{recipe of the week} Gwyneth Paltrow's Turkey Meatballs

As I flipped through her book, It's all Good I noticed these little babies call for a whole handful of argula.  What? some greens?  Ok, sounds good to me!  I'm on a "greens" kick ever since my dietician at my physical told me I needed to eat more of them (oh yuck I told her).  So If I can squeeze in a few good things for me while I'm eating a meatlball so be it!

Turkey Meatballs
{the goods}
1 small onion, roughly chopped (I just used onion salt)
2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
8 fresh sage leaves
8 large fresh basil leaves
Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
Leaves from a 5-inch sprig of rosemary
1/4 cup of Italian parsley
1 large handful of arugula roughly chopped
1 pound of ground turkey
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups Tomato Sauce
3 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

** I didn't have any fresh herbs on hand so I used dry.  Whenever you use dry you always use far less in quantity than you would fresh.  Its a 3 to 1 ratio normally.  I used one heaping Tbl of each.  I'm not much for exact measurements.

Combine the onion, garlic, herbs, and arugula in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. 

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl along with the turkey, salt, and pepper.  (I also added a little zucchini and spaghetti squash puree here.  Bonus for extra veggies you can't taste!) Use your hands to thoroughly combine all the ingredients, then roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs (mine were a bit larger)

Place the tomato sauce in a large pot set over low heat and let it get warm.

While the sauce is warming, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the meatballs, in batches if necessary, until they're browned all over 2-3 minutes on a side.  (If they start to stick turn your heat down) 

Transfer the browned meatballs to a simmering tomato sauce and partially cover the pot.  let the meatballs cook gently for 1/2 hour, carefully stirring every now and then to make sure they're cooking evenly.  Serve hot with your favorite pasta, a pot of polenta, or even on their own alongside some broccoli rabe.  (We used pasta)

{recipe of the week} Gwyneth Paltrow's Sweet Potato + Five-Spice Muffins

As you can see I'm cooking my way through Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, Its All Good.  I mean what is the point of buying a new cookbook if you don't try a few of the recipes?  If I don't try them right away then it'll go sitting on my shelf for months.  Best to try and make sure it was a good purchase, don't you think?

Sweet Potato + Five-Spice Muffins
{the goods}
1 large sweet potato
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Tbl chinese five-spice powder **
1/2 tsp sea salt
(I also added a little lemon zest left over from Gwyneth's Green Juice I've been making all this week)

** Chinese five-spice powder is a blend ground ginger, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and fennel.  If you don't have it preblended you can just use a tsp or so of each ingredient in this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400degF.  Prick the sweet potato a few times with a paring knife or a fork.  Bake until soft (when a pairing knife can cut through with zero resistance), about 1 hour.  (Mine always seep juice so I put a cooking sheet on the rack below the sweet potato to catch anything.  It helps keep the oven cleaner) Set the sweet potato aside until it's completely cool.

Peel the sweet potato, discard the skin, and mash the flesh in a mixing bowl with a fork.  Whisk the olive oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla into the sweet potato.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking sodea, five-spice powder, and salt.  Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  (I didn't read this thoroughly and ended up dumping all my wet and dry in together at the same time, woops!  But everything still turned out ok)

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and eveninly distribute the muffin batter among the cups. (I ended up using 18 cups.)

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, burshing the tops with the extra maple syrup  during the last 5 minutes of baking. (I forgot this step and they still came out fine) Let the muffins cool before serving.

{all photos by sixteen sunbuckles}

{recipe of the week} Gwyneth Paltrow's Green Juice

I finally bought Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good Cookbook which I've been eyeing since January.  It went 30% off at Safeway so I snatched it up and added it to the cart.

Its a beautiful cookbook.  I wrote down a few things to try and the my first was her green Juice.  I'm trying to appreciate green juice.  Its mind over matter for me.  I hate big leafy greens, but they are good for me and my doctor told me I need to eat more of them.  So, here we go.  Glasses up.

The Best Green Juice
{the goods}
5 large leaves of kale, ribs discarded, leaves roughly chopped (I only used 3)
1 lemon, zest and pith removed
1 large apple, roughly chopped (I used a fuji)
1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger (I used 1/8 tsp of dried ginger)
1 sprig of fresh mint

Push all ingredients through your juicer. 

-Or- if you don't have a juicer (like me) you can use your trusty old blender.

^ Pull of the leaves from the ribs.  If you have little ones they can help with this. Then chop or tear apart leaves ^

^ Zest your lemon, cut out the pitch (and seeds), cut into chunks ^

^ Core and cut your apple into chunks ^

^ Pull off your mint leaves from the stem ^

^ Throw everything in your blender with 1/4 cup of water.  You might need to blend and stir, blend and stir. ^

^ When blended add a few ice cubes so its a cold drink.  Then blend in the cubes. ^

^ Its going to be thick. Pour the contents into a wire mesh strainer over a bowl (or measuring cup) and let drip.  You may need to stir the paste a little to keep the liquid flowing. ^

^ While that drains put your little one down for her morning nap. ^

^ Now enjoy your quiet house and green juice.^

{all pictures by Sixteen Sunbuckles}

{recipe of the week} cucumbers, cheese, and crackers

Well I haven't gotten very adventurous this week cooking.  Basically we are cleaning out our freezer so I can make some room for some freezer meals here in another week or so.  I also made meatballs in the crockpot this week.  They burned.  I made an Indian-style chicken in the crockpot and it didn't turn out nearly as great as I thought it would. 

Some weeks you just luck out.

I did however find a new delicious snack that I'm obsessing over.

{the goods}
cucumber
Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss
Ryvita Light Rye Wholegrain Crispbread

2 crispbread crackers with a little cheese spread on each.  Add a few cucumbers on top.  Eat and enjoy.  It just seems like such a "Spring" snack with its creaminess and crisp cool cucumbers.  I'm not a huge fan of cucumber but I definitely like it spread this way!

According to Eat To Lose, Eat to Win an afternoon snack should be about 150 calories (if you follow the rest of the day rules too).  This snack won't get you there (you could eat it for a morning snack and that would work!).  So pair this with a hot green tea and an apple.

You also should get in 30-35g of fiber/day.  This only gets you 3g but at least it helps!

Did you get a chance to check out this book I just read?  If not, take a glance at my post for it -- as you can tell I'm a huge fan of Rachel Beller.

recipe of the week {on the go simple and healthy breakfast oatmeal}

Before I introduce this super easy take it and eat it on the way breakfast, I have to introduce you to this wonderful book I just read.  I did get the idea from Rachel's book!

I've just finished one of the best "diet" books I've ever read.  And believe me ... I've read my fair share!  I picked this gem up compliments of the TODAY show and Joy Bauer. They did a short review on the best diet books trending that REALLY WORK.  Of course I wrote them all down.

The first I read: Eat to Lose, Eat to Win by Rachel Beller

This book sums up the old saying "give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.  Teach the man to fish and he will never go hungry again."

This book tells you exactly why you should be eating what you should be eating.  Give up the points and counting calories.  I'm so tired of all of that (and I can't remember to do it everyday.)  Rachel has a very clear (and no brainer) way of getting you to eat healthy because its just, well... good for you to eat healthier!  Its not just about the pounds.  Its about fighting cancer, getting enough antioxidants, and living longer!  She takes you through the grocery and breaks down the ingredients labels for you.  I had no idea the bread I was buying actually contained very little whole grain!  I thought enriched wheat flour was good for you (turns out it isn't).  Rachel also backs all of her information with stats and studies and so much research it might make your head spin a little (in a good way).  However its just nice to finally know WHY I actually need to eat 30g of fiber everyday, etc.

So Rachel explains you don't need to slave away in the kitchen for hours for clean eating. AND there are no excuses why you can be a clean eater everywhere.  It just takes some planning and a prepared grocery list.  She shows several ways you can eat healthier on the go, at work, healthy and quick snacks, etc.  I don't have to head to the office everyday but I do eat like I'm on the run. I basically am now that Anna is getting mobile.

In a nutshell, you need to jumpstart your day with 10-15g of fiber.  Starting your day with fiber will get you on the right foot.  It'll actually help you stay fuller throughout the day (which ultimately means less snacking = goodbye weight) Steel cut oatmeal is amazing for fiber intake but it takes forever to cook. I don't have time to cook steelcut oatmeal in the morning...ever. Rachel says to cook a batch the night before (or on Sunday night like I did).  Then scoop into correctly proportioned freezer containers.  I added a little cinnamon and honey drizzled on top to sweeten it up.

The night before "work" take one out of the freezer and place it in the fridge.  Add some fruit (I love blueberries on mine) to your oatmeal or take some along with you when you head out the door.

Easy.  Done.  Delicious.  Give yourself a pat on the back for doing something right (and healthy) for yourself for once.

PS. Don't forget your spoon!

^ Gwyneth Paltrow's new book, Its All Good released April 2nd! Just started glancing through it.  I love her. ^

^ Can't wait to purchase Jessica Alba's The Honest Life on my kindle. ^

{all oatmeal pictures are by sixteen sunbuckles}

recipe of the week {balsamic vinegar chicken}

my recipe of the week has really fallen through the cracks as of lately.  i think the one thing i've learned (or am trying to learn) as a new mom is patience and organization.  planning out our meals each week is becoming an increasingly "must" thing in the shanks household.  if i don't plan out we are scrambling for dinner (sometimes literally scrambling.. eggs that is!) or i'm making something quick and easy that usually ends up not being the healthiest of choices.

i actually have no idea how we lived before pinterest.  i have quite a few friends that say they pin all sorts of things but never do any of it.  however, i actually do use my boards.  and quite often at that! (follow me!)  so thank you again pinterest for saving the day ... or dinner to say the least!

balsamic vinegar chicken with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella

{the goods}
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 – 5 garlic cloves (i realized mine weren't "fresh" and had to be thrown out. so i used minced!
1 cup fresh basil (or dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil (or a good dollop... i'm not the best at measuring!)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional, i didn't use any)
1 package of cherry or grape tomatoes (i used blush from costco and they were so delicious)
1/2 red onion sliced
mozzarella (i also added a little cheddar)

{cooking}
Preheat to 350deg. Add a little of the olive oil to the bottom of your pan. Then place in chicken breasts.  Add everything on top so chicken is coated evenly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  YUM!