Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

I love this recipe! You can also use panko bread crumbs and 2 egg whites in place of the fat free milk. Fresh tomato & basil sauce on the side for dipping.

We have them several times a month. Crispy veggie chips are a tasty alternative to fries. Japanese Eggplants in place of the Zucchini works well also!

Ingredients

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
Olive Oil Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Meat Loaf Muffins

Sit down to a meat loaf in a half hour with this recipe. Serve with steamed green beans and roasted sweet potato wedges. You can also use Lean Ground Turkey. Be creative add to it what you like. Perfectly portioned!

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")
Ingredients
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 cup finely chopped Onion
1/2 cup finely chopped Carrot
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef, extra lean (raw)
1 cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Green Tea Time

Green Tea is rich in the powerful antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a compound that belongs to the polyphenol family of antioxidants. Researchers are continually finding more benefits associated with EGCG. In fact, EGCG has been found to have twice the benefits of antioxidants in red wine. Green, oolong and black teas all come from the same tea plant. Camellia Sinensis. Green Tea leaves, however, are steamed rather than fermented, preventing EGCG from being oxidized.



Every afternoon I enjoy Tea Time. Green or Black tea is my favorite. I use a ceramic tea pot and let it steep for a few minutes. I usually enjoy a slice of Ezekiel Toast with Blueberry preserves or some Almond Butter or both! I picked up a Meyer Lemon Tree on Saturday, I can't wait to add my own fresh lemon to it!


Brewing a perfect cup of Green Tea ~ To fully appreciate the 100 percent natural antioxidant-rich Green Tea, heat fresh cold water to the boiling point. Use one tea bag per cup and steep for two to four minutes, according to taste. Relax and enjoy!

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

If you need a substantial pre- or post-workout snack these cookies are a portable solution!




1 Cup uncooked Oatmeal
1 Cup Dried Cranberries (raisins or tart cherries)
1 full scoop Beverly Vanilla Muscle Provider
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 Cup Pecans (crushed)
2 Egg Whites
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Ripe Banana (mashed)
1 Teaspoon Organic Honey
Non Stick Cooking Spray



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Dry Ingredients separately from moist, then stir all ingredients together. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and scoop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto it. Bake 20 Minutes. Makes about 24 cookies.
Per Cookie: 77 Calories, 2.5 g Protein, 15.6 Carbs, 3 g Fat, 1.2 g Fiber.






Perfect when you are craving something sweet, but opt for something healthy instead of fatty! I love them with my afternoon tea. They taste incredible!

Popcorn with Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil

Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil is a staple in my kitchen. It is a great flavoring agent that can be used for dipping breads or vegetables or as a base of a salad dressing.

The herb Rosemary beyond being a flavouring-enhancer for certain foods, you may not be aware that rosemary extract has a long history of medicinal uses too. It has been used to treat a wide range of ailments, including stomach upsets, digestive disorders and headaches.

Popcorn is high in antioxidants, most notably, polyphenols – a group of natural plant chemicals that have a variety of health benefits. Polyphenols are the same group of compounds that give red wine, tea, olive oil, and chocolate their beneficial properties. In fact, the researchers found that the polyphenol content of good, old-fashioned popcorn rivals that of many fruits and vegetables.

This is a recipe from one of my favorite chefs Giada DeLaurentiis. If your tired of air popped popcorn or that terrible microwavable popcorn for sale in supermarkets, then you will love this recipe. The rosemary oil makes this version elegant and sophisticated. I love it with some fine sea salt.

3 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs (each 5" long) Or Dried Rosemary is fine
1/2 Cup PopCorn Kernels
4 Tablespoons Rosemary-Infused Oil (In a small pan combine the oil & Rosemary, cook over low heat about 5 minutes, let cool transfer to a 4 oz bottle & seal. Refrigerate up to 1 month).

I have an electric popcorn maker but all you need is a large, heavy pot. Stir in the kernels and 3 tablespoons of the rosemary infused olive oil. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the kernels have popped about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with fine sea salt (optional) and serve. Enjoy!