Tag: protein

10 Tips to Minimize Food Waste and Save Moolah

I’ve been working in professional kitchens for 25+ years

In that time, I’ve learned a lot about food waste and how to avoid it. The restaurant industry is a nickel and dime business. The cost of waste adds up quickly. We try to do whatever we can to save costs, but not only that, to save food. There are millions, if not billions of people in the world who don’t have enough to eat and it’s reckless, irresponsible, and just downright mean, to throw away food.

I’ve put together a quick post here on some simple ways to re-purpose scraps and food that might not be super fresh, but still good. Also some items you might not have thought were usable at all!

1. Save bones for chicken, beef, or fish stock

2. Bake carrot peels into chips, or make carrot pesto

3. Freeze veg scraps for veggie broth or stock

4. Cook spinach (link to spinach w/ lemon and garlic recipe, posts on 11/30)

5. Composting/Fertilizer

6. Natural Dyes for Easter eggs

7. Turn leftovers into a new meal (tacos, stir fry, casseroles, chicken salad, soup)

8. Save old bread for croutons or breadcrumbs – old flat breads such as pita or tortillas can be baked, fried, or air fried, into chips

9. Turn leftover rice into fried rice

10. Turn overripe brown avocado into flourless and fudgy avocado brownies

Remember, when you cook from scratch you know exactly what is going into your body. Have a happy and healthful life!

 

~Thanks for reading
LC

Flourless and Fudgy Avocado Brownies

Avocado stars as the fat substitute for butter is this delicious fudgy brownie! This is also a great way to use up overripe avocados that have begun to oxidize and turn brown. A hint of avocado flavor can be detected. If you want to hide it even more try adding in a 1/4 cup maple syrup or a few tablespoons of molasses.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe or overripe avocado (1/2 cup mashed)
  • 2 whole eggs, large
  • 1 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • A pinch of fine sea salt

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  • Grease a 9″ square baking dish and line with parchment paper
  • Peel and pit the avocado
  • In a food processor add in everything but the chocolate chips
  • Process until you have a smooth mixture, scraping the bowl as needed. (This entire process can be done by hand in a single bowl as well, just make sure you mash up the avocado well)
  • Fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the batter into the baking dish
  • Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top
  • Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until there is no “jiggle” left in the dish
  • Set baking dish on a cooling rack and let it cool entirely
  • Cut, serve, enjoy!

Baked Apples w/ Cinnamon, Honey, and Walnuts

Here’s an easy, healthy, and delicious way to enjoy apples! (As if they weren’t delicious and enjoyable on their own..)

 

Ingredients:

  • Apples
  • Cinnamon
  • Honey
  • Walnuts

 

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Core and slice an apple (or several apples)
  • Drizzle with honey
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon
  • Toss in some walnuts
  • Mix all together in a bowl
  • Transfer to a baking sheet
  • Bake for 35 min, turn oven off and let sit for awhile
  • Enjoy!

 

Tuna and Lentil Bowl

This bowl of goodness is packed with Omega 3’s, low fat protein, fiber, B vitamins, Iron, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, Phytonutrients, Vitamin E, Selenium, Calcium, CoQ 10, Lutein, Zeaxanthan, Beta-corotene, Vitamin C, and much more!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3oz Seared Tuna, rare, sliced
  • 1/4 cup lentils, cooked in veggie broth
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp shallots, minced
  • pinch of aleppo pepper (or chili flakes)
  • 1/4 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cup asparagus, blanched or grilled, cut on a bias in 1/4″ pieces
  • 1/2 tsp each: rosemary, thyme, parsley
  • 1 small handful spinach
  • Sliced scallion for garnish, squeeze of lemon, lemon zest

Method:

  • Cook the lentils, (preferably in homemade veggie broth!)
  • Save some of the broth and set aside
  • Get a saute pan hot with your favorite (healthy) cooking oil
  • Throw in the garlic, shallots, and aleppo, saute about 30 seconds
  • Add the tomatoes and asparagus
  • Saute a minute or 2, then
  • Add about 1/2 cup veggie broth and the miso
  • Fully incorporate the miso while bringing it to a boil
  • Add the lentils
  • Check the seasoning for salt and pepper, if needed
  • Add the herbs, toss it around
  • Throw in the spinach. As soon as it starts to wilt, pull it off the heat
  • Put it all in a bowl and top it with the seared sliced tuna
  • Garnish with scallions and lemon zest, and squeeze some lemon juice on it
  • Enjoy!

**This can be a soup too, just add more veggie broth, and maybe substitute scallops for the tuna! You could even whisk up an egg and drizzle it in while the soup is simmering.

 

Can Too Much Cardio Prevent Weight Loss?

If you’re busting your butt daily with some insane gut-busting routine you could possibly be doing more harm than good..

In western cultures like we have here in the United States, we have been taught that in order to lose weight, you have to pound the pavement running, hit the exercise bike or the treadmill, and start burning those calories! And forget about eating what you want…

At first glance, it makes sense.. Sweating and breathing heavy, working hard, and running all those miles… Surely the pounds must just be melting off, right?

This isn’t entirely true…

As with anything else, too much of one thing can end up being really bad for you.

Excessive cardio exercises are really hard on your feet, knees, and back. It’s also really hard on your heart. It can increase the risk of a heart attack by adding scar tissue and cardiac plaque.

Here are just a few of the studies done on the effects of excessive cardio:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3538475/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109715075452

https://globalnews.ca/news/3810972/too-much-high-intensity-exercise-can-be-bad-for-your-heart-study-says/

It also puts your body in a state of anabolism, which means it will start to burn the most effective source of energy first, which is your muscle, not your fat. Ever notice how chronic marathon runners look stringy and unhealthily lean? That’s why. They have to pack on carbs just to keep from losing muscle mass.

So, you want your body to burn fat, not muscle. Yes, you want to take in less calories than you burn to lose weight, but you don’t have to give up your favorite foods.

==> This video explains more about the science behind using your body’s natural processes to your advantage, and lose 10-15 pounds in a short amount of time without starving yourself, or doing crazy hard workouts which you’ll be unlikely to stay committed to for long anyway.

 

Educate yourself, and invest in yourself.

You are your most important asset.

Remember, it’s all about balance.

 

Thanks for reading ~ LC