Delicious Weight Loss Recipes and Strategies

http://blog.peertrainer.com/recipes/

Mediterranean Gourmet Power Bowl Recipe

This is just a sample of what the PeerTrainer group has to offer. They focus on new recipe ideas. New and creative ways that people can actually implement many of the ideas they present about eating for health and weight loss. " Our big objective is to find easy ways of eating a lot of high nutrient food, in a way that we find "crowds" out the other stuff, so that it becomes less of a big deal."

Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favorites. It feels so fresh and clean and tastes like spring. I created this after spotting a great advertisement by Udi's for their sundried tomato artichoke pizza. If you're looking to increase the vegetables in way that tastes great, reduce the wheat, have a "perfect protein", and leave feeling clean and full of energy, this is for you!

One thing we are working hard on doing is identifying foods that can be used in small amounts to deliver a big taste. Goat cheese is one of those foods. It is also a food that is a staple of "gourmet" cuisine. Of course we are here to help give you recipes to lose weight and get more energy. But if we also teach you some great "gourmet" skills, that will be an added benefit! Luckily my mother in law is one of the world's best cooks, and she has taught me over the years how to make healthy food dishes that not only taste great, but that impress your friends. Who among us does not want to make something for friends or guests and have them say "what is this, I HAVE to get this recipe." That is a pretty tall order, but that is our new goal with our recipes! Seems like fun at least.

Mediterranean Gourmet Power Bowl

1 can of fresh artichoke hearts 15 sun dried tomatoes (quartered) 1 pound of quinoa 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves chopped garlic (if you'd like to get fancy and have an extra 25 minutes, 8 cloves of roasted garlic, slice off the top and roast at 400 for 25 min. Or buy pre roasted)) 1/2 cup of basil leaves Few shakes of crushed red pepper Salt to taste Optional: 1 ounce of crumbled goat cheese Optional: Finely chop spinach, Kale, Bok Choy in the Cuisinart, and add it to help reach your 1/2 pound green goal for the day. Maybe you don't want to do this for company or friends. But it fits in very easily.

Prepare quinoa according to pkg. It's usually 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. I highly recommend preparing in the rice cooker. If you don't have a rice cooker just bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-17 minutes until it is fluffy. While quinoa is cooking, place artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, chopped spinach/kale, olive oil, garlic, few shakes of red pepper flakes in mixing bowl. When quinoa is finished, add to bowl. Then add a pinch of salt and goat cheese! It is DELICIOUS!

If you want to eat healthy and lose weight, sign up for peer trainer's motivating emails. Your waistline will thank you. http://peertrainer.com

My Review of Chef Brooke's In Fort Myers

Went for lunch at Chef Brooke's Natural Cafe for lunch yesterday. Everything here is organic and fresh although not completely vegan. My flexitarian husband had the special of the day: Rainbow chicken with rice, beans and salad. He truly enjoyed it, thought it tasted great, was the perfect heat and felt great and energized after eating it.

My special of the day was a walnut and millet patty with salad. It was so good and fresh and I especially enjoyed the 3 types of sprouts in my salad. Oh yes, I started off my meal with a shot of wheatgrass. It was my first time ingesting wheatgrass that one of the employees at Brooke's juiced right in front of us. So healthy and pure. As my husband said, it's like drinking the lawn.

We ate outside at the tables since we had our puppy with us but there was a nice eating area inside with juice bar. They also had a variety of vegan and organic products for sale. Chef Brooke herself took our order and was very sweet. She made us feel very welcome. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who cares about their health, vegetarian or not.

Oven Baked Potato Wedges

From: http://www.fox59.com/lifestyle/food/sns-food-recipes-potatoes-baked-fries,0,7...

Almost all of us have wandered past a fast food restaurant or hot dog stand and felt an overwhelming desire for an order of fries. That smell of potatoes and oil can get to anyone once in a while. No fried foods, we may tell ourselves, followed by self-messages on the evils of high-cal, high-salt options. At the same time, we may want to run to the counter and start munching before reason takes over. The idea that almost anything is fine in moderation could be a rationalization when it comes to potatoes deep fried in oil. But, what to do? With the recipe here, you can save yourself from the french fry remorse you might suffer later on, and still get the fix you crave. "I recommend a two-handed technique: one hand on the bottle of oil and the other holding a measuring spoon," said American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dawn Jackson Blatner. "It's important to measure oil because just 1 tablespoon has 120 calories. I also like oil mister containers that allow you to spray oil in a fine mist to control calories." Use the recipe to make baked wedge fries like the home-style ones some eateries serve up. Or create strips that have the crunch, taste and look that resemble those long, skinny ones most of us crave. Kay Stepkin is a vegetarian cooking instructor and former owner of a vegetarian restaurant/bakery. E-mail her at foods@tribune.com.

Oven-baked fries
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Note: You can use any type of potato. Don't peel the potatoes or many nutrients will be lost. Also by leaving the skin on, you'll get more crunch.

Ingredients: 2 pounds russet potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion flakes, sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch red pepper flakes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each potato into eight long wedges; place in a large saucepan with salted water to cover. Heat over high heat to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes. Drain; place the wedges on a baking sheet. 2. Mix the oil and spices in a small bowl. Brush the oil mixture over the potatoes to evenly coat. Bake 10 minutes, turn wedges. Bake 10 minutes. Turn broiler on; broil until potatoes are crisp on top, about 5 minutes. Turn; broil until crisp, about 5 minutes

Nutrition information Per serving: 189 calories, 22% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 215 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Falafel With Tahini

One of my favorite vegetarian sandwiches! Check it out and be sure to click the following link for many more delicious French style recipes.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Falafel-with-Tahini

The seasoned chickpea mixture for this falafel should have a coarse texture. This will ensure a crisp shell and a moist interior. Source: Saveur Related Topics: Beans Bread Vegetables Fry Main Course Sandwich Middle Eastern Easy 19 Share Photo: Penny De Los Santos FOR THE SAUCE: 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped and mashed into a paste with a little salt 1 /2 cup tahini 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Kosher salt, to taste FOR THE FALAFEL: 1/2 lb. dried chickpeas 1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tsp. flour 3/4 tsp. ground coriander 3/4 tsp. ground cumin 3 cloves garlic, smashed 1 small onion, roughly chopped Cayenne pepper, to taste 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp. water Kosher salt, to taste Canola oil, for frying Warm pita, for serving 1. Make the sauce: Place garlic paste in a small bowl and add the tahini, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup ice water. Whisk until sauce is creamy; season with salt. Set tahini sauce aside. 2. Make the falafel: In a medium bowl soak chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain water and place chickpeas in a food processor with parsley, flour, coriander, cumin, garlic, onions, and cayenne. Pulse mixture until it is well combined yet still coarse in texture, about 80 pulses. Add baking soda mixture and season with salt and cayenne; pulse to combine. Chill in freezer for 20 minutes. Use a spoon to portion the mixture into 1-tbsp. balls. 3. Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 340˚. Working in batches, fry falafel balls, turning occasionally, until they float and turn golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer falafel to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Serve in a pita with the tahini sauce. SERVES 4 – 6 This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #124

The Organized Traveling Vegetarian

I thought I would share this morning on how I organized myself to eat well while traveling. As you all know, most convenient food sources on the road is junk. From McDonald's to Kentucky Fried Chicken to Arby's and Wendy's all offer... Pretty much Nothing for vegetarians wanting to eat healthful foods. The solution? Pack your own foods and spice it up with once a day visits to selected vegetarian and vegetarian friendly restaurants in the cities you visit.

Here is a list of what I packed in a large cooler bag to last me 3 days minus one meal a day at a vegetarian restaurant. One bag of mixed lettuce and a container to mix salad in. Bags of pre-cut veggies: celery, red and orange bell peppers, 5 mini cucumbers, tub of hummus, almonds, veggie hot dogs, veggie lunch meat, rice crackers, avocado and tomato uncut. Oh yes, herbal tea bags to brew at the motel at night, lemon for morning lemon water and a pint of pre- made green juice. So far so good and we will be getting to our destination tonight in southern Florida.

My Trip To Florida & Seva Restaurant Review

My husband and I are driving down to Florida with our puppy. Last night we slept in Ann Arbor a very veggie friendly university town. One of the restaurants I found on my handy Happy Cow app was Seva's. It was open on Sunday night and offered take out which was essential for us with our dog. We were both extremely pleased with our meal and determined that it was the best take out we ever had! For an appetizer we had the Pesto Crustini made with fresh basil cashew pesto, tomato and vegan Daiya cheese. It was a good sized portion and totally delicious. For an entree, my husband had the Pasta alla Bosca and loved it. Penne pasta with portabella mushrooms, spinach and soy sausage. It was perfectly spiced and pretty to look at too! My entree was the grilled Tofurkey sandwich. With guacamole, dill sauce, daiya cheese and tomatoes, totally yummy! Oh yes, it also came with yam fries. Overall with our rose wine in room, the total experience was memorable and I would highly recommend Seva's to everyone, vegetarian or not. Check out their extensive menu on their website here: http://www.sevarestaurant.com

Tasty Vegetarian Recipes from Egypt Help yourself and others. Click here for ways to support this website and The Vegetarian Resource Group.

by Marie Henein
From http://www.vrg.org/recipes/egypt.htm

-- LENTILS AND RICE WITH A TANGY TOMATO SAUCE (Serves 6)

This is a typical dish prepared during fasts. You can substitute one layer of cooked elbow macaroni for a layer of rice.

2 cups uncooked brown or white rice 1 pound lentils 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic Two 16-ounce cans of tomato sauce 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup vinegar 1 medium onion

Cook rice according to directions. Rinse lentils and put them in a pot, covering them with water, and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low heat until almost all water is absorbed and lentils are well cooked. Add extra water if longer time is needed.

To make the sauce, first saute the garlic in 1 Tablespoon oil until golden. Add both cans of tomato sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and add salt to taste. Finally, slice onion in thin, small pieces and saute in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil until brown and crispy.

This dish should be arranged as a layer of lentils (on the bottom), followed by a layer of rice, then another layer of lentils and another layer of rice. Sprinkle the onions and the sauce on top before serving. Total Calories Per Serving: 563 Fat: 7 grams

WARAH ENAB --STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES (Makes about 40 leaves)

This recipe for grape leaves has been passed down through my family. Ground lamb is the ingredient I've omitted.

1 cup uncooked basmati brown or traditional white rice (traditionally prepared with white) 2 large tomatoes, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon allspice One 16 oz jar of grape leaves 1 cup tomato sauce 2 cups water Round sliced carrots, frozen or fresh (enough to cover the bottom of a 3 quart pot, approximately 15 carrot slices, depending on their size)

Mix all ingredients except grape leaves, tomato sauce, water, and carrots in a bowl. Remove grape leaves from jar, unfold, and rinse with water. Place grape leaves with the rough side up, one at a time, on a large, flat plate. Be sure that the pointy parts of the leaf are directed away from you and the flatter edges and stem are towards you. Place one teaspoon of the mixture on the bottom of the leaf, near the stem, and arrange it lengthwise using your fingers. First roll the flat edges near the stem upwards and tuck them slightly under the filling. Then applying pressure to keep the leaves rolled tightly, tuck one side at a time of the two parts of the leaf pointing outwards. Now, roll the rest of the way upwards still applying pressure to keep the leaf tight. Cook sliced carrots in water until tender. Cover the bottom layer of a large pot with these carrots. Begin layering the stuffed leaves above the carrots and be sure that they are packed tightly together; otherwise they may fall apart during cooking. Each layer of leaves should be in varying directions across the pot. Pour the tomato sauce and water over the leaves and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and place a flat plate (glass or stoneware) upside down over the top layer of leaves, and press down as hard as you can. Leave the plate in place during cooking. Cover the pot with its cover as well, and cook for 40-45 minutes. Check one leaf to see if rice has cooked fully. Serve warm. Total Calories Per Stuffed Grape Leaf: 27 Fat: 1 gram

LEMON AND GARLIC POTATO SALAD (Serves 5)
My mother's recipe for a light, tasty potato salad. 2-1/2 pounds red potatoes 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 clove garlic, minced Juice of 2 lemons 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes, and cool. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve. Total Calories Per Serving: 197 Fat: 3 grams

BEAN SALAD (Serves 4-6) This is a delightful salad for summertime.

One 16-ounce bag frozen French cut green beans One 16-ounce can black eyed peas 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup chopped parsley 4 entire scallions, chopped Juice of 2 lemons 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste

Steam and drain the green beans and allow them to cool completely. Drain and rinse the black eyed peas. Combine all ingredients and mix well. May be served chilled. Total Calories Per Serving: 233 Fat: 5 grams

SPINACH WITH DILL (Serves 4) A delicious dish from my grandmother that is traditionally prepared with ground beef, which I omitted.

1 medium onion, chopped 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill One 15-ounce can tomato sauce 10 ounces frozen, thawed spinach 1/2 cup water Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in oil. Add garlic and dill to saucepan and continue to saute for two minutes. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Add spinach and water, then bring to a boil again. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Serve warm over cooked rice. Total Calories Per Serving: 94 Fat: 4 grams

FOOL MEDEMMAS -- FAVA BEANS (Serves 4)
This way of preparing fava beans, which are commonly eaten as a breakfast food in Egypt, is my uncle's recipe. The ingredients tend to be common for the dish but may be varied in their quantities.

One 16-ounce can cooked fava beans 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomato, diced 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1/4 cup parsley, chopped Juice of 2 lemons Salt, pepper, and red chili pepper to taste Pita bread (optional)

Pour the beans into a pot and bring to a boil. Mix them well and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil again, then reduce to medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. This dish is usually eaten with pita bread. Total Calories Per Serving: 160 Fat: 6 grams

Marie Herein researched and wrote this article while doing an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group. This article originally appeared in the May/June 1995 issue of the Vegetarian Journal, published by:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
(410) 366-VEGE