Better Choices in the Fast Food Line: Wendy's

Is it possible to eat a low calorie diet on purely fast food for a day?

Certainly, I would never recommend resorting to eating only fast food throughout a whole day. But, what about those very busy days when the fast food line is the only way you can eat? What about traveling? Road trips, lay overs in the airport, etc.? It is very possible to make healthy choices when your options seem to be only salty, high calorie and high saturated fat foods? Here is a list of foods that meet the current USDA myplate standards for a "healthy" days worth of food... and all of this food comes from none other than Wendy's fast food restaurant.



Breakfast:
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Summer Berries: 140 kcals
-steel-cut oatmeal, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
Sausage and Egg Burrito: 270 kcals
-sausage, egg, american cheese, flour tortilla
Vanilla Iced Coffee: 60 kcals
-coffee, vanilla syrup

Lunch:
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad: 350 kcals
Roasted Pecans: 110 kcals
Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing: 60 kcals
-red and green apples, blue cheese crumbles, cranberries, pecans, grilled chicken, ice berg romaine and spring mix lettuce
Water

Dinner:
Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich: 400 kcals

-lettuce, tomatoes, bun, smokey honey mustard, grilled chicken
Garden Side Salad: 25 kcals
-ice berg, romaine, spring mix, grape tomatoes and carrots
Smokey Honey Mustard Dressing: 45 kcals
Grilled Chicken Go-Wrap: 260 kcals
-flour tortilla, ice berg and romaine lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, smokey honey mustard
Unsweetened Iced Tea

Total kcals: 1,720

Protein: sausage, egg, pecans, grilled chicken
Dairy: blue cheese, american cheese
Fruit: blueberries, raspeberries, strawberries, red and green apples, pomegranate cranberries
Vegetables: ice berg lettuce, spring mix, tomatoes, carrots, grape tomatoes
Grains: Bun, flour tortillas, steel-cut oatmeal

Udderly Important: To Know Your Dairy

Where does your milk come from?


Do you know anything about the farms that your dairy comes from? Buying milk organically and/or locally can be expensive and time consuming if you don't know where to look. There are a variety of reasons why sourcing dairy properly benefits you, the animal and the environment.

First and foremost, I'd like to throw out there one of the MOST important reasons why you should know the conditions of the farms that your dairy comes from. The FDA only inspects dairy farms once every ten years. Yes, you read correctly. Not having the time and resources has been a major problem in ensuring the safety of our food and drinks. Ironically, much of the FDA's focus and money is on the foodbourne outbreaks that occur in response to the living conditions of the animals.

In large scale factory farms, about half of all dairy cows experience the infection, mastitis because of poor living conditions and hygiene. It causes the cows a lot of pain (boo) :( and reduces the nutritional value in casein (major milk protein), potassium and lactoferrin (another protein).

Quality dairy has quality ingredients.

A great local farm!

Speaking of nutritional value, this is one of the most important things I could mention. For those of you who are not as inclined to choose your dairy based on animal welfare, it's also important to remember that the living conditions, diet and medicine a cow ingests can effect the quality of your milk. If a cow becomes infected with mastitis, it will be given antibiotics which, in turn you will ingest those antibiotics when you drink the milk. Antibiotics can weaken your immune system because they not only kill the so-called, "bad bacteria" but the "good bacteria" as well.

Happy cows play in the sun.


Cows that graze and eat grass for dinner as opposed to corn or animal by-product, also produce a better quality milk. Think about it. Whenever a cow eats what it's meant to eat, (grass) it is healthier and it creates a milk with less contaminants. Whenever a cow gets to exercise and pasture in the sun, it's soaking in more vitamin D which, in turn leaves your milk with a higher vitamin D content. A happy cow is not the only one who benefits from a healthy diet and exercise.

Another great local farm!!

Speaking of happy cows, did you know that often in factory farms, cows have to have their horns removed to create space so they can all be crammed in together? This de-horning process is painful and no anesthestic is used. An ABC news report from 2010 stated that 9 out of 10 farms practice de-horning.

Dairy cows are supposed to live for roughly 20 years. Factory farmed cows live about 5. Exhaustion, over working and poor living conditions are the reasons for this.



Let's make a change.

I pose the question, why do we accept that animals are treated poorly? Why do we allow our country to produce sub-par milk? What can you do to help make better choices in dairy?

Three things: Buy local. Buy organic. Know your farm. If at all possible and you trust your farm, try some raw milk too. Pasteurization kills off many of the nutrients in milk and the only reason we really have to pasteurize is because conglomerate farms farm in unsanitary conditions. Raw milk contains all 8 essential amino acids... it's a perfect protein! Raw milk also contains higher amounts of soluble and non-soluble vitamins than pasteurized milk. Have you ever seen the words "Vitamin A & D" on the label of your milk? Like this --->



Basically, the milk people have to add BACK in vitamins and minerals because the pasteurization process kill so many of the wonderful things that milk has to offer. Raw milk has protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamins from a natural source.


Why cows are rad. 

Okay, so finding quality dairy means that you must look for a cow that is treated properly so you can get more vitamins, minerals and protein when you consume it. Does it benefit the planet? The cooooooolest thing about cows is, they make their own fertilizer for harvesting their own food. Cows that eat grass, poop on the grass, which helps the grass grow. It's pretty great. We don't have to do much. Nor do we have to use pesky pesticides and herbicides.

Don't let this information go through one ear and out da udder. Know your dairy! Buy locally and organically to keep you, your family and our local cows happy :)

Big Companies Making Big Changes

I just finished a project that explored some of the positive changes going on in the nutrition world. The LA Times recently published an article on one of the leading discount retailers in the nation and their commitment to providing sustainable fish in all 1,762 stores. Here it is --> Target and Sustainability.

Don't fight them, join them.
Major companies run nearly all of the food industry because they supply to the majority of the population. Corporations such as Walmart, Costco, Safeway and Target are leaders in production of revenue that is substantially higher than alternative stores with a smaller customer base. Whole Foods or more locally situated stores like PCC or the Metropolitan Market are great places to purchase healthful, sustainable foods, yet they have far less of an impact on the community. It is unrealistic to believe that the major corporations will fail and the alternative health driven stores will succeed beyond these major retailers. These companies have mastered the art of providing products that people want. I say don't fight them, join them. It is a definite sign of positive change to see major companies join in the fight of providing sustainable, non-toxic food to the community.

Good for Target.

Target is partnering with, “FishWise” a not-for-profit marine conservation group focused on promoting the sale of sustainable, non-toxic fish. Shawn Gensch is the vice president of  marketing for Target’s sustainability issues and he quotes, "We thought this larger commitment to fully eliminate anything that's not certified by 2015 would be the right thing to do to encourage our guests to make the right decisions."

Quality food means quality health.
Target’s decision to provide only the highest quality fish to their consumers is of significant importance to the major food industry. More people will be exposed to healthier food, and thus will have more opportunity to support sustainable fish farming. Forbidding the sale of farmed or untraceable fish in a company of this magnitude will give a positive effect on the environment, as well as keeping toxic or disease spreading marine animals out of the food system.

The initiative. 

Positive change.
I believe that Target made a step in the right direction. Hopefully, this will cause more companies to review their fish vendors, policies and make the decision to follow suit. The end goal would of course be, to only provide the highest quality of all types of food in every major retail store. The effect that this could have on the health of the community as a whole is inspiring and is a sign of positive change.

Fish Oil: Cod's gift to the world

When I was a kid, I had these little dry skin bumps on the back of my upper arms. They looked like little red dots, and no matter what I did, they never seemed to go away. I never really cared, I'd seen a lot of kids with these barely-there little arm bumps but my mother was concerned (as any overly concerned mother is). She took me to numerous doctors to find out why I had these bumps and how to get them to go away. I remember being poked and prodded, tested for allergies, and talking to dermatologists. The answer from the doctors was always, "It's just dry skin, apply some lotion." Frustrated, she never could figure out what it was that was causing these little bumps.

Yummm

Also as a child, I had a liking for fried food, particularly french fries. I remember my friends wanting ice cream, chocolate or candy but all I wanted was fries. We would go out to restaurants and I'd order a cheeseburger and fries, take two bites out of my burger and eat the entire basket of fries. To this day, my mom teases me about my fry-diction and it wasn't until a year or so ago, I realized why it is I prefer those french fries over a sweet treat.

Since I am now a student at University specializing in the natural sciences, I figured it might be beneficial to ask my professors about why it is I crave fried food. I approached one of my instructors one day with the question, "I can't seem to curb my cravings for french fries. Do you have any idea why that might be?" She began answering my question with some insight on cravings in general. She told me that often people crave foods that contain nutrients they may be deficient in. For example, if you are iron deficient you might crave foods that contain a lot of iron, like red meat or chocolate. Your body knows what it needs to be healthy and it entices you with cravings for foods with specific nutrients. My professor then posed the question, "Do you eat a lot of seafood?" I answered, "Rarely." She said, "Well, you are probably omega fatty acid deficient and that's why you crave high fat fried foods. You know those little red bumps people get on the back of their arms? That's often a cause of omega fatty acid deficiency too."

Whoaaa. It took less than 30 seconds to find the answer to a question I'd been wondering for 21 years. Who would have thought, a nutritionist could tell me what a dermatologist couldn't for years. Yes, those little bumps were dry skin, but now I knew why they were there and maybe I could figure out how to get them to go away.

Trusted Brand of Fish Oil
Nordic Naturals

Essential omega fatty acids can only be received in effective amounts by eating fish. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). EPA is known mostly to have cardiovascular benefits and DHA is known more for brain development and learning. EPA and DHA are incredibly important because they are derived from essential fatty acids -- meaning that your body cannot synthesize them independently so you must obtain them from your diet. Fish has the highest source of omega-3 fatty acids and there is truly no other animal or plant that can provide you with the amount of omega-3's your body needs for optimal function. Flaxseed is often boasted as being rich in omega-3's but to put it in perspective, 2 fish oil supplements at 1,000 mg each is equal to 44, 1000 mg flaxseed oil supplements in their EPA/DHA content.



Fish oil comes from oily tissued fish (duh). The fish themselves do not have omega-3's but they eat microalgae that does, or they eat other fish that eats the microalgae.

There are a laundry list of reasons why people take fish oil supplements and research has shown it be beneficial to many tissues of the body.

Some Benefits
-Cardiovascular health
-Vision
-Lung function
-Joint flexibility
-Learning and memory
-Sleep
-Healthy hair and skin
-Immune function
-Healthy pregnancy
-Focus and learning
-Brain development
-Anti inflammatory purposes
-Depression

Before you buy fish oil supplements, it's important to know that not all omega-3 supplements are alike. Many have been rated by the Consumer's Lab Report to have high levels of toxic substances such as mercury, PCBs and dioxin. Most people are aware that it's recommended to limit seafood intake because of these substances, so it's important to remember that these toxic properties can be in supplements too. There are some trusted brands that are safe to be taken on a daily basis. Bastyr University is a proponent of certain fish oil brands. Carlson and Nordic Naturals are among the top of the list because they have been shown to have negligible amounts of toxins. Fish oil is expensive but the cheaper the supplement, the worse it probably is in it's composition.

After talking with my instructor and doing some more research, I started taking fish oil supplements a few days a week and about a month later, those little red bumps on the back of my arms had almost completely vanished. If I take fish oil at least once a day (sometimes I'm not very good at this), my cravings for those delicious fat filled foods decrease.

After I realized I was omega fatty acid deficient, fish oil improved my life and it could do the same for you. It reduced my cravings, improved my focus and made my skin softer and smoother. If you think fish oil can help you, give it a try for a month and see if you feel any different.

You don't have to be a brain sturgeon to understand the benefits of omega fatty acids. Try some fish oil. Ya know, just for the halibut.

I'm short on catchy titles. This one is about food and exercise.

Food and fitness.
There are a lot of misconceptions about food and exercise. I thought I should relate these two topics that are so interconnected but often misconstrued. Food enables you to get up everyday and go about your daily activities. Food enables runners to endure marathons and body builders to maintain muscle mass. Food enables you to live.

25% of adults in the United States are completely inactive, meaning they make no body movements that substantially increase energy expenditure. We all know that people who exercise live longer because they have stronger bodies and a stronger heart, but there are a plethora of reasons why exercise can be beneficial.

We know weight bearing exercise increases muscle mass, strength and bone density. We know aerobic exercise increases cardiac output, leaving you with a stronger heart. In order to get the most out of your exercises, whether they be aerobic, anaerobic or weight bearing, you need to eat certain foods to facilitate it.

Don't be afraid!

As a country, we are focused on the fact that many Americans are overweight, under-exercised and overall unhealthy. As a result of this, we have been scared away by some of the major food groups that have helped us live strong and healthy lives for centuries. Carbohydrates and fat are the main macronutrients that people tend to shy away from. Carbohydrates are supposed to make up over half of our diets at about 60%, followed by fats at 30%. People are generally consuming carbohydrates in refined forms which spike blood sugar and can cause weight gain and diabetes. Fat consumption has been a problem because people have been consuming too much of it. It's important to remember that complex carbohydrates and fats are essential and good for your body, as long as they are consumed in a healthy amount. Athlete or not, we need carbohydrates and fat to live. 

Carbohydrates.

In order to adequately support exercise, you must consume glucose from carbohydrates, fatty acids from fat and amino acids from protein. At rest, your body uses about half of its energy from fatty acids, a little less than half from glucose and a very small amount from amino acids. As the first minutes of exercise begin, your body uses stored glucose from muscle glycogen to move into action. As exercise continues, liver and fat cells release glucose and fatty acids to facilitate physical activity. The glucose in muscle glycogen that is initially used when exercising is important because it fuels quick action. If you were running away from danger, per see, the only way you are able to do this is because of stored muscle glycogen. Since glucose comes from carbohydrates, the more carbohydrates you eat, the more glycogen stores you will have and the longer the stores will be there to support your physical activity. After you use up your glycogen stores, your body increases its uptake of blood glucose in order to keep you from using your fat stores which will fatigue you more easily. An endurance athlete must maintain their blood glucose concentrations for as long as they can to stay energized. Eating a high carbohydrate diet and building up glycogen stores and blood glucose levels are the surest ways to endure long exercises. 

Your body needs carbohydrates for endurance.

To put it simply, a high carbohydrate diet enhances an athletes endurance because they have higher glycogen stores, thus they have more glucose to be used. A runner on a high fat diet averages about 57 minutes of maximum endurance time, while a runner on a high carbohydrate diet averages around 167 minutes of maximum endurance time-- huge difference. Glycogen stores are also helpful for everyday activities that are under 2,000 calories at a time. After that, fat stores are used to sustain up to 70,000 calories of fuel activity.


Fats.
Diets that are overly restrictive in fats can make athletes have low energy as well. Fat stores can fuel hours of activity without running out, making fat virtually an unlimited source of energy. During physical activity, muscles draw out fatty acids from working muscles and fat deposits. A moderate amount of fat in your diet is crucial to being able to sustain physical activity.

Protein.

Protein is used by athletes to build and maintain muscle mass, but it is not a good source of fuel for activities. Eating high quality protein either by itself or with carbohydrates immediately following physical activity greatly stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Dietary protein is what actually creates the new muscle protein but muscles would not be able to do this without being exercised first. Most athletes need a little more protein than sedentary people, but the average protein intake of an American usually covers this need. Athletes should focus mostly on ingesting an ample amount of carbohydrates, otherwise they will burn off protein as fuel that they wish to retain as muscle. Athletes who eat a balanced, high carbohydrate diet usually consume enough protein to the extent that they don't need specialized foods, supplements or protein shakes. Vitamins, minerals and protein itself are also much more easily absorbed in their natural form as food as opposed to supplements. The DRI (Dietary Reference Intakes) recommends males to have an average of 56 g/day of protein. The average American male consumes about 95 g/day of protein. The bottom line is, excessive intake of protein does not build muscle mass. Athletes need protein, but not in large amounts. Exercise, such as weight lifting builds muscle mass and consuming a moderate amount of protein right after exercise provides additional stimulus for muscle growth.

Supplemental overload.

If you take a lot of supplements you probably notice your pee is a bright yellow or maybe even green color. That just means you are in excess of nutrients and you are passing water soluble vitamins that your body doesn't need through your urine. It's important to be very cautious of this because if you are in excess of water soluble vitamins, you could also be consuming too many fat soluble vitamins which stay in your fat cells and can be toxic to your tissues. People that have a healthy balanced diet will not have enhanced physical performance from supplements because they are already consuming enough nutrients as is. Generally speaking, an athlete consumes much more calories then the average person which means that they are more likely to be consuming more nutrients as well. Some athletes are focused on losing weight, which can make adequate vitamin and mineral consumption more difficult, so these people could benefit greatly from a multivitamin.

Vitamin E and Iron.
As I said before, people who eat well-balanced meals don't need vitamin and/or mineral supplements. There are however, two nutrients of concern for active people. During intensive, prolonged physical activity the muscles consumption of oxygen is greatly increased, which enhances the production of damaging free radicals in cells. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that defends these cell membranes from damage. Free radicals contribute to heart disease and cancers but vitamin E protects against oxidative stress.

Iron is another nutrient of concern for athletes, especially women. Women have greater iron intake needs than men do and this is especially pertinent to pay attention to in female athletes. Iron deficiency impairs performance because iron helps deliver oxygen to muscles. So, if a person is lacking in iron, then their cells are unable to utilize oxygen efficiently, making them tire more easily.

Water and electrolytes.
The best fluid you can ingest while exercising is water. Water is superior to sports drinks, flavored waters and even natural energy drinks. Endurance athletes often drink things like Gatorade for the electrolytes but there are other, healthier options that don't contain high fructose corn syrup and dyes like Gatorade does. For example, lemons have natural electrolytes so a lemon wedge or two in your water can give you the electrolytes you need to maintain healthy salt balance in your blood while you exercise. I'm not a huge fan of fortified foods or drinks but electrolyte enhanced water is a good substitute to sports drinks as well. The important thing to remember is, stay hydrated by drinking water with electrolytes and have enough glucose in your system for endurance exercises.

We need carbohydrates, fat, protein and water for a healthy working body.
Athletes need nutrient-dense carbohydrates, fat and protein in order to maintain a healthy body, increase endurance and increase muscle mass. Water is detrimental in temperature regulation because we lose it during sweating and electrolytes are needed for fluid balance. It is important to remember that an excess or deficiency of these nutrients can be harmful to your body, and moderation is key. Exercise shouldn't only be about weight loss or muscle gain.

Dieting is wishful shrinking. So, eat well and exercise regularly for a healthy body and happy soul.

Less talking, more cooking. Desserts.

Sweet Stuffed Apples with Feta Cheese

A tender stuffed apple filled with sweets and light cheese is a great finish to a hearty meal. Enjoy these apples with a caramel sauce for a richer dessert. 

Ingredients

2 fuji apples

2 ounces feta cheese

1 tablespoon sucanat

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh juiced ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove core from apples with pairing knife, being careful not to cut through the bottom. Apples should look like bowls with quarter sized holes. 

With a peeler, peel a circle of skin around the holes of the apples.

Combine cheese, sucanat, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, maple syrup and almonds, mixing until combined. Stuff this mixture into the holes of apples. 

Take melted butter and brush it around the outside of apples until thoroughly but lightly covered. Place apples into oven.

Bake apples until tender and set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Skin should look wrinkled and be soft to the touch.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve sliced in half. 

Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Copyright 2010, Brittany Rigas, Original Recipe.

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Kahlua Caramel Sauce

This caramel sauce is delicious when poured over ice cream, brownies or fresh seasonal fruit. Feel free to replace Kahlua with any other type of dessert liqueur. 

Ingredients

4 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces sucanat, finely ground

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Kahlua, or other liqueur

Directions

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in sucanat until completely dissolved.

Turn the heat up to medium-low and stir occasionally until the mixture turns a darker brown color and gets thick like taffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.

After the sugar and butter begin to act like taffy, remove from heat and slowly add the heavy cream. 

Add the Kahlua and mix until incorporated. Serve warm.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Adapted by Brittany Rigas, from Recipes-Recipes.net, 2003.

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Caramelized Apple Chocolate Truffles

This chocolate truffle is explosive in flavor and its soft texture will melt in your mouth. Serve with fresh fruit slices.

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut, shredded

4 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 of a fuji apple, minced

1 teaspoon sucanat, ground finely

Pinch of cinnamon

8 ounces semisweet dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

For Filling

Toast coconut on a small dry skillet at medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside.

Put 1 teaspoon of butter in same skillet and place minced apple inside. Sprinkle apple with sucanat and cinnamon and cook until apple is browned and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and mix with toasted coconut. Set mixture aside again.

Place 4 ounces of chocolate chips and remaining butter in a large bowl over a medium pot filled half way with water. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let chocolate-butter mixture melt partially, stirring occasionally.

In a small saucepan over low heat, bring cream to a simmer. Remove cream from heat and slowly pour half of it into the chocolate-butter mixture as it is melting in the bowl. Remove the chocolate, butter and cream mixture from heat and whisk until all ingredients are fully incorporated and smooth. Gradually add the remaining cream and stir until the ganache is thick and shiny. Add apple coconut mixture and combine thoroughly.

Pour ganache into a 2 inch deep baking pan, spreading evenly. Place ganache in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and scoop out into small balls and put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place ganache balls back into the freezer.

 For Coating

While ganache balls are in freezer for the 2nd time, make the chocolate glaze. Place the remaining chocolate chips in a large bowl over a pan of hot water again set at high heat. Stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and let chocolate cool to room temperature. Note: This part is important in order to get the outside crunch of chocolate that a truffle typically has. 

Remove ganache balls from freezer and drop into bowl of room temperature chocolate. Retrieve truffles with a fork and place back onto parchment paper baking pan. 

Place coated truffles in the refrigerator for 10 minutes until hardened. Truffles are served best at room temperature. To add some color, top truffles with a sprinkle of coconut and cinnamon before their coating hardens.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Makes 10 to 12 truffles

Adapted by Brittany Rigas from Ron Askew, Basic Chocolate Truffles Recipe, 2010.

Less talking, more cooking. Appetizers.

Sprouted Quesadillas with Pico De Gallo Hearts

This recipe creates a whole grain quesadilla and turns the leftover vegetable skins into heart shapes. A perfect dish for your Valentine! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 sprouted whole grain tortillas

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 small red pepper, diced

1/2 small green pepper, diced

1/2 cup button mushrooms, cooked

2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

1/4 cup yellow onion, diced and caramelized 

1/2 pear, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 avocado, scooped out whole

1/4 whole red pepper

Directions

Put 1 tablespoon of butter in large skillet over medium heat and wait until it lightly sizzles.

Put 1 tortilla open face in skillet and sprinkle 1/3 of each ingredient including cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms, cilantro and onion.

Fold quesadilla in half and cook until lightly crispy and browned on one side. Flip and cook the same way on the other side. Remove from heat and cut into 4 pieces. 

Repeat steps 1 through 3 with the 2nd tortilla.

Take all remaining ingredients except whole avocado and whole pepper and mix them together in a small bowl. 

Take remaining piece of red pepper and slice into heart shaped shell. The divots at the top of peppers look like the divots in a heart. Take half of the avocado shell and cut the top into a divoted heart as well. Divot the half avocado into a heart shape.

Fill empty pepper and avocado shells with pico de gallo. Serve with heart avocado and quesadillas.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Makes 2 Servings

Copyright 2010, Brittany Rigas, original recipe.

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Cream Cheese Beef Wontons

Combining Asian and American cuisine, this recipe makes a tender, juicy and flavorful beef on top of a crispy wonton. Serve as appetizer with fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

8 ounces grass-fed beef tenderloin, cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon mirin

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon fresh juiced ginger

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, minced

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 squares of wonton dough

3 tablespoons cream cheese

1 green onion, diced

Directions

In a small dish combine beef, tamari, mirin, garlic, ginger, cilantro and salt. Mix thoroughly and let the beef marinate for 20 minutes.

In the mean time, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Lay flat on skillet 1 to 2 wontons, or how ever many will fit, and cook until the dough starts to bubble. Flip the wontons over when lightly browned, bubbled and crispy. Remove wontons from heat when both sides are cooked evenly. Repeat this process with remaining wonton dough.

Spread cream cheese in a thin, even layer over each wonton.

In the same skillet used for wontons, turn the heat up to medium and cook beef to desired darkness, flipping evenly on each side.

Remove beef from heat and spread on wontons. Add diced green onion on top.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Makes 3 servings

Copyright 2010, Brittany Rigas, original recipe.

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Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Stuffing skins of excess vegetables is a great way to present your food. Garnish with fresh shredded carrots for color.

Ingredients

1 poblano pepper

1 green pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1/4 cup carrots, chunked

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Hollow out poblano and green peppers. Brush olive oil around the outside of pepper until completely covered in a thin layer. 

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Stuff peppers with cream cheese mixture and roast in oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables inside pepper are tender. Serve as a side dish with meat, or as an entree for a vegetarian. 

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Copyright 2010, Brittany Rigas, original recipe.