I used to be terrified to cook. It seemed complicated. Fast food was so much simpler.
Until I got some startling blood work. At the age of 26 I had high cholesterol and my blood pressure was at hypertension levels.
It was time to investigate cooking healthier options where I could control the amount of sodium, sugar and saturated fat.
Over the course of the next 10 years I not only learned to cook but actually enjoy it!
But going back to square one a decade ago, these were my go to meals that made me feel like a cooking ninja!
Oatmeal with Spiced Apples and Walnuts
The apples and walnuts add a sweetness and crunch while packing a huge fiber and omega 3 wallop!
Ingredients
4 apples of your favorite variety
Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 tablespoons walnuts
Directions
Cook the oatmeal according to the package (makes 4 servings).
Heat oven to 450
Core and dice apples into bite sized pieces. If you have an apple slicer it cuts the chopping time down significantly.
Spray a baking dish with pam and dump the chopped apples in. Dust the pumpkin pie spice until well coated.
Cover the dish with foil. Bake 40 minutes.
Once the apples are done you can divide them to top the 4 oatmeal portions.
Sprinkle with a tablespoon of walnuts
Cholesterol reducing meal that is also naturally sweet!
Beefy Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Carrot Salad
This dish is amazing because it's incredibly delicious reheated. You can make this once and eat it as a lunch for 4 days!
Ingredients
4 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and washed
4 medium carrots, shredded
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound grass-fed ground beef (it has to be grass-fed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Cooking 2 potatoes at a time. Split each potato as if you were going to eat it but not all the way split in two. Cook on high in microwave for 6 minutes. Turn each potato 180 degrees and cook for an additional 6 minutes.
Combine the chopped carrots, onions, tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, cayenne and a few grinds of black pepper in a blender; pulse until coarsely chopped.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until dry, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking it up into smaller chunks, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Split the potatoes in half, scoop out some of the warm flesh and add it to the beef mixture; stir to combine. Divide the potato halves among four plates and generously fill each half with the beef-potato mixture.
Toss the shredded carrots with the cilantro, the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the carrot slaw among the four plates.