Juice Cleansing...

As you may or may not know, I am a big fan of juice cleansing! If I could afford to do it every month I would...although sadly it can get expensive and I am trying to live in New York, which is expensive enough on its own! While some people treat themselves to steak dinners and martinis, I like to treat myself to a 5 day cleanse every now and then. The latest one that I am going to try is called Cooler Cleanse. The reason this cleanse may sound familiar is because this is the brain child of Salma Hayek and we all know when there is a celebrity involved it always gets more press!




I pick up my juices on Friday and begin the experiment on Saturday! If you have tried this cleanse or have any tips that you want to share about your own cleansing experiences I would LOVE to hear them!

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Golden Garlic, Tomatoes, and Sage

Ok....let's see if I remember how to do this.

Hello my friends and random people who found me online! It is me...Corinne, remember? It has been waaaay too long but I am back thanks to my friend Heather Dratler and her suggestion that I start again I am here.

So let's get right in! I found this great recipe from Vegetarian Times and tried it the other night for a quick easy meal...it was amazing! A must try for a night when you get home and are too tired to cook but want LOTS of food!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. whole-wheat spaghetti
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and sliced (3 Tbs.)
1 1/2 lb. ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (6 cups)
3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
2 Tbs. fresh chopped sage, plus more leaves for garnish
2 Tbs. chopped kalamata olives

Directions

• Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water 10 to 11 minutes, or until al dente.
• Heat oil and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic is browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, sage, and olives, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Drain spaghetti, and return to pot. Add sauce, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide among 6 serving bowls, and garnish with sage leaves.
  

Nutritional Information per serving:

Calories: 258, Protein: 9g, Total Fat: 9g, Carbs: 40g, Sugar: 5g, Fiber: 8g

Be on the lookout for more posts....they will be coming your way soon, if I don't melt in this New York heat :)

Thanksgiving Wrap

Hello Readers...remember me?!? I can't believe I did it again. I dropped off the face of the blogosphere. How will you ever forgive me?? How about with a very tasty recipe and a big apology :)

I am sure you still have a ton of leftovers from that huge meal you just ate last Thursday..aka Thanksgiving. By the way, what did everyone do for the big day? See family? See friends? Volunteer? I did a little bit of the last two. My friends and I volunteered to clean up at the Ronald McDonald House on Thanksgiving and then the day after we did a HUGE feast! Full of great food and amazing people (see below for the picture of the group).

Anyways, back to my original post. I am sure you have a lot of food leftover from your meal so why not throw it all together into this tasty and filling wrap from my favorite Hungry Girl!

Let me know how you have all been...I have missed you :)

Ingredients:

For Corn Stuffing
1 1/2 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 tbsp. chopped jarred roasted red peppers
1 tsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
1/2 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda)
Optional: 1 jarred jalapeno slice, chopped

For Wrap
1 La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb High Fiber Large Tortilla (or alternative below)
1 tbsp. light blue cheese dressing with about 25 calories per tbsp. (like the one by Wish-Bone)
5 mandarin orange segments packed in juice, drained and chopped
1 tbsp. dried cranberries
3 oz. yummy tofurky, chopped
1/4 cup chopped romaine lettuce

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients for the stuffing in a microwave-safe bowl sprayed with nonstick spray, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Microwave for 30 seconds. Use a fork to break up the mixture. If needed, microwave for another 15 seconds, until no longer liquid-y. Set aside to cool.
• Lay tortilla on a plate and warm in the microwave for 10 - 15 seconds.Spread dressing onto the tortilla, and sprinkle chopped orange segments and dried cranberries down the center of the tortilla.
  
• Top with turkey, stuffing, and lettuce.Wrap tortilla up tightly like a burrito, folding the sides in first, and then rolling it up from the bottom. (Or serve it wrap-style, with one end left open.)
  
  

Note: This thing will be SUPER-STUFFED. (It IS a Thanksgiving wrap, after all.) Now eat up, turkey!

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 1 wrap (entire recipe)
Calories: 326, Fat: 5.5g, Sodium: 624mg, Carbs: 43g, Fiber: 14g, Sugars: 11g, Protein: 37g

And...because I have been gone for so long I decided to add a picture from my Thanksgiving!

Stir-fry Mu Shu Vegetables Wraps

Hello there my lovely blog readers. I am sorry I haven't been around much lately but I have been enjoying a wonderful vacation in San Diego visiting my family. I went for a great 20 mile bike ride yesterday with my dad in the beautiful Coronado. After the ride (and relaxing a little bit) I decided to try out a new recipe that I found on www.Shape.com. I love their magazine and I didn't realize they had so many amazing recipes online!

Well after Alexis and I did some major grocery shopping I made these amazing wraps and they hit the spot! They weren't too heavy but filled us up. There was a lot of ingredients that went into it but they all added a different element that was very needed! I would highly suggest these tasty wraps!

Ingredients
4 dried black Chinese mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms
1/3 cup fat-free vegetable broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 bag of morning star chik'n strips
4 cups shredded green cabbage or packaged cole slaw mix
1 carrot, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into matchstick-size pieces
2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch pieces
8 6-inch whole-wheat or spinach tortillas
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

Directions

• Soak dried mushrooms in 1/2 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve mushroom liquid. Remove and discard any stems and thinly slice caps.
• Whisk together broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch; set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add "chicken" and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until no longer pink. Add cabbage, carrot, zucchini, green onions, reserved mushrooms and mushroom liquid and stir-fry for 1 minute, until cabbage wilts. Add cornstarch mixture and simmer 1 minute, until liquid thickens. Remove from heat.
• Wrap tortillas in plastic and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce on each tortilla. Add chicken and vegetable mixture and roll up.

Nutrition Score per serving:
390 calories, 1.02 g calcium, 46 g carbs (50%), 7 g fat (14%), 21 g fiber, 35 g protein (36%), 922 mg sodium

And....just for fun I thought I would share a picture of my adorable niece enjoying her homemade cupcakes for her third birthday!

My Time with Blue Print Cleanse

Yes I know this is a goofy picture but this is exactly how I felt after eating a fresh apple! My 3 day Cleanse is over and I survived. I not only survived but thrived!

A little recap for you:

The first day I felt AMAZING! I didn't drink a sip of coffee but I had a lot of energy and my friends even noticed my improved attitude. I must admit the first sip of that green juice scared me but after I got through the whole bottle I knew I would make it all three days. There were a lot of trips to the bathroom (TMI I know but what do you expect when all you do is drink water and juice?) which was made me feel lighter toward the end of the day. Also, the last juice, a cashew and cinnamon concoction was SO good! I was ready to take on the rest of the journey.

Day two - This was a lot harder I have to admit. I was working at my lovely internship where my boss, Sarah, and I were both doing the cleanse, which was good and bad. When we heard about someone eating Mexican food for lunch we were both very jealous but reminded each other that we are doing this cleanse to rid all of the Mexican food we had! Come night time I was ready to reach through the TV screen and eat the pizza on all those darn commercials....but I drank some tea and water and got through it!

Day three- This was MUCH easier! I was full of energy and feeling lighter and happier. I went grocery shopping and got lots of fruit from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to prepare for today! The juices went down easier and I actually craved that last green juice! I might have bitched and moaned while doing it but on day three I knew it was going to be worth it.

Now that the cleanse is over I feel lighter (by 5 pounds) and healthier. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has been overindulging or just wants to get rid of that extra bloat for the beach. I now have no desire for salty foods and crave the clean taste of water and fresh fruit and veggies (although I think I have always craved the taste of fresh fruits I had lost it for a little while getting overwhelmed with stress).

This was worth all the hype and I can't wait to cleanse again...I think I am addicted :)

First day of Blue Print Cleanse

Today is my first day of Blue Print Cleanse and after trying the first green juice I am a little nervous! This cleanse consists of 3 days of only drinking 6 freshly made juices. It sounds a lot harder than I think it actually will be.

A little about the Cleanse straight from their website "This Cleanse will gently rid your body of impurities, regain an alkaline balance and normalize digestion and metabolism. Too often, a cleanse stirs up detox symptoms that are far too intense for the “average” person. BPC is designed for people that would like to give their insides a rest while simultaneously going on about their daily lives. One needn’t gamble with extremes to feel the benefits of a Cleanse."

I have not been eating very healthy or going to the gym as much as I need to so I am hoping this will help me get back on track. After finishing the first green juice (that has lots of good for you stuff like celery, kale, romaine, and green apple) and brushing my teeth I am feeling very good.

I don't have any recipes for you today because I don't want to think about all that yummy food I can't have BUT I will be keeping you updated on my cleanse so wish me luck :)

Greek-Style Pizza with Ricotta and Feta

I have been eating horribly lately, which is why I haven't been updating as much as I should. I have been on the hunt for a new roommate/apartment as well as a new job so life has been stressful and it has caused me to not cook as much and basically eat anything that is in front of me. But I am trying to get back on track!

My amazing internship at J Public Relations has been a great way for me to take my mind off of all the stresses and learn a lot. One of their clients is a great juice cleanse company called BluePrintCleanse that I am SO excited to start on Monday. I am planning on documenting everything for my lovely loyal readers and let you know all of the good and bad of doing the BPC cleanse!

Now...on to my latest cooking adventure! This recipe from Shape Magazine will make you never want to order pizza in! I needed to find something that would be easy and very tasty. I didn't want to have junk-food withdrawals and this pizza not only tasted amazing but left me feeling great after eating. I hope I can stay on track and get my life in order! I know that my cleanse on Monday will truly help me get everything together.

On to the FOOD!!

Ingredients:

Makes 8 slices

Cornmeal for sprinkling
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped fennel
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 14-inch whole-grain pizza crust (see recipe, p. 214) or store-bought pizza dough
3.4 cup fat-free prepared marinara sauce
1.2 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 3.4 cup)
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1.4 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions

• Place a pizza stone on middle oven rack, turn oven to 500°F, and let stone heat for 20 minutes. (Alternately, use a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; preheat oven but not sheet to 500°F). If using a stone, liberally sprinkle a wooden peel or baking sheet with cornmeal.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel and sauté 5 minutes; reduce heat to low. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water and stir into fennel. Season with salt and pepper.
• On a lightly floured clean surface, roll dough to form a 14-inch circle. Transfer to prepared peel or baking sheet and slide dough onto heated pizza stone—or just transfer to baking sheet—and cook 5 minutes. Remove pizza stone or sheet from oven to add toppings.
• Spread sauce over crust. Arrange fennel-spinach mixture evenly over red sauce. Spoon tiny dollops of ricotta over fennel-spinach mixture. Sprinkle with feta and bake 12 to 15 minutes more, or until edges are golden.
• While pizza cooks, place tomatoes and mint in a bowl and toss to combine. Scatter mixture over pizza before cutting it into 8 slices and serving.

Nutrition Information per serving:
(1 slice): 176 calories, 4 g fat (23% calories), 2 g saturated fat, 27 g carbs, 7 g protein, 3 g fiber, 128 mg calcium, 2 g iron, 381 mg sodium