Chicken Basil Meatballs + My Take On Protein

One of my favorite foods, by far, are these chicken basil meatballs. I made them for the first time last year when I was a team captain for Studio Z's 21 Day Fitness Challenge. The Challenge diet consisted of 5 daily meals, each with a palm of protein+2 fistfuls of vegetables+1 thumb of unsaturated fat. I put together a collection of recipes for our team. This gem is one of my favorites from that collection. 

As you can probably tell by this blog, I'm not a huge carnivore. This is for a number of reasons, one being that great quality meat- the kind that's not pumped full of antibiotics, growth hormones, and cage-raised, is expensive. I'm also not a huge fan of cooking and handling meat. I would much rather pick through lentils and peel vegetables.

Protein: Our Culture of Excess

When I was coaching the 21 Day Challenge at Studio Z and partaking in this diet, I felt heavy in my digestion. We need a lot less protein than many people think, in fact our bodies can only assimilate about 8-10 grams of protein per hour. Most meals work their way through your system in 2-3 hours, so what happens to that excess protein? It gets excreted by the body or stored as fat.

We have such a culture of believing more is more.

I disagree here.

I look at body builders at the gym and I think, is this sustainable health? The amount of food that you have to take in simply to sustain that mass is outrageous. I would much rather, eat within my means, get all of my essential nutrients from a variety of plant based foods, and well-sourced lean meats.

So how do you know you're meat is coming from a quality source?

There are a few resources you can look into. I would first check out your local farms, butchers, etc. The great thing about going to the source is that they know exactly how their animals were raised. Ask your local meat processor. Even if they don't have a direct source of locally produced organic meats, chances are they know someone who does.

Consider talking to your local co op or green grocer. Someone from the meat department is bound to have the inside scoop about the best quality local meats.

My favorite way to enjoy these meatballs is over spaghetti squash with hearty marinara. In a pinch, I've also enjoyed them with some simple steamed broccoli- which was more of a 21-Day Challenge meal ;) However you choose to serve these, they impress every time. I have had great success taking them to potlucks- especially with this whole Paleo craze happening. People love that these are made with almond flour, and no breadcrumbs. Paleo and gluten-free. You'll be able to feed a number of people, no matter their dietary preferences!

Chicken Basil Meatballs serves 3-4

almond meal, basil, garlic

• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1.5 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil
• 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 shallot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 14oz ground chicken

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine egg and almond meal, stir until fully incorporated. Add parsley, basil, oregano, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper, mix well. Use clean hands to gently mix in ground chicken.
3. Using wet hands, roll meatballs, about 3 Tbsp in size, onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, remove and let cool. If adding to a sauce, transfer meatballs right into simmering sauce.

Paleo Apple Crumble

I absolutely had to get this recipe out to you before Thanksgiving! Talk about under the wire! Well worth it, for real. I didn't make this with the intention of serving it on Thanksgiving, I just like to make healthy desserts for the week so I stay on track, and still get to indulge.

This recipe has been adapted from Primal Palate, a fantastic Paleo food blog for those of you primal eaters. I personally love Paleo dessert recipes because they likely contain a healthy dose of nuts. Coming in the form of almond meal, almond butter, roasted almonds... how many ways can you prepare almonds?

I'll tell you what else I love about this recipe; it is made with Granny Smith apples, which are supreme for baking. They're just tart enough, and hold their texture when cooked. The apples are tossed in a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut sugar, and butter. Butter is the trick here- it pulls the whole thing together with just enough decadence, and zero food hangover. Do you guys get that? Too much refined sugars or oils, and I'll feel it the next day with a bangin' headache!

No sugar hangovers today! We enjoyed this crumble with Coconut Bliss ice cream, one of my personal favorites; it's made with coconut milk, and sweetened with agave. It also comes in a variety of flavors like Mocha Maca Crunch, Mint Galactica, and Cherry Amaretto. Try it, seriously.

Paleo Apple Crumble makes one 9"x9" dish

coconut sugar, walnuts, almond meal

• 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped
• 1/2 lemon, zested, juiced
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup softened + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter or ghee melted
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped (or pulsed in a food processor)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

 Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, lightly grease a 9" square baking dish and set it aside.
2. Combine in a large bowl, chopped apples, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, and 2 Tbsp melted butter. Toss to coat apples completely, and pour apples into the prepared baking dish.
3. In another bowl, combine almond and coconut flours, walnuts, sea salt, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, and the remaining softened butter. Use clean hands to crumble the mixture. The flours will start absorbing the butter. You want the mixture to clump. Once it does, crumble it over top of the apples in the prepared dish. 
4. Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, until the top begins to brown and your house smells delightfully of apple crumble! Let cool for 10 min, serve with ice cream if desired.  
  

Wishing you all happy holidays filled with relaxation, good company, and plenty of good food.
#givepresence

21 Day Challenge + Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Roll Call!

Last Friday was Rally Night at the Studio for our 21 Day Challenge, and today marks Day 2. 21 days of clean, make that spotless diet, group workouts, and the motivation, accountability and power that only a team can bring.

I love working in a group fitness environment-- every day I train with people who are committed to their goals and who are putting in the hard work to reach them. At the Studio, our motto is stronger together, this funny thing happens when you get a group of people together, we find ourselves working harder and pushing ourselves harder than we ever would alone. We move together, we finish our workouts as a team, and we encourage the hell out of each other, and we call each other out when we should probably add a little extra weight to that bar. It's a beautiful thing.

The challenge consists of 21 people for 21 days, like I said, the diet is not only clean, also restricted to low GI foods, low sugar foods, low sodium, avoiding legumes, starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, fruit, dairy, and soy products.

21 Day Challenge Guidelines

• 5-6 small meals a day, consisting of a serving of protein, non-starchy vegetables, and a small amount of polyunsaturated and/or monounsaturated fat
• max hydration; your body weight in kg x 0.033 = liters of water per day
• 21 daily team workouts

 In the past few weeks I've been cleaning up my own diet, for me this still includes quality whole milk dairy yogurt, soaked whole grains and legumes, fruits, etc. My personal goals with food are a little different than those of the challenge. I know that I thrive on a predominantly vegetarian diet. Where I struggle is eating too much of this fabulous food! 

In cleaning up my diet, I've been revisiting eating meat. While I was working in Spain at Azul Fit, I was thriving on a vegan diet, and felt fantastic. I also feel fantastic when I eat yogurt, and feel the benefits of a chicken breast now and again. I know this about myself, that I tolerate these foods well in moderation, and want to continue to feed myself with a variety of foods to create a balanced diet.

In the next few weeks, you can expect some particularly 'clean recipes', thanks to The Challenge ;)

Last week, I made these lettuce wraps, a recipe that I adapted years ago out of Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. Tosca's recipes were such a guiding light for me when I was losing weight five years ago. I was down about 40 lbs when I found Tosca Reno's clean eating advice. It made sense to eat whole, unprocessed foods, and small meals throughout the day to stabilize blood sugar, so I jumped on board. 

Within three months, I had dropped the last 30 lbs that I wanted to, and was feeling on top of the world. My eating principles have transformed over the years to a more overall balanced way of eating. 

I love ice cream from Snow Goose Produce, a local produce stand, so I'll get a cone in the summer. I also love goat's cheese on my omelette in the morning, so I buy a high quality cheese and I savour every bite of it. While my diet consists predominantly of whole foods, I also see the importance in finding balance and enjoying your life wholeheartedly. My goal with food in The Challenge is to clean things up and establish a strong training routine, to give my body everything that it needs to build endurance, strength, and power.

These lettuce wraps are an awesome start.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps (6 servings)

carrot, scallion, basil, roasted sesame oil, tamari

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lbs organic lean ground turkey
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed to the light green part
• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated + more for garnish
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• handful fresh basil, finely chopped
• pinch of thyme
• 1/2 tsp fine ground sea salt
• 1 Tbsp roasted sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp tamari
• 12 iceberg lettuce leaves

Method 

Heat olive oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, scallions, and cook until meat is no longer pink.

Add carrot, tomato, pepper, herbs and salt. Cook until scallions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add sesame oil and tamari, mix well to combine flavors.

Use a large spoon to divide filling into lettuce leaves.

note: This mix keeps great in the fridge for a few days, if you're planning to eat them as leftovers, keep the filling and lettuce leaves separate, and in just before eating.

*For any Challenge participants reading this, combine this, because the meat is cooked in olive oil and finished with a drizzle of sesame oil, this would include your protein and thumb of fat. Combine this with another fistful of non-starchy vegetables. served them here with steamed green beans and it was fabulous!

Keep it clean, keep training mean, Challengers!

Welcome Spring! +Quinoa Tabbouleh

Spring has officially sprung. Days are getting longer, the air is fresh and balmy, there's a universal optimism as things warm up in preparation for summer.

I've been thinking about renting a bike on this island for some time now. My back is feeling so much better, and I'm in search of a low impact form of exercise, as well as a new way to explore this gorgeous place. I was telling Jo of my plans and she offered to lend me her bike for some time, and even gave me some ideas for trails to ride. So this morning it was just me and mi bici loose on the island. Watch out Fuerte!

Mi bici, in front of Villa Azul

 I rode up to the corner of our village, Villaverde, toward Montaña La Arena, one of the many volcanoes in our area (also the volcano that my street is named after). It was a gorgeous ride through Villaverde, the land gets less concentrated with houses, more concentrated with farm land, goats, and la molinos, or wind mills.

La molinos on the left and right

Montaña La Arena

I had an idea for where I was going, but not a clear one. Villaverde is small, I figured worst case scenario I get a lost and hitch a ride back to the Villa with a studly surfer.

Unfortunately luckily it didn't come to that. I made my way up the volcano, stopping at a little outpost, pictured below, to take in the view and read in the sun. While there, I ran into a lovely Belgium couple who asked me to give my regards to President Obama!

Looking toward the northwest shore, you can see the village of Lajares.

Looking toward the north shore. You can see little Lobos Island, and further in the distance Lanzarote.

I worked my way down the volcano-- what I trip that was, first time I've seriously been mountain biking. Hands on the brakes most of the way, letting go every once in a while, wind streaming through my hair, gliding along the trail, I made my way through the malpaís, or backcountry, through developing neighborhoods in the northwest corner of Villaverde, and eventually back home.

Serious biking down this mountain.

Houses being built in the village

 All I could think about as I got close to the house was the quinoa tabbouleh that was waiting for me in the fridge. 

Yesss. Even better the next day after the flavors have some time to mingle, this dish is the epitome of fresh.

Tabbouleh, reigning from the Middle East, traditionally made with bulgur, ample amounts of fresh parsley, mint, lemon juice, and olive oil, tossed with juicy tomato and cucumber. While I love bulgur, I wanted a lighter option that packed a little more protein. Containing all essential amino acids, quinoa is considered to be a complete protein, and is often touted as a super food for it's high nutrient density per ounce. It is also a great source of calcium, magnesium, and iron-- nutrients that those of us who don't often consume red meat can become deficient in.

This tabbouleh is crazy simple to make, lasts for a few days in the fridge so you can make a batch, and pack it for lunches throughout the week, have a middle eastern dinner party and serve it alongside falafel, flatbread, hummus, babba ghanouj, dolmas, and mixed olives from your favorite antipasto bar. It also keeps well at room temperature and is great to pack along for a picnic or one of those long Spring bike rides.

What will elevate this recipe is a TON of fresh herbs; a large bunch of parsley, small bunch of mint, and green onion. Parsley really is the star of this salad rather than quinoa. In fact, if I had more parsley on hand, I would have added more. The greener this salad is, the better.

Quinoa Tabbouleh serves 4-6

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1.75 cups filtered water
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 large bunch fresh parsley, about 1 cup minced and packed
• 1 small bunch mint leaves, about 1/8 cup minced and packed
• 3 scallions, about 4 Tbsp minced and packed
• 2 ripe tomatoes (if you can't find ripe tomatoes, use red bell pepper)
• 1 cucumber
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• black pepper and sea salt to taste

Method    

Combine quinoa, filtered water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, keep covered and remove from heat, let it rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Deseed tomatoes and cucumber and chop, set aside.

Finely mince parsley, mint, and scallions, set aside. Some recipes use a food processor instead of mincing the herbs by hand, I highly advise against this. It creates more liquid in your salad, causes it to go rancid faster, and you end up with something more green soup-esque than tabbouleh.

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice.

Into a large mixing bowl, add quinoa and fresh herbs, mix to combine. Then mix in tomato and cucumber, finally toss with olive oil+lemon juice dressing.

Season with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. It will taste good now, but it will taste better in a few hours after the flavors mingle, so go on a walk or a bike ride, come back and enjoy some tabbouleh!

(Creamless) Cream of Broccoli Soup

I needed more veggies in my life.  There's something about fresh homemade bread coming out of the oven every morning at the retreat that I just can't say no too. I think it's the fresh homemade part. With a smear of ghee and banana marmalade, oh it's all over from there. But life isn't all about bread. We need to mix things up with some fruit and vegetables. I have a tendency to use soup purely as a vehicle for nutrients. How much much fresh produce can I possibly pack into one bowl and still maintain beautiful texture and sublime taste? These are the things that go through my mind.

This is one for the books. I got this gem of a recipe from the great minds over at Green Kitchen Stories. If you haven't taken a look at their blog yet, please do. It's a mecca for foodies. They served this soup with a savory corn biscuit, I followed suit because life is still mostly about bread.

You can get the recipe for these biscuits on the link above, but let's get back to the soup.

Packed with green goodness, over half a kilo of broccoli to be exact, a serious splash of coconut milk contributes to the creamy texture, and is complimented nicely by a little spice from dried red chili and fresh basil. The flavors are so simplistic, but great food really doesn't need much dressing up. My favorite recipes contain less than ten ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes. This definitely falls into that category.

(Creamless) Cream of Broccoli Soup serves 4 as an entree, 6 as a side

•  2 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 small yellow onion (about 2/3 cup chopped)
•  pinch of dried red chili flakes
• 600 g broccoli, florets and stems
• 4 cups filtered water
• 1 cup coconut milk, I prefer full fat, you can use light if you're into that sort of thing
• 2 sprigs fresh basil, flowers included   
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add onion and saute until soft and lightly brown, two to three minutes. Add garlic and dried chili, stir and saute for another two minutes until garlic becomes fragrant. 

Meanwhile, chop your broccoli and stems, nothing goes to waste here. Add broccoli and filtered water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

A proper mountain of broccoli.

When the broccoli is tender, drain about a cup of water, reserve. Add the coconut milk and basil. Use an immersion blender or work in batches with your food processor/blender to puree the soup to a velvety consistency. You can now add as much of the reserved broccoli water as you like to thin your soup to the desired consistency. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chili powder and/or basil leaves and serve hot!

There was nothing better than enjoying this soup out in the setting sun. Oh the simple pleasures.
 

Speaking of simple pleasure, dipping a piece of good bread in soup is pretty high up on that list. Divine!

Ciao my friends.