Lasagna Soup

With temperatures dropping, (at least some of the time down here in Houston!) who can turn down a big pan full of lasagna? Or a piping hot bowl of soup? Not us!

Staying health conscious in the fall and winter can be hard. More of our bodies are covered up, the temperatures are cooler, the numerous holiday parties, food, drinks, and tradition can all make sticking to our goals-challenging. 

Here's a recipe that combines the comfort and taste of a cheesy plate full of carb loaded lasagna--while keeping the carbohydrates, calories and cheese level at a healthy minimum. 

Lasagna Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Gather Together:
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey/turkey sausage/ pork sausage or alternative of your choice
• 3 c. chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 c. vegetable or chicken stock
• 8 oz. fusilli or rotini pasta
• 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 
  
• for the cheesy dollop:
• 8 oz. light ricotta cheese
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 
  
• Part skim mozzarella to garnish

Method:

-Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook ground meat or sausage (broken into peaces) and brown for about 5 minutes. 

-Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. 

-Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

-Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and stock. Stir to combine. 

-Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 

-In a separate pot, cook noodles until just al dente. As you ladle the soup into bowls, add pasta. (this prevents the pasta from overcooking and soaking up all of the broth. It also makes leftovers MUCH tastier)

- Right before serving, stir in the basil, salt and pepper to taste.

<While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy sauce for adding to the soup. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.>

-To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Yum! There you have it, a delicious satisfying comfort-food way to stay on track with your diet. If you are looking to cut even more calories, consider opting out of the cheese, or use vegan cheese shreds if avoiding dairy.

Let's Bake: Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Holidays can be difficult. You want to enjoy all of the things that you've grown to look forward to when the season rolls around, but you also want to stick by your goals and get the results you've been working hard for.

Having delicious snacks on hand, and recipes for "dishes to pass" at holiday parties that work within your diet goals, can be the perfect compromise between satisfied and overstuffed.

For the month of November, Norton Fitness is going to be spotlighting some different healthy ideas to either have at home when a craving attacks, or perfect foods to bring to work parties or gatherings with family and friends (and they won't know the difference!).

This week's recipe is Pumpkin Pie Muffins. These can either be made into mini muffins, regular muffins, or even into a loaf if you'd prefer. They are gluten free, lactose free, and refined sugar free. Plus, they're actually really tasty and easy to make!

Ingredients:

    ✴ 1/2 cup coconut flour

    ✴ 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

    ✴ 1 tsp cinnamon 

    ✴ 1/2 tsp baking powder 

    ✴ 3/4 cup pumpkin purée 

    ✴ 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

    ✴ 6  eggs

    ✴ 2 tsp vanilla 

    ✴ 1/4  honey 

Method: 

•  Preheat over to 400*F
•  Mix all dry ingredients together 
•  In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients 
•  Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture 
•  Spray muffin tray with coconut oil spray or use baking cups
•  Divide the batter between the muffin tins
•  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done

(For mini muffins or loaf pan, cooking times will vary. Muffins are done when fork inserted in middle comes out clean)

See you back here next week for some more "healthed up" Holiday favorites!

Halloween Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's Halloween! If you carved a pumpkin this year, or were going to get around to it tonight... make sure to set aside those pumpkin seeds. A few weeks ago, in our Fit Fall Foods post, we gave you a few reasons to eat pumpkin seeds, and if you're not convinced yet-here's more:

-One quarter-cup of seeds contains more than half your daily value of magnesium
-They are a rich source of Zinc, which helps with immunity, sleep, mood, eye and skin health.
-Great source of plant-based Omega-3s
-Contain anti-inflammatory properties
Just to name a few.

So, what do we do with them? They can be bought at the store, or for the price of a few minutes work, they can be enjoyed much more cheaply. As the by-product of pumpkin carving, these nutrient powerhouses normally just get tossed out with the rest of the pumpkin innards.

Instead of throwing all that goodness away, rinse the seeds thoroughly and let them sit in a strainer for about 30 minutes.
Spread them out onto a cookie sheet, and allow them to dry for another 30 minutes, or use a hairdryer to speed things along.
-Preheat the oven to 275 F
-Season the dried seeds.
But what to season them with? Here's a few ideas to get you started: We prefer coconut oil, but you could always use butter if you don't mind the calories. 

Natural: 1 teaspoon sea salt, 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Lemon Pepper:  4 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon 'Mrs. Dash" or lemon pepper
Pumpkin Pie Style: 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt,  and 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Spicy: 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper (or add Sriracha)
Savory: 4 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
-Bake in the 275 F heated oven for 10-20 minutes or until golden. Make sure to keep an eye on them and give them a stir every 5 minutes or so. Give them an extra sprinkle of salt and serve hot or cold.

Happy Halloween!

The Amazing Apple

This week we are spotlighting another Fall Superfood- Apples. As we mentioned in our Fit Fall Foods post, apples are FULL of nutritious stuff. Although some fitness gurus give them a bad rap for their carb/sugar content, their health benefits far surpass any reason  not to enjoy them a few times a week.

Apples help whiten your teeth, they protect against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, decrease risk of diabetes, lower cholesterol and help manage weight...and that's not even the complete list.  Basically, they are definitely worth adding to your diet, especially when they are fresh and in season (Lucky you, because that's RIGHT now!)

Our favorite way to eat them at Norton? Just washed, sliced and with a side of fresh, ground almond butter for dipping. But if you're looking to jazz up your apple recipes a little bit, try out these health-ed up ideas:

How about an Overnight Apple Butter? To make this a bit more fitness savvy, try substituting agave or liquid stevia for the honey.

Add slices of fresh apples to sandwiches for a sweet/savory combo and a little crispness.

Slice some up into a salad, or a fruit salad with other seasonal fruits, (think pomegranates and grapes)

For a party, try Apple, Arugula and Brie Quesadillas for a healthier spin on a southwest staple.

And finally.. who thinks apples without thinking Apple Pie? (You can't, it's un-American!) Try out this version to have your pie and eat it too: Single Lady (Or Man, Or Married, Whatever) Apple Pie
Eat up and Enjoy!

Squeeze in Some Squash

Last week we told you a little about a favorite fall superfood, Pumpkin. Today we continue on with Spaghetti Squash. As the temperatures continue to drop, we search for healthy, fitness forward eats that satisfy, promote wellness and are tasty. So, why spaghetti squash?

There are many varieties of squash that come in season here at harvest time. Acorn Squash, Butternut, and Spaghetti. They all pack a nutritional punch, but the bright yellow spaghetti squash wins in my book. It's flavor is mild, it's the easiest to prepare, and it can be used in recipes exactly how you would use spaghetti. Yum!

It's no slouch nutritionally, it contains vitamins A and C, dietary fiber, lutein (an antioxidant that protects your eyes), iron, vitamin B6 and has about 5 times LESS calories than regular spaghetti pasta. That comes out to about 40 calories per cup. It can be eaten alone as a pasta substitute or added halv-sies to real pasta to make a bigger meal.

So, what do you do with it? Easy. Pop a squash in the microwave for 3 minutes to soften it up. Take it out, cut in half lengthwise and then scoop the seeds outs with a spoon. Place squash halves facedown in about 2-3 inches of water in a microwave safe dish, and heat on high for 8-9 minutes. Drain, and then use a fork to pull the noodle-like strands from the shell. Add pasta sauce of choice.

Feeling more adventurous? Try one of these recipes:
Hungry Girl: Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash -This recipe might say "Hungry Girl", but trust me, it's for Hungry Anyone.
Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash
Easy Paleo Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Enjoy and stay well.

Pumpkin: Think Outside the Pie

Last week here on the blog, we featured the health benefits of some of the best produce that Autumn has to offer. If you missed it, check it-->Fit Fall Foods.

It's one thing to know what's good for you, and something completely different to know how to use these foods in a way that will promote greater health. When we hear the the word "pumpkin", most of us immediately jump to "pie" as the word association of choice. It's that kind of thinking that leads to messed up diets and delayed goals during the holiday season. When we think of fall foods then, we need to get creative.

So, pumpkin. The cans of pumpkin puree are all over shelves this time of year. (So are real pumpkins. If you have time for cutting up, cooking and preparing pumpkin, power to you. I don't, and bet that most people would rather not) Because the pumpkin is already pureed and ready to use, you are in business. So what do we do with it? Honestly, anything.

First off though, make sure you have the right can. Pumpkin puree is just pumpkin that has been pureed. Nothing fancy, nothing added. You do not want pumpkin pie filling, as that will add unwanted and unnecessary calories and sugar. The back of the can should literally only list pumpkin under the ingredients. Like so:

Some ideas for that can of pumpkin? Throw a few tablespoons in your morning protein shake. Stir up the pumpkin puree with some "pumpkin pie seasoning" and put it on toast. Spread it on a tortilla before adding veggies, meats and cheese for an easy twist on tacos or quesadillas.

You can use it to make soups, like this one, Easy Pumpkin Soup or add some of the puree to tomato sauce for spaghetti, lasagna, or to top off some spaghetti squash, (which is doing double time on fall produce, pumpkin and squash!)

So maybe these are great ideas... or perhaps you still have pie on the brain. Well, here's an amazing recipe for PROTEIN pumpkin pie. Coming in at just 69 calories and 9.5 grams of protein per slice, it's pie you can feel good about. Protein Pumpkin Pie

However you choose to use your pumpkin, a little creativity and preparation can make this traditional fall favorite just a little more interesting.

Fit Fall Foods

Fall is here, and with it some of the most nutritious seasonal food to be found. Not only is it a great way to eat fresh, local produce-- these foods also pack a fitness punch. So what should you be happily chowing down on this fall? Here's a few suggestions-

1. Pumpkin.
Pumpkin has many benefits that can be integrated into your routine. Take a little pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie filling, just pureed canned pumpkin) and add it to your protein shake for a big dose of vitamin A and fiber. The seeds are an even more incredible powerhouse of nutrition. Just one ounce of seeds contains protein, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

2. Apples.
Besides the fact that they are chock full of fiber, apples are literally amazing. (I wouldn't be surprised if eating one every day really did keep the doctor away) Biting and chewing apple increases saliva in your mouth, which in turn fights bacteria and tooth decay, giving you whiter, healthier teeth. Apples are also an excellent choice in lieu of unhealthy desserts, and help control your weight. Apples have been linked to helping you avoid Alzheimer's, prevent Parkinson's, reduce risk of multiple types of cancers, detoxify your liver and boost your immune system.  Whew!

3. Sweet Potato.
Finally, the potato like none other. While white, russet and redskin potato are all labeled nutrient deficient starches, sweet potatoes enjoy a much better reputation. High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin B6, and potassium, these bright orange tubers contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

So whatever your fall fruit or vegetable of choice-rejoice! Because not only does Autumn bring a variety of foods, it also gives us some healthy options to add to our routine.