Quinoa Linguine with Bison Marinara Sauce

Every now and then I crave a yummy pasta dish, so I started making the quinoa linguine in order to enjoy a gluten free experience.  I usually mix ground turkey with my marinara sauce, but decided to change things up with the ground bison.  I think the taste is very similar to beef, but loved the fact that there is only 10% fat, no added hormones, and no antibiotics.  

I bought two boxes of quinoa linguine and doubled this recipe so I could graze on it throughout my busy week.  

Follow the directions when cooking the pasta.  I made the ground bison, drained, and put everything together in a big saute pan so I could simmer it on the stove for awhile.  I love mixing vegetables in almost any dish, so I added some asparagus on top.  

I bought a loaf of the Schar gluten free bread so I could have garlic toast to go with it.  The taste was a little on the bland side even after putting garlic spread on individual pieces.  I'll definitely be looking for a good recipe for garlic toast!  


Kelle

Liver Flush Drink

This is the recipe for the Liver Flush drink the chef prepared for us at the Spa Resort in Chiang Mia, Thailand.  We (mom) and I enjoyed this healthy drink twice a day.  Mom said she was shocked that the brown spots on her face completely vanished. 

A liver detox diet addresses the accumulation of toxins from:

• Pollution
• Pesticides
• Medications
• Artificial additives, preservatives and sweeteners
• Fast/Junk Foods
• Carcinogenic substances

* Freshly squeezed orange juice ~ 1 1/2 cups
* Lime juice ~ 1 Tablespoon
* Olive Oil ~ 1 Tablespoon
* Garlic ~ 1 clove
* Ginger ~ Cut up a few pieces of fresh ginger.  Or you can use 1 teaspoon of ginger powder.  
* Cayenne Pepper ~ 1 capsule (approximately 1/4 teaspoon) or however much you can tolerate.  This stimulates the liver.  

Combine and blend on high power for about one minute.  

Kelle

The Simply Orange was the closest I could find to freshly squeezed (not from concentrate) at my local grocery store.  I cut a few small chunks of fresh ginger and diced one organic garlic clove.   

Liver Flush Drink prepared by the Chef at the Spa Resort

       

Liver Flush Drink I made at home

            

Mexican Mini Yum Yum Brownies

This recipe is from Hungry Girl, made and tested by Leslie Pranger, her relatives, AND several friends at the gym!  

Leslie has had various health challenges in the past and mentioned she has a non-stop sweet tooth.   Her speciality is in finding, making, and sharing delicious low calorie dessert recipes! 

Notice the pumpkin in this recipe which is high in fiber.  

Hungry Girl’s Mexican Mini Yum Yum Brownies

Makes 24 servings
1 box moist-style devil’s food cake mix (15.25 – 18.25 oz.)
1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 24-cup mini muffin pans with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, vanilla extract, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Mix until smooth and uniform. Batter will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Evenly distribute batter among the cups of the muffin pans, and smooth out the tops.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 8 minutes. Enjoy!

1 serving (2 brownie bites): 107 calories, 2.5g fat, 169mg sodium, 20g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 11.5g sugars, 1.5g protein 

Sliced Pears Sprinkled With Cinnamon

A pear sprinkled with cinnamon is one of my favorite treats!  I keep freshly ground cinnamon on hand just to sprinkle on my pears and apples.  In addition, the cinnamon acts as an all natural preservative and will keep your fruit from turning color.  

I prepared this snack at home and put it in a ziploc bag and small cooler.  The pears traveled all the way to New Delhi, India with me (from Michigan) so I have a nice healthy snack to hold me over between meals and once I get to my hotel room.  It gives me something to look forward to so I don't have to order room service or be tempted by the outrageously priced snacks at the mini bar.   They will travel well for at least four days.  The pears just get softer, but don't lose any flavor.  

I am amazed at all the health benefits from cinnamon.  It's known for helping to regulate blood sugar in diabetics and hypoglycemics, to lowering LDL cholesterol (the harmful one) which reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease.  Just to name a few.  Pears are one of the top five fruits that are high in fiber.  

Knowing it's healthy AND scrumptiously delicious makes it one of my number one snack foods!  

Kelle 

Tuna ~ Avocado ~ Mango Salad

This salad took very little time to make and was my main entree for dinner!  It really does look like a work of art with all the different colors and shapes once you're finished making it.

If you entertain friends with this salad, be sure to wait until the last minute to add the avocado.  

* Artisan lettuce

* 1/2 chopped mango

* 1 small avocado (I recommend using an avocado slicer)

* 2 Tablespoons of Black Soy Beans (I once read these are a powerhouse fat burner!)

* Tuna salad in the middle (your preference on amount).  Chicken salad is yummy too!

I put Balsamic vinaigrette dressing on this creation!  

Kelle

Tuna ~ Avocado ~ Mango Salad