Skin-Clearing Spinach Soup

I woke up and there it was staring back at me in the mirror. A hideous reminder that just because I am in my 20's doesn't mean I am free of menacing breakouts. Nothing makes you feel like an insecure adolescent more than a red-headed monster smack dab in the middle of your forehead. Unfortunately, these incidents are more frequent than I would like and I have done a lot of research on what leads to healthy skin. When it comes to food anything with Vitamin A is your best friend. One cup of spinach has 56% of your daily intake and is only 7 calories. It also acts as a mild anti-inflammatory. This soup is a low-fat healthy way to cleanse your skin from the inside out.

6 ounces of spinach
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 potato, skinned and cubed
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cups of low fat milk
2 cups of vegetable broth
3 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of crushed black pepper
Optional: add one red pepper, chopped for an extra kick (and Vitamin C, which diminishes scarring).

In a pot saute garlic, onion, potato, and celery. Add spinach and cook until it is wilted. Remove from the pot and puree in a blender until it is smooth. Put the mix back in the pot and add milk and broth. Add salt. Cover and let simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.

Sinless Choco-Banana Muffins

It's been raining all day and I am currently dressed head to toe in grey sweats while my roommate and I watch Golden Girls. We are supposed to go out tonight but are slowly rationalizing why it is okay to stay fastened to the couch instead. The prospect of a batch of sinless muffins strengthens our resolve to do nothing. It feels less gluttonous knowing that these are butter-free and sugar-free. Don't gag, they are still good. Instead of butter, I used apple sauce. Instead of sugar, I used xylitol. The result is a light, fluffy, melt onto your couch sinless treat. Just don't think of the mess you will have to clean up after. That is tomorrow's problem.

1 cup of xylitol
1 1/2 cup of organic applesauce
1 egg
3 mashed bananas
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp of milk
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 of baking soda
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of whole wheat organic flour
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven at 350 F. In a bowl mix together sugar, applesauce, egg, banana, salt, milk, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and chocolate chips. Stir together until it becomes batter.
Spoon batter into a muffin tin, filling it to the top. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes. You will know it is done if you stick a fork in it and no batter comes out!

Five Spice Lentil Soup

Before you start cooking, close your eyes. Take a moment to enjoy the spices that you are about to use. The sharpness of the chilies. The boldness of the cumin. The zest of the curry. Take in the sourness of the lime. The onion may make your eyes water, but the scent of it sizzling in just a drop of butter makes those tears worth it. Remember that lentils are virtually tasteless so the only way to bring them alive is through spices.
The benefits of this soup are endless. Dairy free and vegetarian, it is also high in fibre and packed with vitamins.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup of lentils (any colour, I used yellow)
3 cups of water
1/2 a chopped onion
5 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tomato, diced
1 tablespoon of butter
3 tablespoons of cilantro

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Stir around for 5 minutes until onions start to go translucent. Add chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and curry powder. Let the onions and garlic absorb this for about 5 minutes. Add one cup of water and stir. Add lentils and let simmer. Once simmering, add two more cups of water, bay leaf and salt. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Check periodically to make sure it doesn't boil over. Add diced tomato and cook for another 5-10 minutes. For extra nutrients, add some chopped spinach. Once it is done, scoop some in a bowl, sprinkle some cilantro and enjoy!

PS: Lentils usually come out the best if you can soak them in water for a couple of hours in water before you cook them.

Yogurt Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

It was 35 degrees outside today and I decided I to walk home from work. Somewhere between the sweat dripping down my face, my feet screaming out in agony and the Shriners parade blocking off the most convenient route home I started to regret my decision. I felt like I journeyed through the Sahara by the time I got home. It wasn't until I met with the sweet relief of air conditioning that I noticed it was dinner time. When it is this hot, the only acceptable thing to eat is something light and refreshing. Enter: yogurt honey mustard salad dressing - so it doesn't exactly roll of your tongue, but it will leave your mouthwatering. The best part is that it is made with ingredients you probably have laying around and is perfect with a summer salad on these hot days. Bonus: since it has a yogurt base, not cream or oil, the dressing is actually good for you!

Ingredients
4 teaspoons of non-fat, plain, organic yogurt
3 teaspoons hot & spicy dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of honey

Throw the ingredients into a bowl and mix together! Chill before drizzling over your salad. This also makes for a great veggie dip or dressing on a sandwich.

Blueberry Limeade

I came upon this recipe while on a bike ride in the countryside with my mother. It is a weekend ritual we have during the summer when I come home. Don't get the wrong idea. We are not the hardcore riders you see out there with perfectly sculpted calves, head firmly fixed on the pavement and ultra-durable bike gloves. Though I confess I do wear the padded bike shorts. So necessary, trust me. Anyway...our ride takes us to a little park that we stop to take a break and, of course, compare our wicked bicycle-short tans. I found the recipe in a magazine that was sitting on picnic table at the park. It's a sinless way to cool down on these hot days. As you can tell from the pictures, I had my brother squeeze the limes. And look how happy he is about it.

Sinless factors:
* Blueberry: research shows that cooking blueberry does not hinder its nutritional value. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant properties of any fruit or vegetable
* Lime: packed with vitamin C which means with every sip, you are keeping that damn scurvy at bay.
* Xylitol: an all-natural sugar substitute. Ideal for diabetics because it is not metabolized using insulin (which means you won't get a sugar rush, then crash), it is also a low-cal option with only 9.6 calories per teaspoon.

Ingredients
* 2 1/4 cups of blueberries
* 1 1/2 cups of water
* 8-10 large limes
* 1 cup of xylitol

In a saucepan, mash the two cups of blueberries with a potato masher. Add the xylitol and water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then let simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain through a fine strainer (you can use the solids in a smoothie or for making jam).

Let this mixture cool for an hour or two. When you are ready to drink, juice the limes and mix with two cups of the blueberry syrup. Pour the mixture into a pitcher of ice and serve!

Sun-dried Tomato & Artichoke Stuffed Chicken

Dancing in my kitchen to Sinatra. Enjoying a crisp glass of white wine. Chopping onions like a 50s housewife pro. All that is missing is a poodle skirt and a string of pearls. This is the kind of dinner you make for your boyfriend's family when you are trying to convince them that you are wifey material. This is gourmet sinless. I'll admit that this meal does require a lot more prep than our friend grilled cheese and guacamole, but the pay off is worth it. I know stuffed chicken sounds intimidating, but it is actually as simple as slicing a chicken breast in half. I found this recipe online and the blend of sun-dried tomato and artichoke with a white wine glaze is simply brilliant.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chardonnay
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and saute until translucent. Stir in the artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the salt, pepper and garlic. When the garlic begins to lightly brown, deglaze with 1/4 cup of the white wine. Sprinkle in the parsley.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool before stuffing the chicken breast.

Stuffing the Chicken
Take a piece of chicken breast and slice it through the middle, but do not cut all the way through. Put the tomato and artichoke stuffing in the centre of the breast. Fold over and fasten with toothpicks.

Once fastened, place the chicken in the same pan that you made the stuffing in. It is a bit tricky because the toothpicks make even cooking a challenge. I had to move it around the pan to make sure the whole thing was covered. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can just bake the chicken.

Brown the chicken on all sides and deglaze with remaining white wine.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and discard the toothpicks. Pair with a summer salad and enjoy!

Grilled Cheese with Guacamole

It has been three weeks, seven pounds, 120 hours of work, and one major thesis since I've last blogged. It feels like at least that long since I've had a decent meal. Now that life has kind of settled I think I deserve a little treat. Remember when I said that everyone was allowed to be a glutton? Well, today was the day. This is one of my go-to indulgence meals. Grilled cheese sandwich with guacamole. It's simple. It's easy. It's oh-so-yummy. It's just a small tweak on the grilled cheese with ketchup standard, but I think you'll agree it's a good tweak. And hey, avocado is considered one of the top super-foods so its at least half sinless.

Two slices of multigrain bread
Butter
Fresh cut slices of cheddar cheese
One ripe avocado
Half of a lime
Two teaspoons of chopped cilantro

Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place one slice of bread on a frying pan, butter side down. Place the cheese on top of the bread and cover with the other slice butter side up. Cook until both sides of toast start to brown and the cheese is melted.

I like to keep my guacamole simple: mash-up a ripe avocado in a bowl, squeeze half a lime, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps

So I'm listening to the Drive @ 5 Street Mix on z1035 and it is making me crave something feisty for dinner. My sister from another mister is coming home from St. Kit's in a few days so I think I'll cook up something with a little island flavour. Spicy lovers will not be disappointed. Sinful confession: though I would like to stick to my "make it yourself" credo, I'll be the first to admit that I don't know jack about jerk. So I buy an organic jerk chicken sauce for this recipe.

1/2 cup of chopped red pepper
1/2 cup of chopped green pepper
a handful of chopped broccoli
1/2 cup of chopped red onion
1 chicken breast (you guessed it...chopped into cubes)
3 heart of romaine lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons of Sable and Rosenfeld's Tipsy Jerk

Pre-heat a skillet on medium heat. Pour two tablespoons of Tipsy Jerk until it starts to sizzle. Then add chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Once the chicken is almost cooked add the broccoli, peppers and red onion. Cook for about 5 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked after the veggies have been added (test one piece to make sure it is white all the way through). Once everything is cooked you can scoop the mix into the grooves of the romaine lettuce leaves.

Word to the wise, have a tall glass of water beside you while you eat this. This will set your soul (and taste buds) on fire.

Roasted Garlic Bruschetta Sandwich

Tuesday afternoon and I am transcribing interviews for a story I am working on. In case you are wondering, that is not very fun. Nothing fills you with self-loathing more than hearing your voice on a tape recorder. I find my current self getting angry with my past self for asking such ridiculous questions. The worst part is when I hear myself say, "Oh, that's interesting." Translation: I have no follow up question to what you just said and am stalling until I figure one out.
So I decided to give myself a break and finally pay attention to my grumbling tummy. I think it is asking for a sandwich. Vegetarians, you will love this.

1/2 of a ripe tomato finely diced
1/4 of a red onion diced
1/2 a bulb of garlic
2 pieces of whole wheat toast
2 tables spoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of raw spinach
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
splash of hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In tin foil, place 1/2 a bulb of garlic (with skin still on!). Pour 2 tables spoons of extra virgin olive oil on top of it and place in the oven. It should take about 7 minutes to cook, but you will know when it is done if you can easily stick a fork through it. While the garlic is roasting, toast two pieces of bread.
In a bowl, mix tomato, onion, and hot sauce. Place the mix onto a slice of toasted bread. Place the toast with the bruschetta mix in the oven for about 3 minutes.
Once the garlic has been roasted, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about a minute. Once cool, start taking the garlic out from the skin and slice each clove into quarters with a knife. Place the garlic on top of the piece of toast with the bruschetta mix. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and put it back in the oven for another minute (you want the cheese to melt).
Once it is out of the oven, place the spinach on top and cover with the other slice of bread.
Bon appetite!

For extra zest, you can add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the bruschetta mix!

Kidney Bean Curry

This is as sinless and as delicious as it gets. I don't mean to keep posting Indian recipes, but it just so happens that this is what I made for lunch the other day. It is high in fiber and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. This is actually my favourite Indian dish. I request it every time I go home. My version is a little bit different from my mom's, but it is also easier for you to make. You probably won't have most of these ingredients lying around so you'll have to make a trip to the grocery store!

1 tin of kidney beans
1 can of organic unsalted crushed tomato
2 teaspoons of garam masala (you can get this from whole foods)
1 teaspoon of curry powder (available in most grocery stores)
1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (more or less depending on your preference)
1 teaspoon of salt
just a pinch of turmeric (also available in most grocery stores)
1/2 of a red onion finely chopped
5 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
1/2 a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon of butter
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of yoghurt

In a metal pot, with the heat on medium, add 1 teaspoon of butter, onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until onions start to brown. When the onions have browned, add in garam masala, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute. (If you find it getting dry, add a bit of water)
After this, add tomato sauce and kidney beans. Fill up the tin with water and pour that into the pot as well. Let this simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Do not turn it above medium heat. The key is a slow simmer.

After 30 minutes, season the curry with coriander. Add the yoghurt just to YOUR portion, do not mix it into the entire curry. Generally this is eaten with naan bread or basmati rice...but that wouldn't be very sinless of me to recommend.

Faux-Fried Chicken Fingers

It's Saturday night, I'm watching a Sex and the City marathon on Cosmo and the scent of dinner is still lingering through the apartment. Let me just say, its a pretty perfect night. Tonight, I had faux-fried chicken fingers. It has become my new favourite. The bonus: it tastes better that real fried chicken fingers. The bigger bonus: its totally sinless. I got this recipe from a magazine and it was absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
1 cup of Cornflakes
1 teaspoon of thyme
2 teaspoons of sage
2 chicken breasts
1 cup of mustard (I used French's hot and spicy)

Cut chicken breasts into strips and coat in mustard. In a blender, add cornflakes, thyme, and sage. Blend until ground into a fine mix. Roll the chicken strips into the mix and place on a baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes - 10 minutes each side.

If doing this by hand, beware, your hands will smell like mustard despite multiple handwashes.

The Real Chai

A note to Starbucks and all those other Chai imitators out there: there is more to Chai than cinnamon! Apparently you think that the most revered black tea in all of India is based on that simple over-used ingredient. Most mainstream coffee shops have bastardized the original Chai. Luckily, you have me. Here is my recipe for mama's Chai. Notice I am not saying Chai Tea. That is because in Hindi, chai actually means tea. So when you say chai tea you are being redundant and you sound like an idiot. Also, if you want to get real authentic, it is pronounced "chaa."

In a saucepan put
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of 1% or skim organic milk
1 teabag (orange pekoe)
5 pieces of cardamom (crack them a little but biting each piece with your teeth)
1 branch of cinnamon (or two pinches of cinnamon power)
1/2 a teaspoon of annis
1/2 a teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger

Bring ingredients to a boil and sweeten to taste.
Sinless Tip: Use an all-natural sweetening ingredient called Xylitol It is generally extracted from birch bark, doesn't require insulin to digest (which means you don't get a sugar rush...then crash), and is low in calories. Look it up for yourself.

Let me know how this turned out!

The Inaugural Post

Right off the bat, I have a confession to make. I've fallen off the healthy eating bandwagon. Not because I've stopped believing but because I stopped caring. You notice the effect of falling off the wagon almost immediately. Suddenly I am purchasing Triscuits instead of almonds and eating Kraft Dinner instead of making my own pasta. Food shouldn't have brand names. But the hard truth is written on those stubborn numbers on the weight scale.
To put it bluntly, I've been a sinful glutton.
But today marks a new day. From this day forward I vow to

* Make it myself
* Scrutinize ingredients
* Say "Back the F off" to salt, aspartame, grease and any other unholy substance that dare cometh into my fare.
* Buy organic when available and unprocessed every time
* Allow sins only once a week (everything in moderation right?)
* Have at least two posts a week!

Here it goes!