Feta, Potato, Turkey Skillet

I can't wait for you to try this bowl full of goodness and health! Vitamin C, iron, protein, healthy carbs, fiber, comfort....need I say more.

Feta, Potato, and Turkey Skillet
from Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients:
olive oil spray
1 lb ground turkey breast (not ground turkey)
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 lb potatoes (best to buy organic)
pinch dried thyme
3/4 C low sodium chicken broth (I love Watkins)
1 lb Swiss Chard or other leafy greens (I used organic Kale, you can find pre-cut in the HyVee Organic Produce section sometimes, wahooo for convenience!)
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
pinch red chili flakes
juice of 1/2 lemon, plus 4 wedges for serving
1/2 C crumbled feta cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425F. Coat a large (12inch) oven-proof skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium. Add turkey, season with salt and pepper and cook. Break up meat with a spoon, until no pink is visible, 5-6minutes. Transfer turkey to a bowl, returning skillet to heat. Add potatoes and thyme to hot skillet and season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once. Carefully return skillet to stove top on medium-high heat (leave oven at same temperature). Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add leafy greens and stir until just wilted. Stir in tomatoes rosemary, chili flakes, lemon juice, and reserved turkey. Once broth is simmering, transfer back to oven. Cook until tomato skins burst, about 10 minutes. Stir halfway through. Divide mixture among 4 bowls and top evenly with feta. Serve with lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Nutrition (1 1/4C potato mix with 2 T feta): 271 calories, 4gfat, 24gcarbs, 35g protein

WOW...where did the time go...Sara B Consulting blog celebrated its 2nd Anniversary at the beginning of the month. THANK YOU TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS and TASTE TESTERS! You are making yourself and your family healthier one recipe at a time!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

www.sarabconsulting.com

Leek, Potato, Parsnip and Cauliflower Soup

Leek, Potato, Parsnip and Cauliflower Soup
modified from Clean Eating Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
4 leeks, trimmed, sliced in half lengthwise, coarsely chopped and well rinsed
2 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 C cauliflower florets
5 medium Yukon gold organic potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and passed through a garlic press (or chopped really fine)
1 tsp sea salt
8 C chicken broth
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high flame. Add onions, leeks, parsnips and cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or until veggies begin to soften. You may have to add a little more olive oil.
Add cubed potatoes, sea salt, garlic, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 40 minutes or until all veggies are uniformly tender. Using a hand blender, puree soup (or puree in batches in blender or food processor). Adjust flavor by adding sea salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrients for 2 Cups: 227 calories, 8g protein, 36g carbs, 5g fat

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

5 Suprisingly Healthy Foods

5 Surprisingly Healthy Foods for the New Year
Posted by Katherine @ 01.02.11
article borrowed from a fellow RD's blog
Since good health and losing weight are part of many New Year’s resolutions, I wanted to give you the scoop on a few foods that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating this year. (Or at least not too guilty!) Here are 5 foods that you might be surprised to learn are actually good for you.

1. Potatoes.

Hey, I hope you’re not still caught up in that ‘no carb’ craze. The truth is that many carbohydrates are good for you. Potatoes got a particularly bad wrap in the last decade. But the potato is a nutritious, versatile, and inexpensive food that has a place in a healthy diet. One medium-sized potato (with skin) has just 110 calories and is one of the best sources of potassium and fiber in the produce section. Baked, mashed, or roasted, potatoes make a wonderful side or a base for a healthful meal (just make sure to go light on the toppings).
2. Avocados.

If you love the creamy, rich taste of avocados but worry about the fat and calorie content, let me put some of those fears to rest. While avocados are higher in fat, most of it is “heart healthy” mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Concerned about calories? One-fifth of a medium-sized avocado has about 50 calories. Not bad considering these versatile fruits are nutrient-rich, containing nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. As long as you use moderation as your guide, avocados are a very nutritious―and tasty―addition to sandwiches, salads, and dips.
3. Pistachios.

Pistachios offer more than 30 different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients including lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. Worried about the fat and calories? Pistachios are one of the nuts lowest in calories and fat. (They have only three calories per nut―about half the count of most snack nuts.) Small and flavorful, pistachios make a satisfying snack as well as a healthful ingredient in many meals.
4. Eggs.

Once demonized as an artery-clogging food, eggs have been exonerated by new research and now have a place in most diets. Packed with nutrients, one egg contains 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, and healthy unsaturated fats for just 75 calories. While yolks do contain about 213mg of dietary cholesterol (the daily limit is 300mg), eating a whole egg a few times per week falls within heart-healthy guidelines if cholesterol from other sources―such as meats, poultry and dairy products―is limited.
5. Coffee.

Is cutting out coffee the best bet for your health? Not necessarily. Sure, if you drink too much, caffeinated coffee can give you the jitters or interfere with sleep. But you can also reap significant perks from coffee, both caffeinated and decaf. Studies show that drinking coffee regularly may reduce your risk of Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and even headaches. Scientists also believe that coffee may play a role in improving memory and decreasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Multiple studies have shown that coffee drinkers are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. In other studies, colon cancer was reduced by about 25 percent in individuals who drank at least 2 cups a day. While more research is needed, most health experts now believe that the health benefits of coffee outweigh the negatives.

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

www.sarabconsulting.com

Clean Eatin' Scalloped Potatoes

mmmm...I can still remember when my mom would dish up ooey gooey scalloped potatoes. So creamy and cheesy.
As I flipped through my latest Clean Eating Magazine, I was so excited to see they had a "cleanified" version of the classic recipe.

This version omits the half a stick of butter, heavy milk, and white flour. It still has the yummy cheese, just in a smaller quantity.
You save: 285 calories, 16g fat, 10g saturated fat, and 628mg sodium
Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
olive oil cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 t white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
2 C low-fat milk or skim
3 oz low-fat (2%) Monterrey Jack or white cheddar cheese, grated
2 1/2 lb Russet, Red, or Yukon Gold potatoes (I used Red and Yukon Gold), sliced thin as possible...I used my food processor to get the slices right. Leave the skin on for the extra nutrients.
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
2 T whole wheat bread crumbs (Panko is a Japanese brand you can find at HyVee)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat oil in large skillet or medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/4 tsp sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, thyme (be generous) and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until onions are coated with flour. Add milk and increase heat to medium-high. When liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook until mixture has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Add three-quarters of Monterrey Jack and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and stir until melted, about 1 minutes. Remove from heat.

Note: if milks burns slightly on bottom of pan, try not to scrap up as stirring. It should remain stuck to bottom and you wont have to worry about it.

Arrange potatoes in an even layer in greased baking dish. (should be several potatoes thick).
Cover with half of onion and milk mixture. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onion mixture.
Make sure all corners of dish get covered. If a spot looks dry add a tablespoon of milk.
In small bowl, combine remaining Monterrey Jack, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Bake potatoes in center of oven for 70-85 minutes or until potatoes are tender when a fork is pierced through. When finished baking, remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese-bread crumb mixture. Preheat broiler to high and return baking dish to oven and broil until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes....careful not to burn! Let cool for 10 minutes and serve!

I may have gone a little heavier on the cheese :) Also, I prepared my dish the day before and refrigerated it covered. The only step I did not do was top it with the bread-cheese mix.
20 minutes before dinner the next night I topped the cooked dish with my cheese-bread mix and warmed it in the 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

CrossFit Des Moines party - Red and Gold Potato Salad

Good times, good food, good friends at the Crossfit Des Moines party last Saturday.
Thank you Paul and Kelly for hosting. You have a beautiful home and property. Perfect for a relaxing summer evening.
Keith provided a smoker (is that how I term it?) and smoked up salmon, ribs, and pulled pork.
Everyone else provided a side dish....there were so many yummy ones to choose from.

I decided to try a new salad recipe...
Red and Gold Potato Salad
loosely adapted from Simply Recipes
Ingredients: (for the party I doubled everything)
1 lbs of red potatoes, peel on, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, peel on, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil mayo
2 teaspoons of mustard (your favorite, yellow, Dijon, stone ground)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 red bell pepper, raw or roasted, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (optional)
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 dill pickles, chopped into 1/4 in cubes (about 3/4 cup)
4 Tbsp juice from dill pickles
Fox point seasoning from Penzeys (salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion and green peppercorns)
sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

lots of added veggies!

thick, creamy sauce
Instructions:
1. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayo, pickle juice and mustard. Add about a tablespoon of Foxpoint, dash of sea salt and some pepper.
Add the eggs and potatoes, gently combine using a rubber. Add the rest of the ingredients again, gently combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4-6.

I also made the infamous refreshing summer dessert...Jello Cake! I will post later.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

A very busy weekend means a very big appetite....Slow Cooker Italian Beef...and purple potatoes?!

This past weekend was filled with fun!
The HyVee Triathlon started off the craziness with Emmerson's tri clinic on Friday.

She got her first experiences of swimming, biking, and running...all in one day.

The temperature topped 91F! Needless to say she was beat by the end of the day.

Unfortunately, her race Saturday morning was canceled do to the weather :(

J, Ron (brother-in-law), and I all set to race Sunday morning...more on this in a later post!

Sunday night was the Solon ladies track banquet. We finally got a chance to show off our State Champ trophy. It was bitter sweet as I said my good-bye's to the ladies and their families. I will miss Solon so much.
I have to give a quick thank you for all the amazing cards the girls wrote me...I told J if I ever have a bad day I am going to pull them out and read the kind words again.

Monday...

my parents were here and J and I put them to work!

But first...J started our hardworking day with a scrumptious breakfast piled high with spinach and red bell pepper

all day we weeded, mulched, planted, buried, scrubbed, swept and dusted.

poison-ivy proofing my body with tube socks and tights....Dad wasn't so lucky

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

another recipe from fellow crossfitter Katie

for dinner I prepared a crock pot recipe in the morning so it was ready when finished working that evening

I picked up some PURPLE potatoes at New Pioneer Coop. They were beautiful along side the white and red potatoes.

more color=more nutrients! ps.... all were organic as potatoes are on the "dirty dozen" list for foods with high amounts of fertilizers and pesticides

I also picked up a grass fed rump roast from Grass Run Farm
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
few good shakes of Penzeys Italian Dressing

1 (5 pound) rump roast

Instructions:
Combine water and beef broth with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion powder, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.
Cover, and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Add potatoes and carrots when about 4 hours remain (on low) or 2 hours remain on high)....periodically check roast with meat thermometer as some crock pots cook faster. If it is done before dinner time simply remove meat and place, covered in fridge till an hour before dinner and return to pot to heat up. Before serving, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

Let shredded meat soak in juice for about 10-15minutes. Serve and enjoy!

This can be made into a sandwich topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions OR served with a side of potatoes and carrots.

Thanks for sharing Katie!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Clean Potato Salad and Roasted Vegetables

J and I's friend Geoff invited us over for fondue the other night. I had never partook in a fondue style dinner so I was very excited. However, I had NO idea what to bring as a side....what pairs with fondue? Finger foods? Finally, I decided on the no fail roasted veggies and a clean potato salad I just wanted to try.

roasting veggies is such an easy, healthy, and flavorful way to cook these nutrient packed foods

Roasted leeks, red onion, carrots, and red potatoes
drizzle with olive oil, add rosemary, thyme, ground pepper, and sea salt over top. Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes. Stir at 20 minutes. Beautiful color means wonderful vitamins!

Clean Potato Salad
Ingredients for salad:
12 baby potatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into small cubes (notice I did not have one of these so I used avocado for something green)
6 hardboiled eggs, whites and yolks separated after cooking. Dice egg whites and reserve two yolks
1 head romaine lettuce, separate leaves
fresh ground pepper
Ingredients for dressing:
2 egg yolks
1/3 C plain, low fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
2 T lemon juice
2 tsp oil (avocado, sesame, olive, canola)
1-2 T yellow or honey mustard
pinch of salt
dried or fresh chives
Instructions:
Prepare dressing by mashing yolks with fork and whisking in oil, mustard, lemon juice, salt and chives. Gently mix dressing with potatoes and cucumber and fold in cooked, diced egg whites, place salad in bowl lined with romaine leaves. Garnish with chives and pepper.
Nutrients for 1/2 C: 116 calories, 6g protein, 21g carbs, 2g fat

cheesy fondue (mixutre of fresh cheeses) and the dippers: fresh bread, veggies, pork tenderloin. It was sooo yummy.

the gang

Geoff and Bryan hit up the Wii Fit for some after dinner burn
Thanks for hosting a fun night Geoff!

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good...
www.sarabconsulting.com