Browsing Category A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN
Anita’s Delicious Grilled Steak Spinach Salad with Homemade Soy Ginger Dressing
Recipe will be posted soon …
Anita’s Best Baked Polenta Rounds with Mushrooms-Rosemary Ragu
The Ultimate appetizer! Super easy to make with store-bought tubes of polenta. Slice, bake and top with a creamy irresistible delicious mushroom sauce.
Ingredients
1 pound store bought-tube pre-cooked polenta, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
1/2-pound White button mushroom(cremini), chopped
1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 onion, small diced
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil, spray
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425 grades Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking tray with foil paper. Spray with olive oil. Lay polenta rounds in a single layer over the baking tray and spray top with olive oil.
- While baking for 20 minutes or until top of polenta are slightly golden and crispy, start making Mushroom Ragu: Heat a skillet at medium heat and add butter. Add garlic and onions. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Incorporate mushroom and chopped fresh rosemary. Seasoned with salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes and add wine, stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and cream. Cook over low heat stirring frequently until sauce has thickened. Set aside.
- Remove polenta rounds from oven. Transfer into a platter. Sprinkle each with some mozzarella cheese. Top with warm Mushroom Ragu. Sprinkle the top with some fresh Rosemay leaves. Enjoy!
Anita’s Best Potato-Mushroom Casserole
A hearty, warm side dish for your Thanksgiving table or to enjoy on its own as a vegetarian main dish.
Ingredients
4 large potatoes, Yukon gold peeled and cut in large pieces
1 pound of fresh cremini, morel or white mushrooms, pat dry with paper towel and sliced
1 onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup whole milk, warm
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 extra Tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon thyme, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Cook cut potatoes in a large pot in boiling salted water for 25 to 30 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and cover pot with lid to stay warm. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook in 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, onions and garlic. Add slice mushrooms, stirring often till tender or liquid is almost dry.
- Prepare a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit.
- Seasoned mushrooms with salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg. Stir well. Set aside.
- Transfer warm potatoes to a large bowl. Add warm milk and 2 Tablespoon of butter and mash until smooth.
- To assemble, spread half of the mashed potatoes evenly into the prepared buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the mushroom mixture filling over potatoes. Spread the remaining mashed potatoes over the mushrooms layer. Decorate top with back of a fork.
- Mix bread crumbs in a little bowl with grated cheese and melted butter.
- Top with bread crumbs mixture.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is all golden brown and little crispy around the edges. Enjoy!
Anita’s Italian Turkey Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
6-8 medium zucchini
1 can petit tomatoes, rinsed
1-pound Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon oregano, dried
1 Tablespoon basil, dried
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit. Cut each zucchini lengthwise in 3 slices. Place zucchini slices over a baking tray lined with foil. Grease it with olive oil first.
- Sprinkle with some salt, pepper, 1/2 Tablespoon of each for dried oregano, dried basil and Italian seasoning. Drizzle some olive oil over the zucchini boats. Meanwhile, start making the sausage stuffing.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes until fork tender. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Use a large skillet, cook turkey Italian sausage until slightly brown. Add minced garlic, rinsed can of tomato diced and season with rest of the dried oregano, basil and Italian sausage. Salt and pepper for extra seasoning, if like. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
5. Stuff each zucchini boat with sausage mix. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella-cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered again for about 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted.
6. Enjoy on its own or next to rice.
Anita’s Delicious Blueberry Limoncello and Maple Muffins
Lemony, slightly sweet and healthier muffins. Super moist, with crispy delicious edges and top. Perfumed your whole kitchen!
Ingredients
1 cup unbleached All-Purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup of Limoncello (see my recipe on my site) or juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup of Organic Maple Syrup
2 cups fresh blueberries
zest of a lemon
2 tablespoons of Turbinado raw sugar (for topping, optional)
1 cup of low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 grades Farenheit
- Coat with baking spray a 12 or 2 muffin cups tins of 6, set aside.
- Combine in a medium bowl, flours, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Use another bowl and hand whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil until well blended.
- Incorporate plain yogurt, limoncello, and lemon zest. Mix all. Add mixed flour in. Do not over whisk it.
- Fold in blueberries gently.
- Pour equally amount of batter into your prepared greased muffins cups tins.
- Sprinkle some Turbinado sugar over each muffin cup.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center of muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven.
- Let it cool in pan for about 5 minutes.
11. Transfer into a rack to cool. Enjoy!
Anita’s Healthy, Refreshing and Delicious Wedge Blue Cheese Salad
Ingredients
1 head iceberg lettuce (cut into quarters or wedges)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
pomegranate seeds (optional)
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese + little extra for topping
1 cup Plain Yogurt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
Preparation:
- In a medium size bowl, combine blue cheese chunks, plain yogurt, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk well.
- Seasoned with salt and pepper. Let dressing to set in refrigerator for an hour or more.
- Place iceberg lettuce in a platter. Spoon Blu Cheese dressing over. Sprinkle with more blue cheese crumbles.
- Add some cherry tomatoes and pomegranate seeds for a super refreshing and crunchy finish. Enjoy!
Anita’s Yogurt Tahini Roasted Salmon with Sweet potatoes and Broccoli
Nutritious, delicious, and very satisfying lunch or dinner on the go!
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
1 -2 pounds Atlantic Salmon fillet
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup honey
3 cups of broccoli florets
3 cups sliced sweet potatoes, round
Yogurt-Tahini Marinade:
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
1/4 Tahini
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon cumin
4 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir.
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400 grades Fahrenheit. line a large baking sheet with foil paper. Set aside.
- Thinly slice sweet potatoes in same size round thickness. Set aside.
- Drizzle 1 Tablespoon over foiled sheet pan. Place whole Salmon fillet on top. Drizzle 2 Tablespoon of olive oil over salmon. Top with minced garlic, salt, pepper and honey.
- Pour Yogurt-Tahini marinade over whole salmon fillet., spread evenly. Place broccoli and sweet potatoes around the salmon in sheet pan. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Place the baking sheet pan into the preheated oven. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until salmon is flaky and cooked in the center with internal temperature of 145 grades Farenheit. Let veggies caramelized in the edges.
- Remove from oven and serve next to a delicious earthy Mushroom Basmati Turmeric Rice (Recipe will be posted soon). Enjoy!
Anita’s Honey-Ginger Roasted Salmon with Bok Choy
Ingredients
Atlantic Salmon Fresh Farmed, no skin on, boneless (6-8 pieces) 
Honey-Ginger Marinade
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
4 Tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed oil
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Salt to taste
2 Tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables
4 Bok choy, cut in half
Baby Red and yellow bell peppers, cut into 2-inch slices
4 ounces shiitake or button mushrooms, quartered
3 green onions, sliced
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 425 grades Fahrenheit.
- Use a large zip-log bag and incorporate all marinade ingredients. Take one cup of marination and set aside. Transfer all salmon fillet into this bag and let it marinate for 20 minutes. Move around salmon fillet making sure that they are completely coated.
- Transfer salmon fillet to a baking pan with foil for easy cleaning. Drizzle olive oil over foiled baking pan. Place all cut vegetables in between salmon fillets.
4. Pour the cup of marination you set aside and coat well salmon fillets and vegetables. 
5. Transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for about 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender but still crispy and salmon is cooked but moist and flaky.
6. Serve over Green Onions Basmati rice.
Enjoy!
Anita’s Easy, Cheesy Homemade Sheet Pan Nachos
A crowd pleaser! Perfect, fun and delicious dish for sharing. Baked and served.
Ingredients for Homemade Black Beans
2 cups black beans pre-washed
5 cups of chicken broth
1 red pepper, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika, ground
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Preparation
- Place black beans in a large pot filled with 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth and let them boil at medium high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours till beans are tender and creamy.
- In a large pan heat olive oil at medium heat, incorporate diced onions, diced red peppers and garlic. Cook until softened and transfer into large pot of cooked beans. Seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin. Let it simmer on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes and add sugar. Stir well. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Prepare a sheet pan. Set aside.
Ingredients for Homemade Ground Beef for Nachos
1 pound ground beef
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
Preparation
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take out grease from skillet and add olive oil, diced onions and minced garlic.
- Cook until translucent. Seasoned with salt, pepper, taco seasoning and ground cumin. Add hot sauce. Stir to combine.
Toppings
Diced Onions
Diced Tomatoes
Avocado
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Green Onions
Mexican style Blend Cheese
More than can be added: corn, olives, ready Pico de Gallo, etc.
Assembling Delicious Loaded Nachos
Spread out Half of your Tortilla Chips (of your choice) over the baking tray. Sprinkle with Half of your ground beef mixture and your cooked black beans. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat the layers. Place tray into the preheated oven till cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh diced tomatoes, green onions, cilantro leaves, diced avocado, and sour cream. Enjoy!
Anita’s Delicious Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
4 large, unpeeled eggplant, sliced 1/3 inch thick
4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
24 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon, salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned cut, some in whole for top
1 teaspoon butter, to grease pan
Topping:
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs of a French baguette
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Place all ingredients in food processor. Pulse couple times to combine.
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425 grades Farenheit. Place eggplant in one layer on 2 or three large sheet pans brushed with olive oil. Brush top of eggplants too with olive oil
- Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano over eggplants. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until tender and golden. Remove and set aside.
- Use a 10×14 inch baking dish greased with butter for assembling Eggplant Parmigiana later. Set aside.
- Meanwhile make Marinara Sauce: Over medium heat add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan. Heat oil and add diced onions and garlic. Cook until soft for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano.
5. Let it simmer partially cover for about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat and add fresh julienne basil leaves. Remove from heat.
Assembling Eggplant Parmesan
Lower heat to 350 grades Fahrenheit. Spread a third of Marinara Sauce on bottom of 10×14 inch baking dish. Arrange third of the roasted eggplants over sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated mozzarella. Arrange second layer of roasted eggplant, top with sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat again. Add mixed bread topping evenly. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until top is crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with some basil leaves. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
