Black Bean Pasta with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients
4 oz black bean spaghetti
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 Tsp garlic
½ cup shelled edamame
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp peanut butter
Juice of half a lime
Sesame seeds

Recipe
Boil black bean spaghetti for 2-3 minutes. To make the sauce combine: soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, diced garlic, and lime juice. Once the sauce is mixed well, add cooked black bean spaghetti and vegetables. Mix well. Serve chilled.

Megan Says
“Black bean pasta is a much healthier alternative to traditional pasta: rich in protein and fiber and extra filling.”

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Shrimp Taco

Ingredients
5-10 Fresh Shrimp
¼ Cup Onion
½ Cup Mango
1 Tbsp Jalapeño
Salt
Lime Juice
Olive Oil
1 tsp Chili Powder
Red Cabbage
Guacamole

Recipe
Add onion, mango, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt to bowl. Mix well and set aside. Add olive oil to pan over medium heat. Place 5-10 shrimp in hot oil. Sprinkle chili powder over shrimp and fry both sides until cooked thoroughly. Remove shrimp from pan and dice into smaller pieces. Slice red cabbage leaves into the shape of taco shells, fill with diced shrimp, top with mango salsa and pre-made guacamole. Sprinkle additional chili powder and salt to taste. Enjoy!

Megan Says
“I love this recipe with the fresh mango salsa and the crunch of the cabbage leaves! This salsa is also delicious on other fish.”

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Veggie Taco

Ingredients
1 Ear of Corn
1 Bell Pepper
1 Cup Mushrooms
⅓ tbsp Cinnamon
⅓ tbsp Cayenne Pepper
⅓ tbsp Cumin
1 Cup Red Kidney Beans
1 Endive
½ cup Feta
Sriracha

Recipe
Cut corn off of husk. Chop mushrooms and bell peppers. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan over medium heat. Add corn, mushrooms, and bell peppers to pan. Sprinkle cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and cumin over veggies. Remove from heat and add red kidney beans to mix. Chop off the stem of the endive and pull off leaves. These healthy fiber filled shells are a great alternative to corn or wheat taco shells or tortillas. Fill empty endive leaves with veggie mix, top with feta cheese and Sriracha, and enjoy!

Megan Says
“Using endive instead of a taco shell saves on calories and carbohydrates, and you still get all the crunch!”

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Kale Chips with Sriracha & Greek Yogurt Dip

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Black Pepper to taste
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp sriracha

Recipe
Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse kale and remove stems. Towel dry kale. Any dampness will result in soggy chips—so extra dry! Rip kale into chip sized pieces and place in large bowl. Massage 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil into kale. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the kale in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder—or your favorite spices! Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until kale is crispy and slightly browned on edges. Make a simple dip with plain greek yogurt and Sriracha. Enjoy!

Megan Says
“Kale chips are a great alternative to potato chips: lighter, healthier and just as tasty! Use your favorite seasoning to customize your chips. Did you know kale is over 2,000 years old and is the same species that yields broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts? Its persistence in cold weather and unmatched nutrition content make kale a crop for the history books.”

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Spaghetti Squash with White Bean and Pesto

Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
½ Cup Canned White Beans, Rinsed
¼ Shredded Parmesan
2 tbsp Pesto
Salt
Pepper

Recipe
Preheat oven to 375°. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds with spoon. Fill glass baking pan with ½ inch of water. Place cut side of spaghetti squash face down in water. Roast for 30 minutes in oven (or cook in microwave for about 15 minutes!). Shred squash with fork. Add ½ cup of rinsed canned white beans. Add 2 tbsp prepared pesto. Add ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese and mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Megan Says
“Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for traditional pasta. If you aren’t ready to make the switch just yet, try adding spaghetti squash to your pasta dish to bulk up the volume of your meal without adding many extra calories. You can slowly decrease the amount of pasta and increase the amount of squash.”

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Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese

Ingredients
spaghetti squash
¼ cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, diced
1 cups lean ground turkey
Salt
Pepper
½ cup Marinara

Recipe
Preheat oven to 375°. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Remove seeds with spoon. Fill glass pan with ½ inch of water. Place cut side of spaghetti squash face down in water. Roast for 30 minutes in oven (or microwave for roughly 15 minutes!). Heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in medium saucepan. Add 1 clove of diced garlic and ¼ cup diced onion. Add 2 cups of lean ground turkey. Saute mixture until browned then season with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of marinara sauce and cook until fully hot. Shred cooked spaghetti squash with fork and mix with sauce. Top with shredded parmesan and enjoy!

Megan Says
“Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for traditional pasta. If you aren’t ready to make the switch just yet, try adding spaghetti squash to your pasta dish to bulk up the volume of your meal without adding too many extra calories. Then, you can slowly decreasing the amount of pasta and increase the amount of squash.”

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Peanut Butter Powder Smoothie

Ingredients
½ cup Frozen Raspberries
½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt
2 heaping tbsp Peanut Butter Powder
½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

Recipe
Add ½ cup frozen raspberries, ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt, 2 heaping tbsp of peanut butter powder (available at most grocery stores!), and ½ cup unsweetened almond milk to blender. Blend until smooth. No need for ice thanks to the frozen berries! Enjoy this sweet, delicious treat.

Megan Says
“Peanut butter is a healthy and delicious addition to many of the foods we love, but it’s not a free food. Since it’s rich in calories and (healthy) fat, using powdered peanut butter is a great way to get all the flavors of peanut butter without the calories and fat!”

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Noodle-Less Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
Water
3 garlic cloves
1 large onion
2 tbsp olive oil
28 oz crushed tomatoes
½ cup wine of your choice
1 ½ cup cooked green or brown lentils
¾ cup Ricotta
¾ cup part-skim mozzarella
¾ cup parmigiano reggiano
Basil

Recipe
Preheat oven to 375°. Peel 1 medium sized butternut squash. Cut into thin slices. Boil slices for about 6-8 minutes in water to soften.

Marinara sauce: Add olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Dice 3 garlic cloves and 1 large onion and add to pot. Saute for 10 minutes or less until fragrant and translucent. Add 28 oz crushed tomatoes. Simmer then add 1 ½ cup lentils to pot.

Time to layer your lasagna! Layer butternut squash slices, marinara sauce, ¾ cup Ricotta, ¾ cup part-skim mozzarella, and ¾ cup parmigiano reggiano. Bake for 30 minutes. Let lasagna cool for several minutes before cutting into pieces. Enjoy this recipe-hack to get the satisfaction of lasagna without all the unwanted carbs and calories!

Megan Says
“Butternut squash is a sweet and delicious addition to lasagna, and lentils (although meaty!) lighten an otherwise heavy dish.”

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Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

Ingredients
½ cup frozen blueberries
Handful fresh spinach
½ cup fat free Greek yogurt
½ cup unsweetened almond milk

Recipe
Add ½ cup frozen blueberries, handful fresh spinach, ½ cup fat free greek yogurt, and ½ cup unsweetened almond milk to blender. Blend until smooth. No need for ice thanks to the frozen berries! Enjoy this sweet, delicious treat.

Megan Says
“Almond milk is the perfect low calorie liquid to add to your smoothie – rich and creamy, with an average of only 35 calories per cup, it cannot be beat!”

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Pear Salad with Quinoa, Dried Cranberries, and Toasted Pistachios

Ingredients
2 cups Water
¼ cup Quinoa
1 Clove Garlic
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon
bowl of Baby Spinach
1 Pear
¼ cup Dried Cranberries
handful Toasted Pistachios
handful Sliced Olives

Recipe
Boil 2 cups of water. Add ¼ cup quinoa to water and cook for 15 min. Toast pistachios in small pan over medium heat (no oil necessary—pistachios naturally have healthy oil). Slice 1 pear. Dressing: Chop 1 clove garlic. Combine ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and diced garlic. Add the juice from one lemon to oil mixture. Assemble the salad: Mix quinoa, toasted pistachios, and dressing. Combine baby spinach, pear slices ¼ cup dried cranberries, and handful of sliced olives in large bowl. Add quinoa mixture to salad. Toss well and enjoy!

Megan Says
“This is one of my favorite ways to assemble a salad – the dressing is fresh and tangy. Adding the dressing to the quinoa incorporates the flavors amazingly well.”

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