All I Do Is Juice...

I am obsessed with the juicing trend. I can't get enough. I know I posted a recipe for Green Juice earlier, but I have found so many other recipes that I love more than the original and they come with their own benefits. These recipes target different things so I can't wait to try them all! I absolutely feel better through out my day and my body craves this. I have become so intertwined that I panic if I know I will be out of town, away from my Bella Juicer and can't live my favorite morning ritual.

Skin Revival- Helps keep skin fresh, bright and great for summer!

- Grape, Cucumber, Romaine, Radish, Lemon, Mint and Ginger

Immune  Boost- Boosts Immune system, promotes gentle cleansing and gives you energy to start your morning.

-Cucumber, Apple, Celery, Kale, Romaine, Parsley and Lemon

So Long Hangover- Rehydrates, detoxifies and settles an upset stomach.

-Orange, Pineapple, Cucumber, Mint and Lime

Veggie Blast- Days worth of leafy greens and antioxidant rich Veggies. Salty and packed with amino acids to give you strength and power.

-Tomato, Spinach, Kale, Celery, Carrot, Cilantro,  Green Onion, Lemon, Garlic and Sea Salt

Clean Genes- Detoxifying, Reduce inflammation, and support fast recovery.

-Apple, Carrot, Beet, Celery, Lemon, Ginger

Heart Healthy- Boost Immune System and strengthens your heart.

- Orange, Spinach, Apple, Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno


I didn't include measurements because everyone has their own tastes. When I read these I know I would do the following ratios according to the ingredients: I will always put 4 stalks of celery, 1 cucumber, 1 apple, 1 Tbsp of Ginger, 1 beet , 1 lemon, 4 stalks of Kale, Two huge handfuls of Spinach/Romaine, 3-4 Carrots, or no carrots if I want to limit the sweet tastes, 1 Lemon and 1 Lime (2 Limes if I want more tart taste). I also love tons of Parsley so I am sure I would include tons of Cilantro.

But to each their own:) I hope you all get into the juicing trend because I am in love and obsessed. I'd like to thank my mother for buying me a juicer for Christmas! 

Green Juice.

I have been on a health kick of sorts as of late. To help with this, my mother bought me a juicer for Christmas.. There is this website I love, YourZenLife.com and on it is a recipe for Green Juice.. Along with the recipe is an article on the health benefits of Green Juice and how it makes you feel over all good. Which is what I love, so needless to say I was sold. So I have tweaked this to my own liking but the original recipe is as follows. 

Tez's Green Juice Recipe 
Serves 1 

Handful of baby spinach
5 big kale leaves
Handful romaine lettuce
1/4 cucumber chopped
3 celery sticks chopped (don't include the ends of stick, chop off and discard)
Juice from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lime
Small handful of blueberries
1/4 cup water (add more for a juicier consistency, less for a thicker smoothie)

Blend and pour into glass.
Sprinkle some organic cinnamon powder on top to taste


Delicious!! 

Note: Try interchanging fruit and different veggies as you wish, remember 1-2 pieces of fruit 4-5 different types of greens 

-- Now I couldn't find Kale Leaves so I used Broccoli, I also used Pineapple since Blueberries and Strawberries aren't in season. Now I love the taste of citrus. I love to suck on Lemons and I eat  Limes like they are candy. I loaded this down with Lemon and Lime Juices and with the Pineapple, it helped mask the taste of drinking a salad. I hope this is the energy boost and good mood Morning maker I hope it is!

Calzones

I have been on a diet for a few weeks now. I have been meticulously watching what goes into my food and what I choose to shove in my mouth. Let's ignore the alcohol I still consume for the purposes of this blog. I allow myself a cheat day and a few weeks ago my cheat day came on the First Friday of the month which also coincides with the First Friday festival held in Downtown Las Vegas. Now First Friday always has AMAZING food trucks and I always go to the Pocket Pie Truck.. I'm going to tell you I bit into the Pepperoni Pocket Pie and it was like heaven burst in my mouth. Take that as you will. The dough was so amazing and the cheese was so ooey-gooey that I about fell out of my folding chair. The fact that I have been living off of Salad, Yogurt, Coffee and Granola bars may have contributed to my mental state, might have added to the experience and taste of this God of foods, but it got me thinking.. How can I make this for myself without hating my life and waist line later on.. This recipe is one I found that I am OBSESSED with.  Biting into this was definitely a GGA (Good God Almighty) moment for me... Now these are low fat/ low calorie Calzones.

I use whole-wheat flour, for obvious reasons or you can always purchase whole-wheat pizza dough as a time saver.

 As for the filling this recipe uses turkey, spinach, mushrooms and roasted red peppers. The recipes for this vary but you can use a reduced-fat ricotta, a small amount of a stronger-flavored feta cheese for flavor. But I like reduced fat Mozzerella. I think cheese is a preference thing.

Ingredients:
Dough: 1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
Filling:
8 ounces lean turkey breast
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups roasted red peppers, sliced
1 pound fresh spinach, steamed and drained, or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup Cheese
2 cups marinara sauce (serve on the side for dipping)


Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine water, honey and yeast. Stir until dissolved then set aside for about five minutes to let the yeast mature.
2. Stir in the salt and oil. Then add flour one cup at a time, mixing in between additions. You may need to use your hands by the fourth cup.
3. On a floured surface, knead the dough by hand for five to 10 minutes until it develops elasticity.
4. Return to the bowl and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. Place in a warm location until the dough doubles in size (about 45 minutes).
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Punch down the dough and divide into four balls. Roll each ball separately until dough is about one-eighth of an inch thick.
7. Layer turkey, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, cheese, spinach and basil on half of one side.
8. Wet the outer edges of the circle and fold over half the dough to form a half crescent. Press the edges to seal. Slit the top once or twice to let out steam.
9. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Serves: 8

Stuffed Mushrooms from Heaven

My cousin makes these stuffed Mushrooms for every family get together and I am OBSESSED.

They are so amazing, you can never just eat 10. It is super easy to make these and they are a hit at every party I have taken them to. I just eye ball everything, so I am just going to include what you will need without specific measurements.. You can change things around depending on your own personal tastes!

YUMMMMM-

White Button Mushrooms

Green Chilies

Jimmy Dean Sausage

Cream Cheese

Cheddar, Mozzarella shredded Cheeses.

•  Put Sausage in large skillet and cook on medium.  (I usually use EVOO so meat doesn't stick to the bottom)
• While the Sausage is cooking mix the Cream Cheese, Chilies ( minced) , and Mozzarella together in a small bowl. ( I use fresh Green Chilies that I mince myself!)
• Set your oven to 400 degrees.
• Pull out all the steams of mushrooms and clean the insides out.
• When the Sausage is brown and crumbling, remove from heat and drain off the excess grease.
• While the Sausage cools down a bit, Set the caps into a large pan with sides.
• Mix the Sausage in with Cream Cheese mix.. Place spoonfuls in the Mushrooms.
• Sprinkle the Cheddar Cheese on top and cook till the  Mushrooms are soft!
• - I usually cook for 15 to 20 minutes because I like my mushrooms not terrible soft, you can cook to your liking!
• Scoop them out of the pan with a (slotted) spoon as they will lose water while in the oven and arrange them on a plate.
• Serve warm. They reheat well, so you can make them ahead of time.
• *VARIATION : Use one 8oz. box of cream cheese to two 8oz. pkgs of sausage. It makes for a larger batch that is less rich and tastes just as good.

Now I usually cut bigger holes in the mushrooms to fit more mix in and I usually buy 2-3 packages of Mushrooms since the Sausage packs and Cream Cheese makes a lot of mix!

- I use Jimmy Dean Sausage and Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese and low fat cheeses..

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Deliciousness

This is a recipe I have scribbled on a piece of paper in a box of recipes from my college days. This is always delicious and  comforting! We all know how I love my comfort foods!

What you'll need while simultaneously drinking a glass of Red an being appreciative of Italians..

1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (cut into 3/4 inch cubes)
1/2 cup Green Onions
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 cup Whipping Cream
1 pkg. McCormick Pasta Prima Alfredo sauce
12 oz. Fresh Mushrooms (chopped)
3 Roma tomatoes diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped Parsley
2. tpsb dried basil
1 lb. Fettuccine Noodles
1/2 cup Parmesan

1. Heat Butter and Olive Oil in a skillet on medium heat.

2. Add Chicken, Green Onion, Garlic, and  sautee until Chicken is lightly browned.

3.Stir in Cream, Sauce mix, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Salt and Pepper.

4.Bring to a boil on high.

5.Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until Sauce is thickened.

6. Stir in Parsley and Basil.

7. Remove and toss with pasta, top with Parm Cheese.

Grilled Cajun Chicken

Being a single girl with a George Foreman Grill, I love simple Chicken recipes. If I can just defrost it, toss some herbs and lemon juice in a bag, let it marinate for 20 minutes, then throw it on the grill-- Well that is just perfection!

But one of my favorite recipes for grilled chicken that is simple and delicious is Cajun Grilled Chicken..

It is just one of those basic things that I like to make when I don't want to take forever making dinner...

What you'll need:

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried Oregeno

1/4 teaspoon Celery Salt

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

4 skinless boneless Chicken Breasts

Now I just toss this on my George and grill till there is no pink left, very scientific..

But for those of you who prefer the outdoor, manly type grill, those instructions are as follows...

You will need to prep the grill  at 300 to 350 degrees- Or Medium, for those of you like me who don't care to learn how to make temperatures.

In a small bowl combine Salt, Cajun Seasoning, Pepper, Oregano, and Celery Salt

--Mix well

Brush Olive Oil  on your chicken and sprinkle with Seasoning mix

Grill Chicken over direct heat, uncovered 10-12 minutes or until Chicken is no longer pink turning once through grilling process...

I'm going to be honest, I include measurements, but I never measure unless it's flour or something that will make whatever it is I am cooking or baking taste horrible if I over use... So for this I just eye ball everything... Still tastes perfect! I love to top this with whatever salsa I have in the fridge, but then again, I top every type of grilled chicken I make with whatever salsa I have in the fridge... That doesn't mean it is a good idea for anyone else.

Texas Sheet Cake

Growing up, one of my favorite desserts was my mom's Texas Sheet Cake... It is one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted and it is always a hit at parties, receptions, etc. Growing up I used to camp out in front of this until I had stuffed myself silly and was ready for a nap.. So I thought I would include this amazing, heaven sent dessert on my blog... From my recipe book to your kitchen, Enjoy!

2 sticks Margarine

1 cup water

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

Bring to boil and remove from heat.

While still hot add:

2 cups Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups Sugar

Mix well and beat in 2 whole eggs,1/2 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Pour into greased and floured sheet pan

-17x11 inch

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

 - Set aside to cool.

ICING-

Boil 1 stick Margarine

4 Tablespoons cocoa and 6 Tablespoons milk

Remove from heat and add while hot

1 cup chopped Pecans

1 box powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Mix and spread on cake while icing is hot.

Makes 24 large servings.