Black Bean and Broccoli Burrito

A burrito that is delicious and healthy? Count me in! This burrito is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. I make this burrito vegan, but if you would like to add some shredded cheese or chicken to it, feel free!

Before we start, I'd like to take a moment and talk about my love for broccoli. 1 serving of cooked broccoli has 25 calories, 2 grams of protein, 2.6 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of fat. Broccoli is high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and C, and Folic Acid. Broccoli may contain as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals. These are some of the reasons I love broccoli so much, another is its versatility, it can be cooked or raw and used in almost all types of cuisine. 

Ingredients: 1 can of black beans (drained), Broccoli, Whole wheat tortillas, Mushrooms, Spinach, Tomato, Lime, Olive Oil, Chili Powder, Cayenne Powder, Salt, and Pepper. 

How To Make It: 

1. Wash and prepare all your ingredients, since this is going to be wrapped in a tortilla we need it to be small and roughly all around the same size. The mushrooms should be quartered, the broccoli should be chopped in chunks, and the spinach can be left as is. 

2. Drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom of the  pan over medium to high heat.

3. Once the pan is heated, add the ingredients, starting with the broccoli for about 1 minute, then add the black beans, after about 2 minutes add the mushrooms and spinach.

4. Now add the spices, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder, salt and pepper to taste. 

                           

5. Finally turn off the heat and add the lime juice. 

6. While you are heating up the whole wheat tortilla, you can chop up some tomatoes and cilantro for a fresh little pico de gallo. 

7. Assembling the burrito: Lay the tortilla flat, add the bean and vegetable mixture, then add the pico de gallo and finally wrap it up, I stuck a toothpick and a small slice of lime on top for presentation. 

Easy Oven Baked Salmon

This Salmon recipe is delicious and easy to make and of course very healthy. Salmon is filled with omega 3 fatty acids and B vitamins like biotin and pantothenic acid. Biotin promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails and Pantothenic acid contributes to the breakdown of fats. The human body is unable to make omega 3 fatty acid, so it is essential in our diet, omega 3's promote brain function and vision, they promote healthy tissue function, and are said to prevent cancers. 

Ingredients: 

Wild Salmon, 

approximately 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 

half a sliced lemon and/or half a lime sliced, 

half a small onion sliced,

 1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill, 

and salt and pepper. 

How To Make It: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Place salmon in foil big enough to wrap the entire fish, and place that on a baking sheet so it is easy to transport.  

3. Add the olive oil over the entire fish, sprinkle the dill, salt and pepper across the entire fish. Top it off with the lemon and lime slices and onion slices. 

4. Cover the salmon completely in foil and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. 

5. Unwrap the fish and enjoy with a side of brown rice and some steamed veggies!  

Kale and quinoa spring rolls!

Spring rolls are such a unique item, the transparency of the rice paper allows you to be playful with the colors and different textures. These spring rolls are easy, nutritious, and of course delicious! The nice thing about these is you can make them personal to your likings, you can swap almost any vegetable with the ones I used, you can add a protein, or use a different grain. I highly recommend creating a couple different sauces accordingly, it makes it more fun to eat! 

Ingredients: Rice paper, Quinoa, Kale, Carrots, Green onions, Cilantro, Salt, and Pepper. 

How To Make it: 

 First cook about 1/2 a cup of quinoa

Then prepare the vegetables, chop the cilantro, spear the carrots and onions, and chop the kale. When preparing the vegetables try for a thin and easy to roll size. 

Rice paper is very delicate, but still very easy to work with. Soak the rice paper in a couple inches of water for about 30 seconds to a minute or just until soft. 

Rolling: put the quinoa in the center of the paper and add the appropriate amount of vegetables (4 pieces of kale, 2 carrots, 2 green onions and a sprinkle of cilantro). Now you can add the salt and pepper and finally like a burrito fold the sides in and roll it away from you. 

 Now, if you find these too plain you can dip them in a peanut sauce, a soy sauce, or a spicy chili sauce.

 Tip: if you find that one is breaking or overfilled, just double wrap it with a second rice paper to save it!

Egg White Spinach Omelet

I know by default most people resort to a granola bar, bagel, or even just coffee when their mornings are rushed and they need something quick. But what if you want something easy, fast, AND nutritious? I know whipping up a omelette isn't the first thing you think of, but in reality it only takes a couple of minutes, at least this recipe does. And if you want something even quicker, this recipe can be turned into scrambled egg whites with all the same ingredients!

Ingredients: I use the store bought organic egg whites that come in a carton, they are cost efficient, and just egg whites so I don't feel wasteful. Spinach, non stick cooking spray, salt, and pepper. Optional: avocado and hot sauce. 

How To Make It: 

I start by spraying a non stick cooking spray (instead of butter) in a small sauté pan at medium to heat. Then add the egg whites just enough to cover the pan, once the eggs are mostly non transparent add the spinach, salt, and pepper. 

Lastly fold both ends towards the center.

 Optional: top it off with avocados and your favorite hot sauce or salsa, I used sriracha in this example. You can enjoy this healthy breakfast with a side of whole grain toast or as is. Enjoy :)