Raw, Vegan "Sushi"

Welcome!

For the sake of clarity, I am neither vegan, nor vegetarian. That being said, this recipe looked too good to not try!

The Recipe:  Raw, Vegan "Sushi"

• 1 cup Cashews (or just use some cashew butter)
• 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 Zucchini
• 1/4 Cucumber
• 10 Baby Carrots
• 3 small slices Celery

The Process:

• Soak Cashews in water overnight (I soaked mine for a couple days because I didn't have time to make this for a while after)
• Use Magic Bullet to mix the cashews and rice vinegar into a dip-like paste (it tastes pretty good on crackers too ;D
• Clean the vegetables
• Cut the ends off the Zucchini and cut it in half. Slice as many thin pieces as you would like to eat. Chop the rest into thinner pieces. (If you don't like Zucchini, you may accomplish this with cucumber)
• Chop the carrots in half
• Chop the cucumber into thin pieces as well (You may elect to only use the seeds of the cucumber, given their differing texture from the rest of the vegetables. 
• Chop the celery into thin pieces as well
• Spread the cashew dip onto the Zucchini strips
• At one end, place a few of your thin strips of varied vegetables
• Roll the end with the veggies into the rest of the Zucchini, forming a "Sushi" roll
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Cashews: 755 calories

Rice Vinegar: 25 calories

Zucchini: 31 calories

Cucumber: 45 calories

Carrots: 41 calories

Celery: Negative Calories 

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TOTAL: 897 Calories

Before you freak out, the amount of the recipe that I used was about 1/6 the Cashews, 3/4 the zucchini, 1/2 the carrots, all the celery, and 1/4 the cucumber. So let's recalculate a little bit! 

Cashews: 126 calories

Rice Vinegar: 25 calories

Zucchini: 24 calories

Cucumber: 12 calories

Carrots: 21 calories

Celery: Negative Calories

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TOTAL: 208 calories

Now we get to divide by 13, since I made 13 rolls from what I did use. This makes each roll contain 16 calories. Doesn't that sound better to you?

What went right:

         They are super tasty, guilt free, and completely vegan. The only issue I have is with the cashew soaking, and even that isn't so big a deal...good things come to those who wait...especially since the cashew dip lasts for subsequent meals. 

What went wrong: 

         The cashew dip could use a little something so I'm probably going to be experimenting to see just what that is! 

What I would do next time:

         I might try some different nuts as the dip, or else add some spices to the cashews. I also might try adding some leaves to it, like kale or lettuce. I might also try making the dip with beans, chickpeas, or maybe even tofu. 

Will I do this in college?: 

         Oh yeah. This is a wonderful treat I hope to be making for a long time! Even beyond college, they would make fantastic appetizers.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this recipe and look forward to making (and eating) it again!

Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

Hello and welcome! 

Today's dish was inspired yet again by having lots of leftovers in the fridge that all look great on their own, but may or may not have worked well in anything else...

The Recipe:Fridge Cleaning Pasta Salad

• 1 cup Pasta (previously cooked)
• 1/4 grilled Chicken Breast (previously cooked)
• 1 cup halved Strawberries
• 1/8 Cucumber, sliced and chopped
• 1 cup Romaine Lettuce, chopped

The Process:

• Wrap the chicken in a paper towel
• Use a microwave to reheat the chicken. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the chicken out of the microwave. 
• Put the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl with a paper towel over it.
• Use a microwave to reheat the pasta. It should take 1-2 minutes on high. Be careful taking the pasta out of the microwave.
• Toss all ingredients together. 
• Enjoy!

The Calories:

Pasta: 100 calories (depending on brand and type)

Chicken: 60 calories (depending on how it was marinated)

Strawberries: 49 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Lettuce: 16 calories

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TOTAL: 241 calories

What went right:

          This was a very filling and well-rounded meal, especially considering the final calorie count!

What went wrong:

          While everything tasted good on its own, combining a very summery salad with a pollo pasta this way wasn't the best choice. It was good, but would have been better in separate courses. 

What I would do next time:

         As previously mentioned, I would make two separate dishes: one, a salad, with lettuce, cucumber, and strawberries. The other, pasta, chicken, and maybe some alfredo or marinara if I had some on hand. 

Would I make this in college?:

        Yeah, for a late night leftovers meal, this turned out pretty great! Definitely the kind of thing for a college student menu. 

Overall, I ended up with an easy, low-calorie meal that just needed to become two separate plates. I'd call that a successful fridge cleaning experiment :) 

   

What would you make if you were cleaning out your fridge?

When two sides make a meal: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad and Roasted Broccoli/Honey Carrot Salad

Welcome/welcome back!

If you are a new visitor, I hope you enjoy my blog and my food! If you are a returning visitor, I hope you continue to enjoy my blog and my food! It is with your support that I am spurred to continue cooking...so thank you :)

When you hear "salad", most people think of a less-filling, low calorie substitute for a real meal. These salads definitely break that mold, and taste phenomenal together!

The Recipe: Roasted Broccoli and Honey Carrot Salad

• 1 cup broccoli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 cup frozen baby carrots

The Process:

• Set the oven to broil on High
• Put the broccoli in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the broccoli
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the broccoli
• Using a spatula, mix the broccoli so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 8 minutes, or until broccoli tips brown (depends on your oven)
• Put the carrots in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the carrots
• Sprinkle Salt and Pepper onto the carrots
• Using a spatula, mix the carrots so that all pieces become coated in a light layer of the oil/salt/pepper mixture
• Broil for about 4 minutes
• Remove the carrots from the oven
• Drizzle honey and sprinkle brown sugar on the carrots
• Mix the carrots into the honey and brown sugar
• Broil for another few minutes, or until carrots develop a small skin
• Mix the finished carrots and broccoli

The Calories:

Broccoli: 30 calories
Carrots: 60 calories
Olive Oil: 120 calories (technically 240, although much of the oil ends up still on the pan after cooking, so not consumed)
Honey: 64 calories
Brown Sugar: 6 calories
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TOTAL: 280 calories

Not bad! This salad alone is very filling and again, the oil content is still probably less than 120 calories after cooking.

What went right:
          Everything :) The carrots especially taste like candy. So delicious!

What went wrong:
         Nothing. I've done roasted vegetables many times, so I didn't expect any problems.

What would I do next time:
         I might try an olive oil substitute that contains less calories, but I don't really see that as a need. When you're having veggies for dinner, guilt is not on the menu.

Would I make this in college:
         Absolutely! I make this quite frequently, and am glad to have found a new partner salad to go with it.


The Recipe: Green Teriyaki Chicken Salad

• 2 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
• 1/2 cup halved Cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup shredded Chicken breast (leftovers)
• 1 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
• 10 whole, dry Cashews

The Process:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Put your shredded chicken in a small, oven-safe pan
• Drizzle with teriyaki sauce and mix until all chicken is as saturated as possible
• Bake at 375 for about 5 minutes to heat the chicken and allow sauce to sink in
• If your lettuce comes from a bag, you will not need to chop it. If you buy whole heads of lettuce: Wash the leaves. Rip off about 4, depending on the size of the leaves. stack them on top of one another and compress the pile so that you can chop them all the way down the stem. The "leafier" part should be chopped larger than the part with more stem. Put these at the base of salad platter.
• Lay your cucumber slices around the edges of the lettuce. 
• Spread shredded chicken in the center of the cucumber ring. 
• Chop your cashews. 
• Bake at 375 for about 2 minutes. 
• Sprinkle across the entire salad. 

The Calories:

Lettuce: 12 calories

Cucumber: 8 calories

Chicken: 116 calories

Sauce: 15 calories

Cashews: 50 calories

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TOTAL: 196 calories

Pretty awesome for a salad :) If you must add dressing, be wary of what you add...not only could you screw up the teriyaki flavor, but you also run a risk of nearly doubling your calorie and fat content! 

What went right: 

         Everything. I love this salad. I'm very glad I decided to roast the cashews and use teriyaki. They definitely make fridge dump salad taste like so much more. 

What went wrong:

         Nothing. 

What I would do next time: 

         If we had multiple types of greens such as kale or spinach I would add those too. 

Will I do this in college?:

         Yeah this is definitely the kind of leftovers dish I can see making in college :) It was fast, easy, healthy, and definitely delicious. 

Overall, these two dishes make an attractive, addictive, less calorie, more filling pair!

Spring Easy Salad

Happy Spring!

Yet another late night fridge raid that led to a wonderful meal :) 

The Recipe: Spring Easy Salad

• 1 apple, peeled, sliced, and diced
• 3 inches of cucumber, sliced and cut in half
• 1 tomato, sliced and diced
• 5 leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped

The Process:

• Chop lettuce
• Peel, slice, and dice apple
• Slice and dice tomato
• Slice cucumber
• Toss salad
• Enjoy!

The Calories;

Lettuce: 24 calories

Cucumber: 15 calories

Tomato: 33 calories

Apple: 77 calories

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TOTAL: 149 calories

Of course, if you want to add any sort of dressing or oils that adds a lot of unnecessary fat and sodium. 

What went right:

          It's a great salad, light but filling. The great part about this salad is that it is light enough to have a large portion if you feel so inclined, but this size is definitely enough to satiate hunger. 

What went wrong:

          The tomatoes started to get a little warm since it took a while to eat the salad. Other than that, nothing. 

What I would do next time:

         I think it would be good to try it without the tomatoes, and instead add halved grapes and toasted nuts...possibly pecans, or honey roasted walnuts. 

Would I do this in college:

          Salads are definitely going to be a large part of my diet in college. 

Lean Salad Sandwich

 Hey food fans!

This is somewhat of a late night leftover sandwich, as we had chicken a few nights prior, only a few slices of ham left, and part of a loaf of french bread. Simple, no cooking needed, and delicious :)

The Recipe: Lean Salad Sandwich

• 2 oz low sodium Ham
• 1/4 grilled chicken breast
• 3 slices of tomato
• 5 slices of cucumber
• 4 leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 6 inches of french bread

The Process:

• Slice your french bread in half
• Lay down the ham across both sides
• Slice the chicken and lay it across one side
• Lay cucumber across the non-chicken side
• Slice the tomato and lay it across the chicken side
• Wash and chop the lettuce and toss it on the cucumber side
• Close your sandwich, and enjoy!

The Calories:

French Bread: 200 calories

Ham: 60 calories

Chicken: 100 calories

Tomato: 11 calories

Cucumber: 6 calories

Lettuce: 8 calories

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TOTAL: 385 calories

That's awesome for a very filling sandwich, with rich bread and fresh, all natural ingredients. This recipe works well because it has a strong balance of crunch, meat, vegetable, juicy, and dry ingredients. It is most notably healthy because it does not have mayo, mustard, dressing, or any other kind of high-sodium, low nutrient value condiments. It is these additions and other chemical additives that make what could be a healthy sandwich into a problem. 

What went right:

          Everything...it's kinda hard to screw up...

What went wrong: 

          Nothing :)

What would I do next time: 

          To make this more salad-like, I might try hollowing out the bread; making croutons from the insides; loading it with lettuce first and then chopped tomato, cucumber, and chicken; using ham cubes or bacon pieces; and finally adding the croutons on "top", closing the sandwich, and eating it that way. It would become somewhat of an inverted sandwich, with all the meat at the center, surrounded by lettuce. This might also make the sandwich easier to close and eat. 

Will I do this in college:

        I think a late night leftover sandwich sounds like a very collegiate thing to do, don't you agree?

You may be asking,  'Who really needs a recipe to make a sandwich?' I don't, necessarily, when I'm tired and have nothing else that needs my immediate attention. But in college, at 2am, when I have papers to write and about zero brain cells left to focus on what I want to eat? I'd rather be able to scroll through my blog, see a nice and easy healthy sandwich, and make that than turn to whatever other snacking I can get my hands on in the same amount of time.