Gina’s Famous Protein Zucchini Loaf

Ingredients:

-3 egg whites (45)
-1/2 cup oatmeal (140)
-1/2 cup zucchini, shredded (10)
-1 scoop vanilla protein powder (120)
-1 tsp vanilla extract (10)
-1 tsp baking powder
-touch of cinnamon
-2 packets Stevia (optional)
               total calories = 325

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan well with non stick spray. 

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl. 

Pour batter into loaf pan and place and into the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown

 and full cooked, all the way through. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. 

Enjoy as is or slice into pieces, toast and add a touch of nut butter or jam!

http://ginaaliotti.com/ginas-

famous-protein-zucchini-loaf/

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad with Avocados [2 recipes]

Ingredients4 cup cooked quinoa (here’s how to make fluffy quinoa)
1 cup mild or medium salsa (tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili peppers)
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 cup raw baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 ripe avocados

InstructionsCombine the first four ingredients and season to taste.
Serve with avocado chunks on top, or use the salad as a filling for half an avocado.

from Unprocessed October 2012

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Quinoa and Black Bean Lunch Bowl

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 small baby zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup Zesty Hummus
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup fresh salsa
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil over high heat. Add quinoa.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer until most of water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes.
Remove from heat, fluff, cover and let sit 5 more minutes.

2. In a small saute pan, heat black beans and zucchini over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water and cook until water is evaporated and zucchini is slightly soft.

3. To make dressing, combine hummus and lemon juice.

4. Divide mixed greens between two bowls and add quinoa, and black bean and zucchini mixture. Pour dressing over top, and add salsa, avocado and cilantro to each bowl.

Servings 4 x 2cups
Calories: 200
Protein: 6g
Fat: 9g

Moroccan Stewed Chicken, from Men's Health Magazine

INGREDIENTS

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large zucchini, diced
1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped



Heat the oil in a deep saute pan over med-high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken place it in the pan.

Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes each side until browned. Add zucchini and continue cooking, stirring occasionally.

When the zucchini begin to brown add the garbanzo beans, water, tomatoes, cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through. (do not cover the pan).

Season to taste with more salt and pepper and sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve With: 1/2 cup cooked couscous (prepared per package instructions) tossed with 2 Tbsp golden raisins, 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro



NUTRITION (not including "serve with" suggestions)
Calories 320
Cholesterol 65.8 mg
Fiber 7.7 g
Sodium 648 mg
Protein 33.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.8 g
Unsaturated Fat 4.1 g
Total Fat 4.9 g
Total Carbs 35.7 g
Sugar 5.2 g

Clean Eating Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 (12 oz.) jar of clean salsa
4 small raw zucchini, halved, quartered, then sliced (shredding works too)
1/4 medium, fresh pineapple

Directions

1 – Turn on a crock pot to the low setting and put in the chicken and salsa. Cook for about 4-6 hours. Crock pots vary, so base the time on that. The chicken should fall apart easily when finished.

2 – Shred the chicken using two forks and mix in your raw zucchini and fresh pineapple.Eat and Enjoy!

Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1/4 of the recipe

Calories: 151
Total Fat: 2 gm
Cholesterol: 57 mg
Carbohydrates: 13 gm
Sodium: 889 mg
Protein: 22 gm

Please note: I was surprised to find that this dish was so high in sodium. Most of the sodium in this recipe comes from the salsa. If this is an issue for you, find a clean, low sodium salsa and this will magically become a lower sodium dish!

* find it here

Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 medium-sized zucchini, cut in slices or half-moon slices
2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices
2-4 T chopped fresh basil (or even less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil)
2 T thinly sliced green onion
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-fat white cheese (I used Pizza Cheese, which is a low-fat blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan)
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (I would use a little less if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices. Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop. Slice green onions.

Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.

When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked. Serve hot.

Find the recipe here at Kalyn's Kitchen

Grilled Zucchini Pizza Slices

This is only a recipe in the very loosest sense of the word, because anything you like on pizza could be cooked on top of a thick slice of grilled or broiled zucchini. I'm a pepperoni girl, so of course I had to have that, but the topping options are endless here. Admittedly, this is not a pizza in the truest sense of the word, but if you'd like pizza flavors with a "crust" that's gluten-free, low-glycemic, and low-carb, this is an idea you may end up liking just as much as I did!

--large zucchini slices, cut 3/4 inch thick (see recipe notes)
--olive oil, for lightly brushing both sides of pizza and oiling grill grate
--pizza sauce of your choice (I used canned red sauce, but you could also use Basil Pesto or white sauce. Extra sauce can be frozen for later. Choose sauce with the lowest grams of sugar for the South Beach Diet.)
--grated cheese (I used a blend of low-fat cheese called "pizza cheese," but you can use any cheese you'd enjoy on pizza.

--pizza toppings of your choice (I used low-fat turkey pepperoni, but you can also use sauteed mushrooms, Canadian bacon, cooked sausage, caramelized onions, sliced olives, anchovies, sauteed bell peppers, or any other toppings you'd like on pizza.)

Oil the grill grates (I use a bit of oil on a paper towel), then preheat grill to medium-high. (If using a broiler, it should be reheated as well.)

Cut zucchini into thick slices about 3/4 inch thick. (I used 8-Ball zucchini, which made lovely round slices, but you can cut the zucchini into round slices or lengthwise slices, depending on what shape the zucchini is. I wouldn't use enormous zucchini with large seeds for this recipe.)

Grill the zucchini 7-8 minutes, or until there are some grill marks and it's starting to be tender. (If the zucchini has a side that's slightly larger, grill that first so it will be the "top.") If desired, you can heat the sauce while the zucchini grills. (I did, but next time I might not bother.)

Remove zucchini from the grill, putting them grilled-side up on a cutting board you can use to take them to the kitchen. Add sauce, cheese, and other toppings as desired. (I spread each slice of zucchini with about 1 T red pizza sauce, then sprinkled each piece with a generous pinch of pizza cheese, added 4-5 slices of turkey pepperoni, and sprinkled over a tiny bit more cheese.)

Put loaded zucchini slices back on the grill and cook 7-8 minutes more with the grill lid closed. (Check them every few minutes to see when the cheese is melted and the toppings are lightly browned, especially if you're using a broiler. If you have a gas grill where you can regulate the heat, I turned it to high when I put the pizza back on.)

Remove zucchini pizzas from grill and serve hot.

click here to visit Kalyn's Kitchen for the recipe

HOMEMADE CUCUMBER PICKLES

"Cucumbers only have 16 calories per cup and the rice vinegar only adds 1 calorie per teaspoon but tons of flavor," Blatner says. This low-calorie snack should be a staple in your healthy diet.

1.Thinly slice cucumbers.

2. Douse in rice vinegar.

ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO

The secret to this healthy snack is in the lemon. "Cutting the zucchini very thin allows the lemon to tenderize it, so it's extra delicious!" At only 19 calories per cup, with flavorful and low-calorie lemon and pepper as seasoning, this may become your favorite way to eat squash.

1. Thinly slice zucchini

2. Drizzle with lemon

3. Sprinkle with pepper.

HOMEMADE KALE CHIPS

"These satisfying chips only have 34 calories per cup, versus a cup of bagel chips, which would be four to five times more calories."

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Wash 2 bunches of kale, remove stems, tear into small pieces

3. Toss with 2 tsp olive oil and spread on baking sheet

4. Salt lightly

5. Bake until crisp and slightly golden around edges (10 minutes).

Zucchini Chips

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1/8 tsp black pepperheaping

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cold milk (I used oat milk)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar2

1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 small zucchinis)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese (if using) and black pepper.

In separate bowl add flour, milk and vinegar. Gently stir until combined but do not over stir.

Dip zucchini slices in flour mixture and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Place coated zucchini slices on a baking sheet (I line mine with non stick foil for easy clean up!) and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the slices over once halfway through cooking, or until browned and crisp.

Nutritional Info: Makes 2 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 224.5, Cal. from Fat: 33.5, Total Fat: 3.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 41.5g, Fiber: 6.5g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 459mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:These chips are best eaten right out of the oven. They don’t save well.

http://thejoyofcleaneating.com/