Shrimp & Kale Salad (Low Carb)

This salad is easy and quick to make. I had intentions to use baby spinach for this salad, but found none in my fridge! I substituted kale and the result was delicious. This seems like a long explanation for a "quick" salad, but it was on my table in 30 minutes. Serves 2.

Salad Ingredients:
Olive Garden Copy-Cat Salad Dressing (recipe below)
10-12 oz. peeled, de-veined shrimp (I took a short cut and purchased already cooked & frozen shrimp)
Olive Oil
Fresh lemon juice
4 cups Kale, torn into bite sized pieces
4 pcs. bacon
Coconut Oil

I followed this recipe to make the dressing with the following modifications:
1. Olive Oil instead of vegetable oil
2. Splenda instead of sugar
3. Salad vinegar instead of white vinegar

"Olive Garden" Salad Dressing Original Recipe

Ingredients:
1 packet Good Seasonings Italian Dressing
(Ingredients needed to make dressing; oil, water, vinegar)
½ tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
½ tsp. table salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. garlic powder
½ tbsp. mayonnaise (no Miracle Whip, please)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbs. white vinegar
1 ½ tbs. water

Salad Dressing Directions:
Prepare Good Seasonings Italian Seasonings Dressing as it states on back of package. Once prepared pour it in a medium bowl, then add additional ingredients listed above (starting with dried Italian Seasoning.)

Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until mixed thoroughly combined.

Store unused dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before using.

Once you have your dressing made, continue with ....

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon strips on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until desired crispiness. Remove from oven, drain grease, and chop the bacon into small pieces.
• Heat coconut oil a large skillet on medium heat until melted. If using raw shrimp, cook shrimp until just pink. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon just as the shrimp are finishing. If using pre-cooked shrimp, just heat until warm, then add the lemon juice. Remove from pan & set aside. 
• Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the prepared salad dressing to your pan & heat until just warm. Add the chopped kale to your skillet - stir & cook until just wilted.
• Transfer the kale to your serving dish, top with shrimp, bacon and salad dressing to taste. Or, place all ingredients in a large bowl, add some dressing & toss to coat. Enjoy!

Hearty Turkey Chili (No Beans, Low-Carb)

The thing I love about soups & stews is it's pretty hard to screw them up. I adapted this recipe from AllRecipes.com, used what I had in my kitchen, and fell in love. The original recipe is here.   Disclaimer: I like spicy food. Hot. As always, you can eliminate or reduce any of the spicy ingredients to suit your taste (specifically, reduce the red pepper flakes, ground red pepper and use mild salsa.)

Ingredients: 

• Olive oil
• Ground turkey (I used one pound, next time I might use 1/2 lb. ground sausage in addition)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• *1/2 tsp ground red pepper
• *1 tsp cumin
• *1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can tomato paste
• 16-24 oz. beef broth
• 8 oz. salsa or picante sauce
• 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can chopped green chile peppers (Tonight, I didn't have these, so I substitued 1/2 jar of sliced jalapenos with juice. I have made this before and prefer the green chili peppers)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, any color, diced (I used two orange mini bell peppers)
• 3 medium zucchini, quartered & chopped (our local grocery store only had one, so I used 2 yellow squash and 1 zucchini)
• For garnish, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions. 
• *The original recipe called for Taco Seasoning, which contains too much sugar for my taste. I used a single packet of Splenda instead. If you opt for Taco Seasoning, you can eliminate the seasonings marked with *

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large stock pot on medium-high heat. Add turkey, all of the dry seasonings, and tomato paste. Cook until turkey is evenly browned. 
2. Add broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and chilies. Continue cooking at a moderate simmer for about 10 minutes. Add more broth if the chili gets too thick. 
3. While chili is cooking, heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over med-hi heat. Cook onion and bell pepper until onion is translucent. Add onion & pepper to chili and continue to cook at a low simmer. 
4. In the same large skillet you used for the onion & pepper , heat 1 tbsp. oil over med-hi heat. Add zucchini and/or squash and cook for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add zucchini to chili & cook 5-10 minutes more. Add more broth or water if chili gets too thick. 
5. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

These are fast, easy, and fabulous. You should make them. Here is the original recipe from which I strayed just slightly.

Ingredients:
8 oz. thinly sliced roast beef (I buy the frozen hockey-puck philly meat from WM - don't judge!)
8 slices provolone cheese
2 large green bell peppers
1 jalapeno pepper (the original recipe calls for onion)
6 oz. baby bella mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil, butter, or coconut oil
1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
Salt, pepper, and dried minced onion to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. 

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.

Slice mushrooms & jalapeno. Saute over medium heat with your choice of fat and the garlic/salt/pepper/minced onion until the vegetables are tender.

Add cooked roast beef to the vegetables & heat through. Line the inside of each pepper half with provolone cheese (I tore my slices into smaller pieces to make more room for the filling).

Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.

Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Food photography is not my forte, but these are delicious!! 

Yoga Playlist #2

I created this beautiful yoga playlist using Spotify. *There is one song that I couldn't find on Spotify so I had to use my local file. I kind of have a thing for Ryan Farish apparently.

Spiritual High Part I - Moodswings - Moodfood
Sunshine in the Rain - Ryan Farish - Legacy - Greatest Hits 2000-2010
Full Sail - Ryan Farish - Legacy - Greatest Hits 2000-2010
Holding Hands - Ryan Farish - Legacy - Greatest Hits 2000-2010
Carnival - Ryan Farish - Opus
Life in Stereo - Ryan Farish - Life in Stereo
Love is the Seventh Wave - 2011 Remix - Sting - 25 Years
Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation - The Mirror Conspiracy
We Are Free - Ryan Farish - Legacy - Greatest Hits 2000-2010
*Contact - Blue Stone - Breathe
The Summit - Ryan Farish - Life in Stereo
River - Enya - Watermark
Beautiful - Ryan Farish - Legacy - Greatest Hits 2000-2010
Losing You to You - Hammock - Raising Your Voice - Trying to Stop an Echo

Yoga Playlists

I've been teaching yoga for several years, and I love to explore new music for class. I typically use a mix of non-traditional "yoga" music as well as some more mainstream electronica/trance/new age music. Here are just a few of my early playlists. I have a new Spotify playlist and others I will share as well. Enjoy!

50 Minutes
Ignition - Michael Hedges
You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
Mausam & Escape - A.R. Rahman
Fortune Teller - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Woman - Maroon 5
Lucky Man - The Verve
Jitterboogie - Michael Hedges
Kashmir - William Joseph
Atlas Eyes - Tangerine Dream
Ragamuffin - Michael Hedges
Retrograde - Leo Kottke
Oracle - Michael Hedges
While She Sleeps - Trammell Starks

Sunset Yoga Mix 2 56:37
Flower - Moodfood
Vinyasa - Soulfood & Brent Lewis
Chamber 12 - Soulfood
Adi Shatki - Mantra Girl
Tantric Body - Soulfood & Jadoo
Falling Rain - Soulfood & Jadoo
Vision Quest - Soulfood, Brent Lewis & Rita Coolidge
Rio Chama - Soulfood & Ra Music
The Lion Fell in Love With the Lamb - "Twilight" The Score
Savasana Glow - Gordon Brothers

Sunset Yoga Mix 55:45
Here, Now - Joseph Nagler
Strawberry Swing - Coldplay
4 KG - Jon Clarkson
Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation
Mothers of Rain - Tangerine Dream
Twin Soul Tribe - Tangerine Dream
Shatki Flow - Gordon Brothers
Dawn (in Desert) - Music for Active Yoga vol. 7
Lakita's Theme - A.R. Rahman
Ohroo - biomusique

Rain or Shine Mix 58:09
You Wish - Nightmares on Wax
Rainsong - Moodswings
Right as Rain - Adele
Rain Song - Enigma & Deep Forest
The Sun Doesn't Like You - Norah Jones
Falling Rain - Soulfood & Jadoo
Down Like Rain - Jesse Cook
Ain't No Sunshine - Van Morrison
Always - Peter Bradley Adams
Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin
Till the Sun Turns Black - Ray LaMontagne
Paris Sunrise #7 - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Sung to Sleep - Michael Manring 
Watermark - Enya 

Glass Half Full 1:01:01
Lotus - DJ Free & Brent Lewis
Forever the Optimist - Patrick O'Hearn
Voices from the Past - Gingko Garden
Serenity - Delerium
This Sky - Derek Trucks Band
Rio Chama - Soulfood & Ra Music
Gliding in Azure - Gordon Brothers
Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
Lakita's Theme - A.R. Rahman
Finale - Danny Elfman ("The Kingdom" original score)
Watermark - Enya

New Traditions 57:14
Om - DJ Free & Brent Lewis
Mofolo Hall (Akulalwa) - Ndumiso
Only One - Mary-Kathryn
Nomad's Land - Zingaia
Voices From The Past - Ginkgo Garden
Starmoon - Music For Active Yoga Vol. 7
Woodland Ride - Ginkgo Garden
Meadowland - Amethystium
Season of Renewal (Lounge Mix) - Steve Gordon
Devotion (from Tathata Album) - Nisimo
Golden Mean (from Tathata Album) - Nisimo
Lotus - Suzanne Teng

Positive Thinking 58:37
Life in Technicolor - Coldplay
Desert Rose - Sting/Farhat Bouallagui
Brand New Day - Sting
Lebanese Blond - Thievery Corporation
Strawberry Swing - Coldplay
Love and Happiness - Marc Broussard
Tantric Body - Soulfood & Jadoo
Microcosmic - Moodswings
Positive Thinking - Acoustic Alchemy
Ghost Story - Sting
Ohroo - biomusique

Sara's Birthday Mix 59:58
Here Now - Joseph Nagler
Ignition - Michael Hedges
Jitterboogie - Michael Hedges
Mausam & Escape - A.R. Rahman
Run - Collective Soul
Bella Luna - Jason Mraz
Baal T'shuvah - Michael Hedges
When I was 4 - Michael Hedges
Mahamrtyunjaya Mantra - Reema Datta
The 2nd law - Michael Hedges
Play Delicate, Desire Quiet - Grace Cathedral Park
Dieter's Theme Reprise - Klaus Badelt ("Rescue" Dawn Score)
Finale - Danny Elfman ("The Kingdom" Score)    

Low Carb House "Fried Rice"

Here is another really tasty low carb recipe! There is a little bit of prep work involved with this recipe, but I had it on the table in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 4-5 green onions, chopped
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP fresh ginger, minced
• 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 TBSP butter or coconut oil
• 3 TBSP Tamari sauce (or soy sauce, I use low sodium)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 lb. cooked shrimp (I buy precooked & frozen jumbo shrimp from Wal-Mart (GASP!), probably not the best, but I live in Nebraska & there isn't an abundance of fresh seafood in these parts)
• 4 oz. cooked chicken (this time I used Wal-Mart's frozen Thinly Sliced Chicken - cooked according to package directions) There is a negligible amount of sugar in meat of this kind, it would be better to use left over roasted or rotisserie chicken if possible. 
• 4 oz. cooked beef (ditto above, it's like Philly meat)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste

Place cauliflower florets in food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower is "riced" - this doesn't take long. In a large skillet, sauté onion & garlic in butter/coconut oil until tender. Stir in the riced cauliflower, soy sauce, parsley, ginger, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked meat & shrimp to the skillet & toss well. Create an opening in the center of your pan by pushing the "rice" and veggies toward the outside of the pan. Cook the scrambled egg until fluffy. Mix well & serve hot - this.was.amazing.

Spaghetti Squash Skillet Meal - Low Carb/Gluten Free

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Spaghetti Squash Carbonara. I have had some luck in the past with spaghetti squash recipes so I thought I'd give this one a try. I did modify the original recipe, but you can find it here.

I MUST get better at taking pictures during my progress of preparing my food - the vegetables in this dish were so vibrant and beautiful when I first put them in the pan. I only have an "after" photo. :-(

Here's my variation; as always, USE WHAT YOU HAVE. If you don't have a particular ingredient, leave it out, or - if you have something else in your pantry/fridge that you love, add that instead.

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
extra virgin olive oil and/or coconut oil
salt & pepper to taste
4 slices bacon
1 small shallot, minced
2-3 mini bell peppers, sliced thin (I used 2 ea. of orange, red, & yellow)
1-2 zucchini and/or yellow squash, roughly chopped
3/4 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
balsamic vinegar to taste - about 1 tsp.
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 or 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
Cut the squash in half, remove seeds. Place on a baking sheet with the skin side down. Brush the squash with olive oil & dust with salt & pepper. Bake at 375 for about an hour, or until the squash shreds easily with a fork. Once squash is cooked, scoop the strands from the skin of the squash and set aside.

I like to cook my bacon in the oven, so for the last 15-18 minutes of the squash cooking time, I added to the oven 4 slices of bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil. Once the bacon is done, drain any grease & chop the bacon.

In a large skillet, melt either coconut oil or olive oil (2-3 TBSP); add shallot and cook until translucent. Add garlic & cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the vinegar & the rest of the vegetables & cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender. Add the squash back to the pan & toss in the chopped bacon. Add the cheese & parsley and toss to mix all ingredients. Create an empty space in the center of your pan & add the egg. Cook until egg is fluffy. Serve immediately. Serves approximately 4 people.

Zippity-Go-Green Smoothie

This is our second attempt at juicing vegetables for a morning smoothie. Yes, it makes a mess. Yes, it takes quite a load of fruits/veggies to produce 1 serving. Yes, it's worth it! The flavors in this smoothie will make your mouth SING! The jalapeno adds the zip, but if you're sensitive to spicy flavors you could use a green bell pepper which would add more sweetness.

1 Granny Smith apple, quartered
1 pear, quartered
1 lime
4 leaves kale
4 sticks celery
1 cucumber (skin on)
1 jalapeno pepper, whole
1 small bunch parsley
1 small bunch cilantro

If you don't have all of the ingredients, use what you have! Yesterday Jeremiah used green onions and fresh baby spinach instead of kale, and the result was very tasty!

We used a Jack LaLannes power juicer, we didn't clean any of the fruits or vegetables first. This recipe yields two 12 oz. delicious servings.