Mussels, Zucchini Pasta

Being Italian, pasta is in my blood!!!!! The problem is all those carbs and the older I get, the more I look for healthier options. The good news is that I’ve found an easy and simple replacement for pasta which is zucchini!!! I found that replacing pasta with twirled zucchini is a fantastic substitution and such a healthy alternative. Here’s a simple recipe that I made tonight for dinner and all you need on hand is:

1 Onion

3 Cloves of Garlic

6-7 Plum Tomatoes

Olive oil

1 Large Zucchini

1 Package of Frozen Mussels

1 Can of Drained Cannelli Beans

Italian Seasoning and Powdered Garlic

Instructions:

1. In a large pan, pour some olive oil and then add a diced onion and fresh garlic. Slowly saute them for a couple minutes on medium heat. Add chopped tomatoes and the cannelli beans and give it a stir.

2. Continue to cook on a medium heat. Add your mussls and seasonings to taste. Lastly, add the twirled Zucchini and stir.

3. Let the mixture cook on a low setting. From start to finish this recipe took 30 minutes.

My husband and I really loved this recipe and hope that you will enjoy it too!!!! Here’s to healthy eating!!!!

Health Benefits of Edamame

One legume that we love to eat is Edamame!!! We make it as a snack, as a side dish for dinner or add it to our salads.  It’s easy and simple to make.

Just a half  a cup gives you a wonderful amount of fiber, protein, added vitamins and minerals to your diet and is:

120 calories

9 grams of fiber

2.5 grams of fat

11 grams of protein

13 grams of carbohydrates

10% of the daily value of Iron

8% of the daily value of Vitamin A

4% of the daily value of Calcium

The thing about edamame that I didn’t know about is all of the health benefits of this tasty vegetable.  I was amazed and wanted to share it with all of you.

Health Benefits of Edamame

1. Helps lower hypertension.
2. Helps decrease cholesterol.
3. Helps with weight loss.
4. Prevents osteoporosis.
5. Protects against cancer.
6. Helps maintain healthy skin.

So the next time you are pondering what to have as a little snack during the day, I would recommend making  yourself some edamame!!!

Here’s to achieving complete wellness!! 🙂

Benefits of Vegetables & My Tomato Pie Recipe

  
One of the many things that I love about the summer is all of the amazing vegetables that we are able to find at our local farmer’s market. Right now, the tomatoes are bursting with flavor and are a vibrant red. We enjoy making salads and loading them up with vegetables.  Over the years, we learned the importance of following the guide for the Clean 15 and buy organic whenever we can.  

One thing that is oftentimes overlooked is the health benefits of many vegetables. Here is a list of 14 of the Best Vegetables out there. 

 

Since tomatoes are in season, I want to share my recipe for a tomato pie. It is simple to make and tastes amazing. 

                       Tomato Pie 

1 – 9 inch pie shell

1/2 onion 

3 – 4 fresh tomatoes (equaling 3 cups) –   Squeezed to take out the excess juice

1/4 cup of fresh basil, sliced

2 cups of grated cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Salt and pepper to taste. 

                      Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Bake pie crust in oven for 8-10 minutes.

Squeeze as much moisture out of the tomatoes and then chop them.

Layer the onions on the pie crust. Then put the chopped tomatoes on top of the onions. Then put the sliced basil on top of the tomatoes. 

  
  
Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the grated cheese and mayonnaise together. Spread the mixture evenly over the tomato mix.

  
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. 

Enjoy!!! 

   
 

Fiber Anyone?

Here is a little tip that I feel many people overlook.  Fiber is an important part of everyone’s diet and needs to be incorporated into your daily eating regimen.  Of course, you may be at home thinking, ” why on earth do I need to have fiber everyday??” Well, I am glad you asked!!!!!

Fiber comes in two forms which are soluble insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.  Insoluble fiber is a type of fiber that promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and helps prevent constipation.  It does not dissolve in water.

Now both types of fiber are important and the health benefits may include:

1. Lowering blood cholesterol.
2. Lowering blood glucose levels or maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.
3. Aiding with weight loss.
4. Aiding the body in getting the toxins out of your system.
5. Maintaining a healthy digestive track.
6. Reducing risk of heart disease.
7. Maintaining healthy skin.
8. Increase in energy.

On average, a male needs to have approximately 35 grams of fiber a day and women need approximately 25 grams of fiber a day depending on you age. Check with your primary care physician on the amount of fiber you need in your diet.

The next question that many ask is where do I get all this fiber? Well, part of it is incorporating into your your diet and below is a list of veggies, fruits, grains, nuts and beans that have fiber in them.

In addition to eating healthy (for the most part…lol), I also take an amazing fiber drink that really works well.  Now I hope that you found this little bit of information about fiber helpful. Like I mentioned, it is something everyone needs to incorporate into their daily diet if you want to have a healthy digestive track and have good health.  🙂