Good morning friends! How are you today? I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday! Hump day! And that the rain has finally moved on out of here! Making the walk into work in the rain has been rather cumbersome for the past few days.

Anyway, today I’m asking you for a favor. I am asking you to give one of my favorite… foods… a second chance.

Brussels sprouts to be exact.

Now before I lose you, hear me out.

When I tell people that Brussels sprouts are my favorite food, I get one of two reactions:

“OMG! Me too!”

or…

“Tell me you’re kidding, Ashley.”

For those of you who can relate to the second response, please just give them one more chance – following the guidelines below that is!

I find that the majority of people that respond this way are a part of the Baby Boomer generation and their response always follows with this story:

“Growing up, my mom used to boil Brussels sprouts and then she would make us eat them. They were so disgusting and I have never liked them sense!”

Yes, I would agree with you too… boiled Brussels sprouts are probably pretty nasty – especially, for a non-veggie loving person unlike myself.

Today, I beg that if you can relate to this story at all, give them a second chance and try them a different way.

Brussels sprouts are one of the world’s healthiest foods for many reasons.

• They are in the family with broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower and are are low in calories (40 calories per four-sprout serving) and high in fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A and folate.
• They have been shown to provide cholesterol- lowering benefits, DNA protection and cancer-protective substances.

Brussels are not a vegetable that you want to give up on just yet!

If you will, try the recipe below and if you stilllll don’t like them, then okay, chow down on broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower instead; however, I am pretty confident that you will find a new love for them prepared a different way then the method that your mom or grandmother used decades ago!

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of fresh Brussels sprouts
• 1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1.5 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• adobo seasoning to taste (or salt,  pepper and garlic powder to taste will work too)

The post My Favorite Food is Asking You for a Second Chance: Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Why hello there Monday morning… you always come to soon! How are you today friends? I hope you had a fabulous weekend. We certainly did. Nothing too out of the ordinary here- Friday night we shared a delicious dinner with Dustin’s parents.

Saturday, I hit the gym first thing in the am for a weekend workout since I didn’t get to fit in a workout on Friday. After that, I headed to the grocery store to pick up the deliciousness that I am going to share with you today, as well as all of the ingredients to make our first batch of eggnog for the season (I will share that recipe this week too!).

Saturday night we did a little bit of Christmas tree decorating and then turned in for a fairly early night. Sunday we cooked breakfast, watched church from home instead of attending, bathed the pups, took care of a little bit of work that I had been putting off and then I spent the rest of the evening in the kitchen preparing food for the week! Crockpot oats, green smoothies, BBQ roasted chickpeas and a couple of casseroles for one of the hubs final road trips of the year!

Anyway, enough about the weekend and on to this yummy, savory dish your entire family is sure to enjoy! 

Years ago, I made a “Vegan Chicken Pot Pie” that certainly was tasty but very “bready” to say the least. With the help of Mama Pea, I used her recipe as a backbone and then made it work for us with a gluten-free bread-like topping but not a bread only dish like the one I made years ago! Gluten-free, vegan and full of protein, this is a dish that I will certainly make again – in fact, I already made it twice this past weekend! It’s fairly easy, pretty cheap and one that you can make in advance and then throw in the oven as soon as you walk in the door. Next time, I am going to try it in the crock pot too!

Chick Pot Pie

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
• 1 28 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2.5 tsp gluten free flour
• 1.5 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
• 3/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth

For the biscuit topping:

• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 + 2/3 cups gluten free biscuit flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill… Bisquick now has their version too)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4.5 tbsp coconut oil (still hard, cut into chunks)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (or Parmesan cheese)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a large casserole dish with non-stick spray.
2. Prepare filling first. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion, garlic, celery and potatoes and sauté until the mixture begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in frozen veggies and continue to sauté, string in salt, pepper and herbs. Gently fold in garbanzo beans, careful not to mash. Turn heat to low.
3. Prepare roux next. In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil over medium high heat. Add 2.5 tbsp of flour, using a whisk to combine – string constantly. Slowly add the almond milk and vegetable broth, continuing to whisk until combined and thick, bringing the combination to a boil. Pour the sauce over the vegetable combination, gently stirring to evenly coat the veggies.
4. Pour the vegetable mixture into the large, well-sprayed baking dish.
5. Prep the biscuit topping last. In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk and the lemon juice and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper). Cut in the coconut oil using a fork until it is evenly distributed but still in chunks. Add in the nutritional yeast (or Parm) and basil. Pour in the soured milk and mix until just moist (remember you don’t want the combination too liquidy!)
6. Using two spoons, scoop a spoonful of the batter up with one spoon and push it onto the dish using the second spoon until your biscuits make a lovely topping for the casserole.
7. Place the casserole in the oven and bake for ~45 minutes, after 30 minutes checking every 5-10 minutes to prevent biscuits from burning.
8. Enjoy alone or with a green salad to start!

I am certain that this dish will satisfy all members of your family!

 

Version # 1

 

Version # 2

 

What did you do this weekend? Any cooking?!

 

Have an awesome Monday!

Good health!

 

The post Meatless Monday: Chick Pot Pie appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Hello Monday! How are ya friends!? I hope you had a great weekend and are ready to take on another another great week!

I had a weekend FULL of cooking. The hub is headed out on another long road trip so prepped him as many yummy eats as possible to fuel his long days at the baseball field; and I also made some delicious eats with my mom including today’s post (as seen below!) to stay here.

From left to right…Black Bean Burritos pressed in the George Foreman, Double Chocolate Protein Bars (recipe to come soon!), Roasted Balsamic Broccoli, my mom’s Butternut Squash Soup, Crockpot Lasagna (recipe below), and homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Rolls (recipe adapted from Katie over at Honeystuck with a few substitutions) which were supposed to go with to to an early morning Falcons tailgate. Not pictured grilled BBQ Chicken, Rosemary White Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and I think that might be all. Wow! Just typing all of that exhausted me!

But on to today!

It’s the 21st which means it’s time for another Recipe Redux post (which perfectly falls on Meatless Monday too!)! In case you’ve missed the past two Recipe Redux posts be sure to check them out. Both were absolutely delicious: Garden Harvest Pickled Okra and Mini Peanut Butter Pies!

The challenge we were given for October was as follows:

The No-Casserole Crock Pot: Some of us grew up on casseroles out of a slow cooker – but now home cooks are using that same slow cooker to roast a chicken, bake bread, make homemade yogurt and for other creative dishes. Show us how you are using the slow cooker to craft a new healthy recipe.

When I started thinking about what I wanted to do for this months challenge dishes like Crockpot Applesauce, Rosemary White Beans and Overnight Crockpot Oats came to mind.

And then something else happened.

Last week, while on the road with Dustin, we sat down at the lobby bar for a glass of wine after dinner. After talking to the bartender for a few minutes, she went on to tell me how tired she was: she’s returning to school in the morning, working during the day, and bar tending at night, all with three children at home. She was telling me that the hardest part about her jam packed schedule was making sure that her children have a warm meal to come home to in the evenings (Does it come to any surprise to you that our conversation ended up on food?).

I could see the compassion in her eyes. She was doing everything she possibly could to better not only her but her children’s life too. She said she tries to plan ahead and uses her crockpot as often as possible. Smart lady.

And then she mentioned Crockpot Lasagna (and spaghetti sandwiches? new to me!).

I’ve told you all before that my husband is the guy that says, “Hey Ash, do you think you could make “Healthy Sausage Balls?”

Really, Dustin? Sausage + massive amounts of cheese + white flour + egg? (Just typing that out gets my wheels spinning although… maybe “Healthier Chicken Sausage Balls?” Humm… we’ll see about that.)

What I am trying to say is that he wants his old favorite, unhealthy foods made healthy, and rightfully so! Healthy food should taste delicious, as shown through the Recipe Redux.

But back to Crockpot Lasagna.

When the bartender mentioned Crockpot Lasagna, I knew my next challenge was upon me.

Enter this Gluten-free, Veggie-packed Crockpot Lasagna.

An easy, yet delicious take on an old favorite!

Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried lentils
• 1.5 cups water
• 24 oz. jar marinara sauce (Classico’s Tomato Basil is a good option – or you can make your own!)
• 1 tbsp organic canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 10 oz. carton white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 15 oz. fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups vegan Mozzarella cheese, separated
• 2 cups spinach, chopped into shreds
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 10 oz package gluten-free brown rice lasagna noodles

Directions

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the lentils and the water and cook until just al dente (~20 minutes). Pour the jar of marinara sauce into the pot of lentils and stir gently to combine and set aside (pour about 1/2 cup of water into the empty jar and swirl around to collect the remaining tomato sauce and set the jar aside for later use) .
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté for ~2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper and sauté for 3-4 more minutes, just browning the vegetables.
3. Add the vegetables to the lentil sauce, again, stirring to combine.
4. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, 1 cup of mozzarella, chopped spinach, and Italian seasoning.
5. Pour 1/3 cup of the veggie marinara lentil sauce in the bottom of the crockpot. Add a layer of lasagna noodles (breaking accordingly to fit into your crockpot).
6. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture across the top of the noodles.
7. Repeat: 1/3 veggie lentil sauce, noodles, 1/2 cheese, and then one more layer of the noodles and the remaining sauce.
8. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese.
9. Pour the 1/2 cup water from the sauce jar around the edges of the crockpot evenly.
10. Cook on low for ~4-6 hours.
11. Remove the lid and allow your family to oooo and ahhhh over the delicious smell and yummy taste! Serve and enjoy!

–

I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as mine! Have a great day!

Good health!

The post Crockpot Lasagna {The Recipe Redux} appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a good week. I’m back on the road with the hub, bouncing from town to town for the next week or so. The Gypsy Dietitian is in moving in full force.

When Dustin and I lived back in our old college town a few years ago, there was an incredible pasta vendor from Savannah, Georgia, FraLi Gourmet, at the farmer’s market every week. When we were feeling creative (and willing to spend $8 bucks on a bag of pasta), we would pick up a bag of his fresh, yummy gnocchi.

For those of you that don’t know, gnocchi is similar to a dumpling, usually made out of some sort of flour and egg, cheese, potato or breadcrumbs. When we would buy it, I served it as I would any other pasta, usually with a marinara sauce and a large salad.

Last week when I told my mom that I was participating in a Recipe Redux sweetpotato challenge hosted by the California Sweetpotato Council this week, she immediately suggested that I try making a sweetpotato gnocchi.

“Yeah right, mom,” was my immediate response but after she assured me that it couldn’t be too hard, she and I gave it our best effort.

Easy.peasy.

If I can make gnocchi, you can make gnocchi.

Although the thought of making a homemade “pasta” usually sends me running for the hills, this gnocchi will now be a regular staple in my dinner rotations. We made two different varieties:

•  the first is a traditional gnocchi to be served with your favorite marinara sauce and a large salad
• the second variety is more of sweet and savory side dish to be served anywhere you would serve a sweetpotato.

Both varieties are cooked the same, and it’s during the sautéing process that things are changed up a little bit (as detailed below). I replaced traditional sweet potatoes with the new California sweetpotato variety in creating this recipe.

As I’ve mentioned all week, sweetpotatoes (spelled as one word) are different from other potatoes in that they are grown in sand and hand selected, creating a much prettier potato. These sweetpotatoes worked perfectly in this gnocchi recipe.

Disclosure: I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes  mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. 

Homemade Gnocchi Two Ways 

Traditional Sweetpotato Gnocci

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 California Sweetpotato
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup Garbanzo and Fava flour (I used this Gluten-free Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava Flour but a whole wheat flour would work as well)
• 1/4 cup flour (separately for dusting)
• 1 tbsp organic canola oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook sweetpotato in oven or microwave until ready. Once cooled, remove the skin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the meat of the sweetpotato until a smooth texture is reached. Add salt and continue to mash.
3. Add in flour 1/4th a cup at a time and continue to mix until evenly combined, forming a large ball with the dough.
4. Using the edge of your hand, cut the dough ball in half and then into fourths.
5. Dust a large cutting board or surface with 1 tbsp of flour.
6. Roll out 1/4th of the ball, to create a snake-like rod.
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the snake into 1/2 inch rounds.
8. Repeat with the remaining three sections of the dough. Dusting with additional flour as needed.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place half of the gnocchi balls in the water. Once the balls float to the top of the water surface, continue to cook for ~90 seconds.
10. Carefully lift the gnocchi dumplings out of the water. Repeat with the remaining balls.
11. Heat the canola in a large skillet over medium-high heat, carefully add the dumplings and sauté on each side until evenly browned.
12. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite marinara sauce and enjoy!

Sweet and Savory Sweetpotato Gnocci 

Serves 2

Ingredients 

• 1 California Sweetpotato
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup Garbanzo and Fava flour (I used this Gluten-free Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava Flour but a whole wheat flour would work as well)
• 1/4 cup flour (separately for dusting)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup or honey
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook sweetpotato in oven or microwave until ready. Once cooled, remove the skin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the meat of the sweetpotato until a smooth texture is reached. Add salt and continue to mash.
3. Add in flour 1/4th a cup at a time and continue to mix until evenly combined, forming a large ball with the dough.
4. Using the edge of your hand, cut the dough ball in half and then into fourths.
5. Dust a large cutting board or surface with 1 tbsp of flour.
6. Roll out 1/4th of the ball, to create a snake-like rod.
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the snake into 1/2 inch rounds.
8. Repeat with the remaining three sections of the dough. Dusting with additional flour as needed.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place half of the gnocchi balls in the water. Once the balls float to the top of the water surface, continue to cook for ~90 seconds.
10. Carefully lift the gnocchi dumplings out of the water. Repeat with the remaining balls.
11. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, carefully add the dumplings and sauté on each side until evenly browned.
12. Sprinkle with cinnamon, maple syrup/honey, salt and pepper and serve as a side to any delicious meal!

–

Have you ever made homemade pasta? Or are you like me, run at the sheer thought of even attempting homemade pasta? I tried to make homemade butternut squash ravioli a few years ago and although they tasted pretty good, they tasted nothing like traditional ravioli! Oops!

Happy gnocchi making!

Good health!

P.S. In case you missed any of the other sweetpotato posts from this week, here they are:

• Twice Baked Sweetpotatoes
• Gluten-free Vegan Sweetpotato Cookies
• 5 Color Sweetpotato Veggie Soup

The post Sweetpotato Gnocchi appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend!

I laid very low Friday night after a crazy couple of days last week (as I mentioned on Friday afternoon). Saturday, I started the day with a run with the pups, confirming that I am going to run the Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon in just a few weeks! Anyone else out there running it? My dad is going to run it with me again! I ran it a few years ago and loved the feeling of starting the holiday accomplished and a part of something. Most of you know my thoughts on long distance running, but I am doing it simply out of enjoyment and because I feel ready again after a hiatus from distance running.

Anyway, I spent the rest of Saturday afternoon gearing up for a shower that evening and then spent some time with my grandfather on his 81st birthday.

Saturday night, I headed up to the lake for the shower which was an absolute blast. I returned home late that night to find the hubby had made it home from a week long road trip; he was already asleep but I was more than excited to see him!

Yesterday, we enjoyed coffee and smoothies on the front porch as we listened to church and shared conversation. Following church, the hub and I hit the streets again for a beautiful afternoon walk with the dogs and then headed up to the store to prepare a delicious dinner to end the weekend and kick off sweetpotato (one word!) week over here, as I mentioned last week! And that was our weekend in a nutshell.

But anyway, let’s jump right in!

This week I am participating in a California sweetpotatoes: “One Word, Endless Possibilities” Recipe ReDux Challenge sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council.

Disclosure: I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. 

California sweetpotatoes are in fact not the same thing as a sweet potato – they are an entirely different vegetable (from yams and white potatoes too!). So what’s the difference? According to the California Sweetpotato Council, “what’s unique about California sweetpotatoes is that they are grown in soft sand and are hand sorted during harvest to minimize scarring and scratching. The result is a visually, higher quality sweet potato.”

One medium sized sweet potato is ~105 calories and has 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and are a good source of vitamin C and more than a day’s worth of vitamin A.

These Twice Baked Sweetpotatoes are the perfect accompaniment to any fall dinner. Not only do they taste delicious but they leave your house smelling warm and cimmamony all evening long!

Twice Baked Sweetpotatoes

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 California sweetpotatoes
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Wash sweetpotatoes and pierce each side with a fork or knife.
3. Place sweetpotaotes in a well-sprayed cast-iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan, but in the cast-iron skillet is my favorite way) and cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in the oven for ~ 1 hour.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Once cool, cut each sweetpotato in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of each sweetpotato and place in a large bowl, careful not to rip the skins.
7. Add remaining ingredients to the sweetpotato mixture and stir until evenly combined.
8. Evenly distribute the sweetpotato mixture back into the scooped out skins and place each half in a baking dish and return to the oven to bake for ~15 more minutes.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm.

–

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! Stay tuned for more sweetpotato recipes all week long!

Have a great Monday!

Good health!

The post It’s Sweetpotato Week! Twice Baked Sweetpotaotes. appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Happy Friday! The weekend is here!

If you missed yesterdays post, be sure to check it out and join in on the giveaway that ends tonight at midnight!

I am headed down to south Georgia this afternoon with my parents for a wedding but first I wanted to share one of my favorite fall/winter recipes that a few of you asked about over on Instagram.

With a fall chill in the air, this soup is sure to warm up any guests you might have this weekend. A perfect soup to keep hot on the stove all day long, welcome fall with this easy, oh so healthy Minestrone soup.

This was one of the first recipes that I cooked as a newly wed, and it still remains one of my go to one-pot dinners. In fact, even my meat eating husband even requests it quite often!

Classic Minestrone

Recipe adapted from here.

Prep time ~15 minutes; Cook time

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive or organic canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1/3 lb (1.5 cups) green beans, trimmed into 1-2 inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1, 28 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1, 14 oz can no salt added crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 6 cups unsalted vegetable stock
• 2 cups kidney beans (I used dried and soaked beans but canned would work too, just buy no salt added)
• 1 cup garbanzo beans (I used dried and soaked beans but canned would work too, just buy no salt added)
• 2 cups whole-grain (gluten free if necessary – I used rice pasta spirals but elbow or any variety would work too)
• salt and pepper to taste
• parmasean cheese or nutritional yeast for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, ~4 minutes.
3. Add the celery, carrot, bell pepper and garlic, cook until tender, ~5 more minutes.
4. Add the zucchini, green beans, spinach and herbs, cook for ~3 more minutes.
5. Add both cans of tomatoes, red wine and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for ~10 minutes.
7. Stir in both beans and continue to cook until the  vegetables are tender, ~5 more minutes.
8. Stir in the pasta, season with salt and pepper and ladle into individual bowls.
9. Top with parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast and enjoy.

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I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure to check back tomorrow (yep! Saturday!) for my second post as a member of The Recipe Redux. Not giving anything away, but you don’t want to miss this sweet Saturday treat!

Good health!

The post A Weekend Recipe to Satisfy All Tastebuds: Minestrone appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Hi friends! I hope you are all having an awesome weekend! Thank you for all of your kind words regarding my pup! Many of you know that my pups are my life, so I really appreciate your caring words and well wishes regarding that crazy guy! I’m certain he will live a long, healthy life, full of sprits, high jumps and tail wags.

In other news, I am doing another awesome giveaway (the winner from last weeks giveaway will be announced tomorrow!) for my very own detox program over in Instagram (@aharpe) later today so be sure to check it out and join in on the fun!

We’re headed home from a weekend road trip but I just wanted to stop in, say hello and let you know that another weeks worth of dinner menus/ meal plans have been posted!

This week, like the others, features some pretty tasty recipes! The husband is praying that I make every.single.one, including BBQ Chicken Tenderloins, Fiesta Chicken Packets,  Brunswick Stew, and Shrimp and Walnut Pesto Pasta!

I do want to note that my meal plans are NOT vegan or vegetarian, other than the vegetarian plan specifically noted. I have received several questions about this so I just wanted to clear that up. These plans are created based on the food that I would and do serve my husband and family (who are carnivores), not my own specific dietary specifications. As a dietitian, it is my goal to help YOU live YOUR healthiest life, not force my dietary decisions and specifications on you. 

Purchase this weeks meal plan here…

Or head over to the $5 Meal Plans Tab for this weeks and many others, including a Five Day Lunch Menu, Vegetarian Menu and more!

Haven’t tried them? Give it a try this week! You won’t be sad you did! Check out the testimonials here. I’ve even had many people tell me that they purchased one weeks worth and then tried a new recipe every other night or every few nights, just to incorporate some new dishes into their family’s usual routine!

Anyway, thanks for all of your awesome feedback and support! I look forward to having another healthy week with you!

Talk to ya tomorrow!

Good health!

The post Weekend Giveaway + Updated Dinner Meal Plans! appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Okay, okay so I might not be the best “sushi maker” or form the tightest wraps or rolls but sometimes taste can overcome poor presentation/appearance, right? Let’s at least hope so. Even I can admit that ginger root is rather ugly but it sure does taste good. Same with okra or split pea soup.

But as the old adage goes, practice makes perfect.

I’ll practice.

We’ll practice.

Spending so much time on the road with Dustin right now leaves me very little time to get my groove on in the kitchen. Because of this, every time I go home to visit my family, the kitchen is the only place I want to be. I can hear you now, “Who would ever want to spend more time in the kitchen?”

Me. It’s what I do. It’s what I love.

I love playing with or recreating recipes. Trying. Failing. And trying again. I love experimenting with foods that I have never tried or maybe never even heard of before. I love introducing new foods to people, helping them see that healthy can be tasty too.

This past weekend, I was determined to pull out my nonexistant sushi making skills and make either veggie sushi rolls, using this recipe from my Forks Over Knives cookbook, or some kind of fresh spring roll.

Dustin and I always order spring rolls when we see they are offered in the ‘non-fried’ variety at restaurants, so it was these that I really wanted to recreate.

The plan was to take either recipe to my sister-in-laws birthday dinner party on Saturday night but that didn’t quite work out. After searching for rice paper at three different grocery stores, I should have known all along that Whole Foods was the place to go to gather the ingredients for my recipe (which I finally found on Sunday, the day after the party, rather than Friday).

This spring roll recipe, or my own variation of, was not only fun to make, but also easily adjustable for my family’s preferences:

“I don’t like the avocado.”

“It needs more spice.”

“Less spice.”

“Too much peanut butter.”

“Not enough peanut butter.”

And each roll was made differently to satisfy the requests! The following recipe is what we determined to be the best.

Warning: these were so tasty that they never even made it to the dinner table. Rolling and eating worked just perfectly for us.

Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Peanut Butter Sauce

Recipe adapted from Foodista

Ingredients

• 1 Head Butter Leaf Lettuce
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Jicima
• 1 Bag Shredded Carrots (or shred your own)
• 4 Scallions (Shredded/Julienned)
• 12 Rice Paper Sheets (or more depending on how many you want to make) – I found mine at Whole Foods. Publix nor Kroger carried them
• Dried Basil (to taste) … fresh would be even better
• Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

Note: we added Sriracha to a few of the wraps to give them a little more spice.

Peanut Butter Sauce

Recipe adapted from Splendor in the Raw

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil (I subbed olive oil here and it worked fine)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (Lime worked too)
• 2 tbsp Agave Nectar
• 1/2 cup water

Note: the original recipe also calls for 1 tbsp of chipotle peppers but we used red pepper flakes instead since that’s what we had on hand!

Directions:

1. Prepare peanut butter sauce first. Add all ingredients to bowl or blender and mix until evenly combined.
2. Julienne pepper, jicama, scallions and carrots (if not pre shredded) into 2 inch long strips.
3. Fill round pie pan/shallow plate with warm water. Dip one rice paper in the water, soaking both sides. Lay on a flat flour towel cloth. Allow to dry for about ten seconds before using.
4. Lift/peel rice paper off of cloth.
5. Place half of one de-ribbed piece of butter leaf lettuce in the center of the wrap.
6. Top lettuce with a spoonful of peanut butter sauce, spread evenly.
7. Add basil and red pepper flakes to taste.
8. Add a layer of each vegetable.
9. Starting at one end. fold the edge towards the middle. Repeat with the parallel side. Rotate the spring roll by 90 degrees and roll from one end to the next (Note: I did not follow this last step. In fact, I don’t think I even read it. I just started rolling. Maybe that’s why my rolls were a little messy!)
10. Cut each roll diagonally and place facing up on a serving plate.

Easy does it! A tasty appetizer, lunch, dinner or anytime snack!

If you try them, let me know. I’d love to hear about your wrap rolling success or tips you might have to improve mine!

Also, my new site is planned to go live this weekend! Same site address but entirely new look. I’m so excited!

I hope you have a wonderful evening!

Good health!

The post Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Peanut Butter Sauce appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

Good morning friends and happy Monday! Today is going to be an awesome day! Why? Because check out what’s on Monday’s agenda….

I’m not used to this freedom! I get to do what I want to do…selfish, I know, but an awesome feeling! Gym this morning, tennis this afternoon, and of course I’ve got to squeeze in some school work later on. So not entirely what I want to do but responsibilities remain.

Since my last post, I’ve had one of the busiest weeks of the entire semester. It seems the more fun my weekends are the worse busier my weeks are. Last weekend, for Easter, Dustin and I decided to hang in Statesboro instead of heading home because of the amount of traveling we will be doing in this next month or so.

We shared a lovely easter dinner…

of greens, roasted chickpeas, vegan sweet potato casserole, spinach salad, pineapple, and a delicious Sauvignon blanc to wash it down. Dustin had a crusted chicken breast as well.

We are eternally grateful to have a Father that died for us so that we can be forgiven daily. He is so good.

After the Easter weekend, on Monday, I had a practicum rotation site in the Bulloch County Correctional Institute. It was interesting to say the least. I spent the entire day, alone mostly, with the inmates, trying to share as much nutrition knowledge with them as I could.  One of the men even told me he was trying to go vegan but it was quite impossible in the jail. I could imagine. While I was rather uncomfortable the entire day, one of the inmates said to me, “You know, I’m really thankful you are here. You’ve really made my day.”

I guess, in the end, it doesn’t really matter who we are serving, so long as we are. I imagine that living in a jail day after day must take a toll on these men, so hopefully I reminded them that that’s not real life and inspired them to improve their behavior and live life the way God intended them to.

The rest of the week was packed as well, trying to finish up projects and study for tests. We even took a quick trip down to Jacksonville to check out my future internship site, the Mayo Clinic, and also to find an area that we want to live.

We rode up and down the beach, which really excited us for this next chapter of our life.

We were able to stop for a snack that looked like this…

…something not even possible in Statesboro. One of the places we looked was across from a Fresh Market. I told Dustin we couldn’t live there because we would quickly be broke with that across the street.

Friday, I spent my practicum rotation at Walker Organic Farm, harvesting, eating, and working with the most beautiful food I have ever seen. It was quite different from the jail, to say the least.

So many greens, herbs, and veggies. This was by far my favorite site that I have visited thus far. I actually believe in and can stand for this type of feeding.

After my rotation on Friday, I quickly left town and headed to Charleston to celebrate a Bachelorette Party for a dear, old friend, Rachel. It had been far too long since I had seen her!

She is going to be a beautiful bride in just four short weeks! Minus the mustache, of course

Saturday morning, another fellow blogger, runner, and dear friend of mine, Katie and I, hit the beach for a long run since we both have half-marathons approaching us quickly.

I can assure you, we didn’t look like this after completing 10 miles on the beach. It was an awesome run especially because I love anything different when it comes to long runs. This time not only did I have new scenery, I also had a new person to share conversation with; we had plenty to catch up on!

It was wonderful to be able to catch up with so many great friends

After returning home yesterday, I had one task on my mind.

A few weeks ago, my sister shared this photo with me via Pintrest.

Obviously, I knew this would be my next project. Last weekend, I bought my supplies, but due to last weeks schedule, I had no time to tackle it. Yesterday, I planted my seeds (I’m hoping I didn’t wait too late) and hung it in the prefect spot.

I’ll keep you posted on its growth; I’m thinking I should have gone with baby plants, but maybe the seeds will work?!

Hopefully by the time we move to Jacksonville, I will at least see something coming through the dirt!

Anyways, I hope you have a wonderful Monday as well…we are off to the gym.

Good health!

The post Catch up through pictures appeared first on The Gypsy Dietitian.

After all of the cooking that I do, you would think I’ve cooked a steak, and by cook I mean grill… nope, not once.  I’ve watched my mom, brother, dad, father-in-law, and just about everyone grill steaks but I’ve always been too afraid of running them.  Usually I haven’t been the one buying the steaks, so I really didn’t want to ruin something someone else paid good money for.

How did they know when the center is a perfect pink?  A few nights ago I dared to take on a few sirloins, and actually made myself proud!

Now that I’ve found a local, grass- fed beef farm right near us, I have a feeling grass-fed steak grilling will not be something I avoid anymore.  My steaks came out a perfect pink (a little too medium for Dustin, he likes his medium-well) and they actually tasted, well, good.

Along with our steaks we had asparagus, pear and onion wild rice, watermelon and bread from the local bakery…  oh yeah, and some red wine from the local wine cellar too! I must admit the food down here is much more fresh because the farmers are literally our neighbors! I’m really loving the access to all of the local foods.

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