Kale Pesto & Roasted Veggie Pasta

I like things Simple..and this is it .Light and Healthy .

and little Carb never hurt anyone :)
I've made this several different ways
Peas, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli etc etc ...
Only thing I suggest is to roast your veggies in the oven.

You can also find my Kale Pesto Recipe on my Blog!

Kale Pesto & Roasted Veggie Pasta

2 Medium sized Zucchini 

1 Eggplant 

1 or 2  Hand fulls of Cherry Tomato's
(Add as much or as little as you like )

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 Cup Kale Pesto or Store Bought

1 lb Pasta (you pick it)

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees .

I Chopped my veggies chunky  . 

Toss your Eggplant, Zucchini , Cherry Tomato's, Olive Oil, Salt, & Pepper on a large sheet pan  

Roast for about 35 Minutes or until browned , turning once with Spatula.

Meanwhile, Cook Pasta in salted boiling water for 7-9 Minutes until tender .

P.S -THIS IS GREAT AS A SIDE DISH!

Add You 1/2 Cup Kale Pesto to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.

 Take 3 Tbsp of your pasta cooking water and add it  to your Kale Pesto .

This will Create a thick like Sauce !

Drain and add your pasta

Add your Roasted Veggies,Scraping all the liquid & seasoning from the roasting pan into the bowl.

Combine well! 

Top with Parmesan Cheese if you like ! 

Buon Appetito!!

The Amazing Muffin

I'm begging you to make this Muffin Recipe ! NO BUTTER, NO OIL, And you can't even tell!! You have to believe me! You'll never add butter or oil to your cupcake or muffin recipes again, I sure wont!

Skinny Chocolate Banana Muffin

2 Large ripe Bananas

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Unsweetened Apple sauce 

1 Cup  All Purpose Flour 

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt 

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Baking Powder 

1/4 cup Chocolate Chips , You can add more if you want :)

• Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Line a muffin tip with with baking cups & coat with a little cooking spray.

In a large bowl mash your bananas with a fork.  I used a kitchen Aid mixer But if you don't have one, a fork works. Mash them well , No big lumps.

 Once your Bananas are mashed....Stir in the Sugar, Egg, and Apple sauce.

Sift the Flour ,Cocoa powder, salt, baking soda , and baking powder into your wet ingredients.

Mix to combine . Don't over mix! 

Fold in Chocolate Chips. Might be a little Chunky .

Go ahead and give it a small taste! Good Right!!!??? 

Add batter to Muffin tin and bake for 18 -20 minutes. My oven is super hot 18 minutes was perfect! or insert a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, its ready!

Makes 12

Don't forget to leave me a comment after you make these !!

Enjoy ! 

Kale Pesto

Kale -High in Fiber,Iron,Vitamin K,C,& E ,low in calories, powerful antioxidants. 

You get the point . Have some Kale !! 

This recipe will make a lot ! So use it on Pasta , Sandwiches, Salads, & Chicken or Fish too!!

Here are the ingredients...

1  Large Bag of Kale ( use Half)

3 Cloves Garlic

1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

1 Cup Olive Oil 

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Lemon , juiced

Salt to Taste.

Blanch Kale and Garlic in salted boiling water , 3 minutes .

 Drain . 

Transfer to a food processor and puree

with remaining,

 pepper,olive oil, nuts, Parmesan cheese & Lemon .

NOTE-Slowly add your Olive Oil till it becomes a pesto like texture.

You might not use the whole cup of oil OR you might need more if you use a lot of kale .

Jar your left overs!! 

Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken & Cauliflower Mash.

You are going to love love love this recipe! I have been eating Greek Lemon Chicken since a child. My Mother is Greek ,So this was a very popular dish in my house growing up. I hope this becomes one in your home too .

 Thanks Mom!

P.S - Whoever came up with the idea of Mashed cauliflower is an absolute GENIUS!!

Greek Lemon Chicken

1/2 cup Olive Oil

 1 Lemon Juiced

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 Tsp Ground Pepper

1 Tsp Dried Oregano

1 Clove Fresh Garlic, Minced

2 skinless boneless Chicken- Breast halves 

(There is plenty of marinade if you want to add more chicken)

 In a large bowl, Combine Olive Oil, Salt,Pepper,Oregano,Garlic,and Lemon. Add Chicken to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.

Place Chicken on a hot Grill ,( I used a counter top Grill )  Cover & Cook for 6-8 Minutes on both sides or until juices run clear when Chicken is pierced with tip of Knife, Turning over once .

(You can always pop this chicken in the oven or cook on stove top)

Cauliflower Mash 

I have to apologize I don't have Detailed pictures of this Recipe. It was my first time making this , The baby was screaming ,Phones were ringing , and I was really focused on making it right that I totally forgot to snap Pic's! 

1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into Florets

5 Cloves of Garlic 

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese 

1/3 Cup Olive Oil 

1 Tsp Kosher Salt 

1/4 Tsp Ground Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees, Place Cauliflower and Garlic cloves in a shallow roasting dish.

Toss with  a little olive oil just to coat! 

Cover with Foil and bake for 15 minutes. Roast again uncovered 15 minutes, or until Cauliflower & garlic   

are soft and lightly browned.

Using a food processor, puree cauliflower & garlic with olive oil.  Add parmesan cheese, salt, pepper,and mix well.You want to end up with the Cauliflower having the consistency of mashed Potato's or Grits .

(thick, not runny)

(The mixture seemed a little dense so I added a splash or two of milk.  After adding the milk, it was PERFECT!! 

Butter or Chicken Broth would work too !)

VOILA!!!

Apple Chips

2 Apples of your choice

1 Tbsp  Ground Cinnamon 

1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar

I used 2 Tbsp  of each Cinnamon and Brown Sugar . I had so much left over . So I'm thinking 1 Tbsp Should be fine.  Use whatever Apples you like . I have no idea what apple's I bought , all I know is I got the Apple's that were on sale :) 

Cut up the apple slices as thin as possible, up to 1/8″. If you have a mandoline, cut an apple vertically into rounds. 

Don't forget to take out the seeds!

Preheat oven to 225 degrees, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

(If you don't have parchment paper, spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray)

Stir together the Cinnamon & Sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle/sift over both sides of apples.

Arrange the slices on the baking sheet in one layer.

bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour. Flip apples and bake another hour, or till crisp.

After you flip them, if you see the apples start to curl up they are almost done.

 Keep a close eye cause I burnt some,haha

And now you have Apple Chips!!

Skinny Muffins!

If I say " I'm going on a diet" I will instantly fail ! FAIL.FAIL.FAIL. BIG FAT F!

   Took me a long time to Figure out why I was always failing at my Diets . I think the word itself just makes me have Anxiety .... Now after having a baby 9 months ago and just eating healthy, and working out when I have the time.. I'm Skinner now than before having baby O. I think the minute we put the pressure of "Dieting" on us we go nuts, at least I do. So these recipes are exactly what I'm using to keep the "Pressure"
of dieting off, while losing a little bit of weight, while still enjoying stuffing my face. 

Skinny Craisins Chocolate Chip Muffins!!

1 & 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda 

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Apple Sauce 

1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar

1 Egg White , Beaten

1 Tbsp Milk 

1/3 Cup Craisins 

1/3 Cup Chocolate Chips

I really wanted to try this recipe with fresh Strawberries or Blueberries .. but at this time of year they aren't cheap so I went with what I had in the pantry. But please use a fruit you like ! I think a Fresh Fruit would make these Muffins much more Moist!

I Left the milk out of this picture and I'll explain later....

1.Gently mix, Flour,Baking Powder, & Cinnamon.

2. With a Fork Mix the Brown Sugar & Applesauce Until together until no brown sugar lumps remain.

3. Add a beaten egg to your Brown Sugar /Apple sauce Mixture. Combine Well!

Add Wet ingredients to Dry ingredients and Combine. Now you can add your Craisins & Chocolate Chips.

I know! Its so stiff !!! Now is when you can throw in about a tbsp of Milk . Just to make is a little easier to mix all together ! ( I hope I'm making sense )

Spray Your Muffin tin or Muffin Liners with Cooking Spray.

Divide the Batter evenly. I used a 1/4 cup spoonful

and it Made 6 Medium Sized Muffins.

(Spray the top of each muffin with a little  cooking spray for color . Remember there is no Butter for browning )

Bake at 350 for about 20 mins. Muffins will be lightly golden in Color and a tooth

pick in the middle should come out clean.

Allow Muffins to cool and Enjoy! 

Baked Sweet Potato Pancakes .

One thing I want to point out is ,you don't have to follow the amount of ingredients.. add more or less of what you like! Play with it a little,make it your own !!

Here is a list of what I used...

1 Large Sweet Potato

 2 Eggs

 1/4 cup shredded onion

 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

 1/4 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

 3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour (Try whole wheat too!)

Preheat oven to 400°F .
Makes 12 Pancakes


 You will need to either shred your Sweet Potato with a hand grater or if you a food Processor that's even better !!

That long Red you see to the right is my Pepper Mill &

the pink cup is full of Salt. OK LETS GO!

Shred Sweet Potato & Onion.

Combine all Ingredients .Mix well!

Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto cookie sheet.

Now flatten with spatula or use your clean hand.

(You can use a dirty hand ..just don't tell anyone lol)

Pop into oven for 25 minutes; flip and bake for an additional 15 minutes .

That's all there is too it !

Enjoy!

Serve with Apple Sauce or Light Sour Cream.