Inspire Vitality

Sausage & Pepperoni Stromboli
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 package sliced pepperoni
- 1 ball or roll of pizza dough (homemade is great but I used store-bought)
- 2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Cook Italian sausage in a medium skillet until browned.

Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Place parchment paper on a baking pan and lightly flour.

Roll dough out to form a large rectangle.

Brush a thin layer of pizza sauce on dough.

Layer on crumbled sausage then mozzarella cheese.

Place pepperoni slices on top of cheese then sprinkle with 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.Gently roll in short sides of dough to form a seal around filling.Starting on long side of dough, carefully roll into one third of Stromboli. Using parchment, roll dough again until reaching opposite end. Pinch together and place seam side down.

Mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water.

Brush egg mixture over Stromboli and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 Parmesan cheese.

Place in oven and IMMEDIATELY TURN OVEN DOWN to 350 degrees.

Bake for approximately 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Test center of turnover. If dough is not completely cooked, slice Stromboli in half and bake for additional 5-8 minutes.

Serve with warm pizza sauce

Vegan Cacao Crunch Granola
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Rolled Oats
- 1/2 cup Whole Almonds roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Cacao Powder
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
- 4 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/2 cup Puffed Quinoa (or puffed rice)

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 150C. Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper.In a saucepan on a low heat, add the maple syrup and coconut oil and stir until the coconut oil is completely melted.

Add the oats and almonds into a large bowl and pour the maple syrup and coconut oil mixture over. Stir so everything is evenly coated.

Add the cacao powder and stir again.

Lay the mixture flat on the baking tray and spread out so it's all in one layer.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to ensure an even cook. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool.Once it is completely cool, add to a bowl and mix in the puffed quinoa. Store in a glass jar for up to 2 months.

Source: Foodista

Beef Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef (or substitute with Ground Turkey)
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onions, diced
- 1/2 cup Celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Frozen Vegetables (Peas, Corn, Carro
- 1 cup Beef Gravy
- 3 cups Mashed Potatoes
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat oil.

Add onions, celery, and garlic and cook until they are translucent but not brownedapproximately 5-6 minutes.

Remove to a clean dish. In the same skillet, add the ground beef and cook until browned. Using a large spoon, discard any excess fat/grease.

Add the onions, celery, and garlic mixture back to skillet and stir well.

Add the worcestershire sauce, thyme and cook for an additional minute.

Add frozen vegetables and gravy and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover a large casserole dish with cooking spray.

Pour the ground beef/vegetable mixture into the dish and spread evenly. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and carefully spread to create an even layer.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese all over the top and place the dish in the preheated oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn the oven broiler on and brown the top of the Shepherds Pie until it turns an even golden brown color.

Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Source: Foodista

Your Weekly Challenge...

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.
Paul Dudley White

Rigatoni With Sweet Sausages In Creamy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 sweet sausages
- 1 leek, well rinsed and sliced on the bias
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Salt& pepper

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Chop the onions, garlic, and set aside. Chop the leek (cut in 1/2 lengthwise first & make sure to rinse very well!!) and set aside (separate from the onions & garlic). Chop the sage & set aside separately as well.

To easily remove the casings, lightly slice each sausage lengthwise. Peel off with your fingers. In a large pan over medium/high heat, cook the sausages until they are a nice golden brown. While cooking, break apart the mixture until it looks like ground meat.

Take the meat out of the pan and save it in a bowl.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil and add the sage to the pan. Cook for a minute, add the leeks & cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and put the meat back in the pan. When the leek is cooked, turn off the heat and keep in the mixture in the pan.

Source: Foodista

Bacon & Egg Toast Cups

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 slices sandwich bread, your preference
- 4 slices bacon
- 4 large eggs
- salt& pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 37

Lightly butter six standard muffin cups.

Flatten the bread slices slightly with a rolling pin, and with a four-and-a-half inch cookie cutter, cut into four rounds.

Cut each round in half, then press the two halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to the edges. Use extra bread and crusts to patch any holes if necessary.

Brush with remaining butter.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until almost crisp, about four minutes, flipping once.

Lay one bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. Season with salt & pepper.

Bake until egg whites are just set, about twenty-five minutes. The bacon will continue to cook in the oven.

Run a small knife around cups to loosen toast cups.

Source: Foodista

Shrimp With Scallop Pasta

Ingredients

- 12 pieces of medium shrimp, deveined and peeled
- Salt and Pepper (I use ground black pepper)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
- 1 packet of linguine (or ½ for 2 persons)- Follow package instructions, cook until al dente
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 teaspoons of olive oil
- 4 pieces of scallop, washed and patted dry

Preparation
Season shrimp and scallop with salt and pepper (separate bowls), put aside.

Heat deep large pan with olive oil, add shrimp and cook until opaque for about 3 minutes.

Transfer to bowl, set aside.

Re-using the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of oil and garlic, cook over medium fire until golden brown.

Add canned tomatoes and juice, and 1-1.5 cups of water, bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer and stir occasionally until tomatoes soften and saucy.

Remove sauce from heat and add in cherry tomatoes, stir.

Source: Foodista

“Everything written with vitality expresses that vitality; there are no dull subjects, only dull minds.”
― Raymond Chandler

You are special...

The inner fire is the most important thing mankind possesses.”
― Edith Södergran

Sausage & Pepperoni Stromboli

Ingredients

- 1 egg
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 package sliced pepperoni
- 1 ball or roll of pizza dough (homemade is great but I used store-bought)
- 2 cups pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Cook Italian sausage in a medium skillet until browned.

Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Place parchment paper on a baking pan and lightly flour.

Roll dough out to form a large rectangle.

Brush a thin layer of pizza sauce on dough.

Layer on crumbled sausage then mozzarella cheese.

Place pepperoni slices on top of cheese then sprinkle with 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.Gently roll in short sides of dough to form a seal around filling.Starting on long side of dough, carefully roll into one third of Stromboli. Using parchment, roll dough again until reaching opposite end. Pinch together and place seam side down.

Mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water.

Brush egg mixture over Stromboli and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 Parmesan cheese.

Place in oven and IMMEDIATELY TURN OVEN DOWN to 350 degrees.

Bake for approximately 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Test center of turnover. If dough is not completely cooked, slice Stromboli in half and bake for additional 5-8 minutes.

Serve with warm pizza sauce

Source:

“To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.”
― John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

-Buddha

Apple Pie Pancakes

Ingredients

- 1 TSP All Spice
- 2 TSP Brown Sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 TSP Cinnamon
- 2 granny smith apples
- Pancake Mix ( Make a 10-12 pancake batch)
- 1 TSP Vanilla Extract
- Whipped Cream

Preparation
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Peel Green Apples. Core apple and thinly slice apple in inch slices.

Place on baking sheet.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Heat frying pan to ,medium high.Meanwhile follow instructions on box to make pancake batter, to make about 10-12 pancakes.

Add 1 TSP vanilla extract, 2 TSP cinnamon and all spice and mix together. Scoop about cup batter onto frying pan and quickly place 2 slices of apple onto pancake.Cook pancake until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Flip over and cook until golden brown on the other side.

Serve and garnish with more cinnamon and whipped cream.

Source: Foodista

Kale & chickpea stew with cumin, smoked paprika and lime
Ingredients
- 1/2 a large bunch of kale, cooked in salted boiling water for 5 or 10 minutes, till soft but still bright green.
- 1 cup chickpeas (I used canned, so rinsed and drained)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch dice
- Olive oil
- 1 shallot – finely diced
- 1 large clove garlic – minced
- 1 t. basil
- 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup beer
- 2 T golden raisins, soaked till soft and chopped
- 1 t. smoked paprika
- 1 t. cumin
- Tbsp of butter
- juice of 1 lime
- salt & pepper

Preparation
Warm a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the shallots, garlic, red pepper and basil and cook till the shallots and garlic start to brown.

Add the sweet potatoes and cook till they start to brown and soften.

Add the beer. Cook till its thick and syrupy.

Add the chickpeas, paprika, cumin, raisins and about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer till the sweet potato is nice and soft. You might need to add a cup or two more water as you go along, to keep it a consistency that you like.

Chop the kale into small pieces and add to the stew. Cook until everything is mixed and hot through.

Add the butter and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Source: Foodista

Slow progress is better than no progress...

Asian Chickpea Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2-14oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp thai style chili sauce
- 2 tbsp hoison sauce
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp sirachi sauce, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped basil, optional
- 6-8 lettuce leaves, Bibb, boston or romaine leaves

Preparation
Drain and rinse both cans of chickpeas.

Place chickpeas in a food processor and puree in 5-10 second increments. You do not want to turn the chickpeas into a mash, you simply want to grind them into pieces.

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a pan and heat.

Add the chickpeas and let cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, continuously stirring so as not to burn.

Add remaining ingredients, except basil, and stir. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.

If using basil leaves, add them and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring the basil in and allowing it to wilt.

Wash lettuce leaves and pat dry.

Spoon a healthy serving of chickpea mixture onto lettuce wraps and serve immediately.

Drizzle with sirachi sauce if desired.

Source: Foodista

Orange Cashew Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups mixed green leaves (125 g) - I used a mix of romaine lettuce & spinach
- 2 oranges
- 1/3 cup cashew nuts (50 g)
- 1 tsp cumin
- salt & pepper

Preparation
Cut or tear the mixed greens into small pieces.

Put them in a bowl and set aside.

Peel the oranges and cut them into small bite size pieces. Roast them with cumin, salt and pepper on a dry frying pan over medium heat. No oil is required as the oranges contain enough juice to prevent them from sticking to the pan. Cook the oranges for about five minutes.

Take the oranges off the pan and add them to your bowl of greens. Roast the cashew nuts on the same pan for 3-5 minutes or until they are slightly golden.

Take the cashew nuts off the heat and mix them with the oranges and greens.

Serve immediately.

Source: Foodista

Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, or even viewing nature in photos and videos, can have positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes, and social interactions. In particular, viewing nature seems to be inherently rewarding, producing a cascade of position emotions, calming our nervous systems and reducing stress

Shrimp & Sausage Étouffée

Ingredients

- 3 Celery Ribs, finely diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, finely diced
- 4 cups low-sodium Chicken Stock
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Onion, finely diced
- Parsley, finely chopped
- 1 pound Raw Large Shrimp, peeled and seasoned
- Salt & Pepper
- Scallions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning Mix
- 1 pound Turkey Sausage, sliced
- 1/2 cup Unbleached Flour
- 2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter

Preparation
Prep everything beforehand. Dice the trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), mince garlic, season shrimp with salt and pepper, etc.In a medium-heated heavy pot or dutch oven, fry sliced sausage with a little olive oil and set aside.In the same pot, add butter and about 1/4 cup of olive oil. When butter melts, quickly whisk in flour until fully incorporated. Using a wooden spatula, stir continuously (to prevent flour from scorching) until roux is brown, about 10 minutes.

Add trinity and garlic to the mix and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Make sure the roux doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, so add more oil if you need to.Now, add the stock to deglaze the pot for a couple of minutes. Then, sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning mix and bring to a boil.

Let reduce uncovered, still in medium heat, for about 40 minutes or until liquid reaches a gravy-like consistency.In the end, stir in the sausage slices and raw shrimp for a couple more minutes. When it returns to boil, turn off heat and re-season accordingly.

Let simmer for another 5 minutes before serving.To serve, plate a bed of rice and smother with etouffee.

Garnish liberally with parsley and scallions.

Source: Foodista

It’s up to you today to start making healthy choices. Not choices that are just healthy for your body, but healthy for your mind.
Steve Maraboli

Tonkatsu

Ingredients

- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup flour
- Tonkatsu sauce, for serving
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 pork chops
- Salt to taste
- vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper; flour lightly.D ip the pork in beaten egg and roll in panko bread crumbs. Fry the cutlets in 320F oil for a few minutes; turn and fry a few more minutes.

Drain on a paper towel.

Source: Foodista

Plantain Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of sweet chili dressing
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 1/2 seasoning cube
- A head of lettuce
- 1 small bulb of red onions
- 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese
- 1 finger of ripe plantain
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 3 medium shrimps
- 2 firm tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow bell pepper

Preparation
Cube your plantain, fry and set aside.Chop your vegetables into your salad bowl and toss

In a pan, heat up vegetable oil and stir fry your shrimps and season. Allow to cool

Toss in your plantain and shrimps once cool into your bowl of vegetables.

Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the salad

Drizzle your dressing over and serve cool.

Source: Afrolems

Spring Time Lunch: Baked Salmon with Parsley Sauce

Ingredients
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 handful of flat leaved parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 0.5 oz. plain flour
- 10 oz. reduced fat milk
- 4 salmon filets
- salt
- 0.5 oz. unsalted butter

Preparation
To bake the salmon, pre-heat your oven to 400F.

Place aluminium foil in a roasting tray. Enough so that you can wrap the fish in it loosely.

Place the fish on the foil.

Drizzle over the oil and the lemon juice.

Sprinkle over the salt and the pepper.Cover your fish with the foil, making a loose parcel.

Place the tray in the oven and allow to bake for 7 to 12 minutes. The cooking time will not only depend on your oven, but also on how thick the salmon fillets are.While the salmon is baking you can make the sauce.To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Not a non-stick pan.

Add the flour and mix it, using a metal whisk, until it is covered with the butter (a few seconds)

Add about half third of the milk, whisk vigorously, it will be lumpy, don't worry.Once this is thickened into a mass, add the other half and whisk until smooth.Turn the heat down to low, add the mustard and parsley with a little salt and mix it through with a wooden spoon, let it sauce simmer very gently for a few minutes.If at any point you feel the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of milk.Check for seasoning and serve.

Source: Foodista

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything...

The human body is incredible. Part of what makes it so impressive (apart from the concept of conciousness and self awareness) is its ability to regenerate itself. Your outer layer of skin, the epidermis, replaces itself every 35 days. You are given a new liver every six weeks. Your stomach lining replaces itself every 4 days, and the stomach cells that come into contact with digesting food are replaced every 5 minutes. Our entire skeletal structures are regenerated every 3 months. Your entire brain replaces itself every two months. And the entire human body, right down to the last atom, is replaced every 5-7 years. And it is replaced from the components of the food we eat, what we drink and the air we breathe. So choose what you put in your body wisely!

Those who have an enthusiasm and interest in life, stay young - no matter how 'old' they get. It is these people who often stay the healthiest and live the longest too. -Unknown

Raw Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale (remove thick stems)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos, braggs, or soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ red bell pepper
- ½ yellow bell pepper
- ½ red onion, diced
- ½ red cherry tomatoes
- sesame seeds to garnish
- 1 escallion finely chopped

Preparation
Wash and dry kale leaves, finely cut leaves and place into a large bowl. Into a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, coconut aminos, maple syrup, sesame oil, escallion, garlic, sea salt, ginger.

Add mixture into kale leaves and massage until wilted, add of the avocado and massage for a creamy sauce. Then add the rest of the ingredients, garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

Source: Foodista

Energy and persistence conquers all things...

No matter how slow you run you are still lapping everyone on the couch.
-Unknown

Tonkatsu

Ingredients-

- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup flour
- Tonkatsu sauce, for serving
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 pork chops
- Salt to taste
- vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper; flour lightly.D ip the pork in beaten egg and roll in panko bread crumbs. Fry the cutlets in 320F oil for a few minutes; turn and fry a few more minutes.

Drain on a paper towel.

Source: Foodista

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.

I’ve run my whole life – for more than exercise, for mental health.
Wendelin Van Draane

Baked Eggs With Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients:

- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons sun dried tomato, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons onion , finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, minced
- 1/2 cup quark (a creamy cheese that can be found in your grocery dairy section)
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese , shredded
- 8 smalls spinach or asparagus

Preparation
Preheat oven to 37

Steam asparagus until tender.

Whip eggs with quark, thyme and salt and pepper to your taste.

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.

Saute onion and tomato for 4 minutes until onion is translucent.

Spray small baking dish with cooking spray and add onion and tomato.

Add eggs. Top with spinach or asparagus and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until egg is set.

Source: Foodista