaves off stems and into small bite sized pieces. Rinse and transfer to salad bowl. 3. For dressing: mix together tahini, water and 1/2 of EVOO. Stir. Add to kale and massage into it with your fingers for 2-3 minutes. 4. Top kale with onions, avocado and sesame seeds. 5. Optional: drizzle your portion of salad with a little more tahini if you d like some more flavor. 19
Lunches & dinners} Italian Seafood Boil Serves 3 1 1/2 T olive oil 1 shallot, chopped 1 bulb fennel, chopped 1 bay leaf 1 sprig fresh rosemary 1/2 T fennel seeds 1 can corn, drained 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in their juice 1 1/4 C clam juice 3/4 C dry white wine 1 potato, peeled and chopped into 3/4 in cubes Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis 1/8 C tomato paste 1/2 lb mussels, scrubbed 6 littleneck clams, scrubbed 1 tuna steak (you can use salmon or halibut here instead), cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces 1/2 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 T chopped fresh parsley Fresh loaf of bread with butter! 20
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Italian Seafood Boil (continued) 1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped fennel and shallots and sauté until the fennel is tender, about 6 minutes. Season with S&P. 2. Add the entire can of tomatoes with the juice and then add the clam juice and the white wine. Stir in the tomato paste and add the bay leaf, fennel seeds and fresh rosemary. 3. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors mix. 4. Add the clams and cover the pot. Let them cook for about 5-7 minutes until they open. Once they open, remove them and put them in a bowl on the side. For any that don t open, throw them away. This means they aren t good. 5. Repeat the same process with the mussels. Add them, let them open, remove them into a side bowl. 6. Add the potato chunks and cover the pot again. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until the potato is softened. 7. Add the shrimp, tuna pieces, and corn and cook for about 5 minutes until the shrimp and tuna are just cooked through. Then, add back the clams and mussels. Stir in the parsley. 8. Serve in big soup bowls with bread and butter on the side! 21
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Kale and Lentil Stew Serves about 6 2 sweet potatoes, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped 1 small onion, white or red, chopped 1 bunch of kale, rinsed 1 1/2 cups dry lentils (I recommend green because they hold their shape better) 6 cups broth or water, or a mix (I use 4 cups broth/2 cups water) 1 T chopped garlic Salt and Pepper to Taste 1 T allspice 1 T EVOO 1. Grab a big pot and heat the EVOO in it over medium heat. 2. Add chopped onions and allow to cook for a minute or two while you chop your taters and carrots. Then, add in your taters and carrots, and toss in the garlic. 3. Allow this mixture to cook for 5-10 minutes while it all softens. 4. Add kale. I roughly just pull the kale into bite sized pieces with my hands, but you can chop it if you d like. 5. Let the kale wilt, then add in the dry lentils and water/broth combo. Add in spices. 6. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until the lentils have cooked to your liking. 22
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Pumpkin Chili Makes 2-3 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 yellow onion 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 can pinto beans 1 can red beans, 1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce) 1 can diced tomatoes 1/2 can pumpkin puree a pinch of cumin, cinnamon and red pepper. In a medium/large pot heat the oil over low heat. Dice onion and bell pepper, mince garlic. Add to the pot and turn the heat up to medium. Sauté until onion begins to soften. Chop chipotle pepper and add to the pot, if you like it spicy add a little to the sauce, too. Add diced tomatoes with juices, pumpkin and all the spices and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Once everything is warmed through check to see if you need to add any salt or pepper. Serve with cheese or sour cream. 23
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Honey Rosemary Roasted Carrots about 4 cups of sliced carrots about 2 T olive oil about 2 T honey S&P 1 or 2 T of chopped rosemary 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees 2. Combine everything and lay out on a lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, checking on them midway and giving them a little stir. Maple Rosemary Sweet Potatoes 1 1/2 LARGE sweet potatoes 2 T maple syrup 1 T olive oil 5 or 6 fresh rosemary sprigs 24
Lunches & dinners} Salads, Sides, Soups and Chilis Spicy Roasted Potatoes several red and brown potatoes, of any kind parsley salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika olive oil garlic 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil 2. Chop a few garlic cloves into tiny pieces, set aside. 3. Chop potatoes into bite sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Top with garlic, a couple tablespoons of EVOO, salt, pepper, and a generous helping of cayenne and paprika, depending on how spicy you like it. Top with parsley. Mix with hands and then spread out on baking sheet. 4. Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring once. 25
Lunches & dinners} Sandwiches & Tacos Open Faced Ricotta and Smoked Salmon with Pesto Open faced sandwiches can be fun and offer something interesting and different. In this recipe, just toast some bread and top with ricotta cheese, smoked salmon and pesto. It offers tons of healthy fats and so many flavors. Plus, open faced sandwiches are fun to eat! 26
Lunches & dinners} Sandwiches & Tacos Apple & Feta Chicken Burgers 1 lb ground chicken 1 apple, chopped finely 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 cup good feta 1 T Dijon mustard S&P 1. Saute onion in a skillet with a little olive oil. 2. In a large bowl, combine cooked onion, ground chicken, apple, feta, mustard and S&P. Mix all together. 3. Form patties with hands and add the patties to a slightly oiled hot skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through and is white and no longer pink. 27
Lunches & dinners} Sandwiches & Tacos Veggie Tacos Tacos are always a GREAT idea. You can get so creative with tacos basically anything can be thrown on. I usually make them with no meat and just refried beans, but feel free to throw on ground beef, ground turkey, or even chicken. Chop up a bunch of vegetables, get your fats from avocado and cheese, and be sure to add some heat with some good salsa. I find that I don t even need sour cream because there is so much flavor already coming from the other ingredients. Warm a whole wheat tortilla in a skillet, spread on your beans or meat, layer with cheese and let the cheese melt. Remove the tortilla and top it with all of the rest of the toppings. Good luck rolling it up! 28
Lunches & dinners} Italian: Pizza, Pasta, and Meatballs Homemade Pizza Pizza is so simple and easy, and the best part is you can literally throw anything you want on there. It s an awesome way to get rid of whatever you have in the fridge. Keep whole wheat dough in your freezer so that you can pull it out any time you have the bright idea to make pizza. Once you roll out the dough and add your toppings, it only takes about 10 minutes to cook. You can play around with making the dough thinner or thicker and which toppings you like best, but it s almost always a win! Grilled Veggie Pizza whole wheat pizza dough about 1/2 cup of pizza or pasta sauce of your choice veggies: I used eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers about 1/2-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella S&P, crushed red pepper flakes flour for working with the dough sprinkle of cornmeal for the baking pan. 1. Preheat oven to 450. 2. Slice your veggies and get them grilling on the grill pan. After a few minutes, turn them, so that they are cooked on both sides. If you keep your heat on high, the whole grilling process should only take about 5 minutes per batch (I had to do a few batches because my grill pan is small). 3. Work the dough into pizza form, using flour to help you from it sticking to your hands. Use a rolling pin if you have one. Once it is formed, sprinkle a baking pan with cornmeal. Add dough to the baking pan. 4. Add sauce. Top with grilled veggies and mozzarella. 5. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes, until the edges of the crust start to brown. 29
Lunches & dinners} Italian: Pizza, Pasta, and Meatballs Turkey Meatballs with Fresh Dill and Basil Makes 12 meatballs 1 lb extra lean ground turkey 1/2 cup oats 1/3 cup chopped onion 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 t chopped garlic 2 t dried basil 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley 1 t paprika dash of S&P 1. Add all ingredients into a bowl at once. 2. Mush everything together with your hands and form meatballs the size of golf balls, or slightly larger. 3. Heat a skillet and coat the bottom with cooking spray or olive oil. I used olive oil here. 4. Once the skillet is hot, place meatballs onto it. Keep the skillet on medium to low heat. Every couple of minutes, turn the meatballs so that they stay in ball form and make sure each side gets cooked. 5. After about 8-10 minutes total, these guys should be done! 30
Lunches & dinners} Italian: Pizza, Pasta, and Meatballs Pasta with Veggies in a Light Butter Sauce Serves 1-2 A tip: when making pasta, always throw in a ton of veggies. This is a great way to bulk up your pasta so that you end up eating less of the actual pasta and more veggies! about 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pasta shells, cooked. about 1/2 cup Maple Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes (see recipe page 23) handful of spinach handful of frozen peas dashes of salt, pepper, crushed red pepper 1/2 T Butter parmesan cheese Mix all together in a pot over low heat. Enjoy the taste of real butter. 31
Lunches & dinners} Italian: Pizza, Pasta, and Meatballs Mom s Famous Pasta Sauce Makes about 6 servings 1 package lean ground turkey any veggies you want. I used: 1/2 onion, 1 green pepper, 1 yellow pepper, large package of mushrooms, handful of kale 1 jar of pasta sauce any spices you d like to add. I added dried basil, salt and pepper. 1. Turn skillet on high heat. 2. Add the package of ground turkey. Cook until it is brown all the way through. 3. Add veggies, cook for about 5 minutes until soft. 4. Add jar of pasta sauce. Bring everything to a boil, then allow to simmer. You can let it cook for as long as you want to blend flavors, but at least 20 minutes so everything is soft. 32
my favorite ways to prepare chicken & fish Chicken is one of those foods that s great to prepare in bulk. If you have cooked chicken in your fridge, it s probably going to get eaten. It s awesome on salads the next day, thrown into soups, as a snack, and of course for dinner. You can always cook it and freeze individual breasts in the freezer for a later use. I prepare everything in a very simple way and I always prepare the entire package of chicken at once. This saves me time during the week. Here you see chicken with paprika and dill that I had laying around, but the typical method is very simple. Add salt, pepper, any spices you have on hand, and some fresh herbs if you have them. Throw into the oven and bake, or grill on a grill pan. If you have extra time, you can also marinate the chicken ahead of time. During any given week, I usually make fish twice. I love fish! Typically it is shrimp, salmon, or some sort of white fish that looks good. For white fish, I usually add salt, pepper and paprika and let it bake in the oven for less than 10 minutes. For salmon, I love adding a layer of Dijon mustard or a chunky mango salsa across the top. For shrimp, I usually sauté with veggies, a marinara sauce, or just on their own and then add them to whatever else I am cooking. Pair your chicken or fish with a veggie or two (cooked with olive oil for some fat) and a grain such as quinoa, couscous or brown rice and you ve got yourself a meal! 33
Desserts 34
Desserts Jamie s Famous Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes 14 cookies These are my famous cookies. I have made them SO many times and everyone loves them. They are made with no sugar (a little maple syrup + honey), no oil and no butter. I mean, come on! Give them a go! 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 cup oats 1 banana, chopped into bite sized pieces 1 egg 1/2 cup mini morsel chocolate chips 1/2 cup applesauce 1 T honey 1 T maple syrup 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 t baking powder 1 t vanilla extract dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg 1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix together dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon in a large bowl. 2. Heat up the banana in the microwave for 1 minute, until it is really soft and mushy. Beat in the egg and the applesauce. Beat together until smooth (see above picture). Add in honey, maple syrup and vanilla. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. 4. Stir in chocolate chips. Form into cookie shape and add to greased baking sheet. 5. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. 35
Desserts Zucchini, Carrot, and Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 long carrots, shredded 1 zucchini, shredded 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup wheat bran 1 banana 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips 1 T butter 2 T egg whites 2 T maple syrup 2 T honey 1 t baking powder 1 t baking soda dash of cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Shred zucchini and carrots into a large bowl. Top with flour, wheat bran, baking powder/soda and cinnamon. 3. Heat banana in microwave until mushy, about 1 minute. Add butter and egg whites. Stir stir stir until you have a liquid. 4. Pour liquid over the flour/veggie mixture. Stir everything together. 5. Drizzle with maple syrup and honey, stir again. 6. Add in raisins and chocolate chips. Once again, mix well. 7. Pop in oven for about 20 minutes. DO NOT overcook. Take them out when they feel slightly doughy still. They ll cool and settle and will still be super moist. 36
Desserts Lightened Up Pumpkin Pie Crust: 1/2 package refrigerated pie dough Filling: 3/4 C packed brown sugar 12 oz can evaporated low fat milk 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 1 15 oz can pumpkin (unsweetened) 1/2 t cinnamon 1/2 t nutmeg 1/2 t allspice 1/4 t salt 1. Preheat oven to 425 and position oven rack to lowest position. 2. For filling: combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. 3. For crust: roll dough into 11 inch circle; fit into a 9 inch pie plate coated with butter or cooking spray. 4. Pour filling intro crust. Place pie plate on baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 (keep pie in oven), bake for additional hour or until almost set. Allow to cool. 37
Desserts The simplicity and beauty of chocolate To be honest, I don t eat a ton of dessert if it is not ice cream! So I don t have too many recipes. On a daily basis, you can usually find me eating some chocolate. I always always keep bars of chocolate in my freezer and have some whenever I feel like it. Not restricting myself like this helps with my sugar cravings. If I don t have any sugar in the house, it makes me want more. Learn what chocolate bars you absolutely love and keep them on hand. Let yourself have some whenever you want. A little chocolate never hurt anyone 38
Desserts My go-to dessert and snack Rather than having dessert, I usually have an actual night-time snack. I would definitely recommend eating something before bed if you re physically hungry. That s your body telling you that it needs something! My go-to is peanut butter toast, or a banana with peanut butter. It almost always includes nut-butter. It s a great food to eat before bed. The protein and fat keep you full and are extremely satisfying. 39
With Love From Me to You I hope that you enjoy some of the ideas and recipes from this collection. If you take one thing away from this, I hope you walk away with the idea that you can love everything that you eat. These are just some of my favorite foods, but I d encourage you to invest the time into figuring out what makes you happy, energized, and satisfied. We all need to eat, why not make it beautiful and delicious every single time? Love, Jamie 40