Cabbage Slaw Salad

Today I was blessed to spend the day with my mom!  Whenever we get together, we always have a great time :) Our activities usually consist of shopping, crafting, and of course... cooking!  A lot of my clean eating ideas stem from things my mother makes.

Currently, my mom and my stepdad are gradually transitioning into the Paleo lifestyle.  In fact, I even bought them a Paleo cookbook for Christmas.  So today's lunch is 100% Paleo approved!  We made made a delicious grilled chicken breast topped with a strawberry, mango, clementine salsa and on the side, an amazingly healthy cabbage slaw salad.  I knew immediately I had to share this with you all because it is incredibly easy and SO yummy!  I'm glad we made a big batch of it because I'm going to take some home with me to eat with my lunch tomorrow :)

Cabbage Slaw Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients:

- 3 cups Coleslaw

- 3 miniature Bell Peppers (red, orange, & yellow)

- 2 medium Organic Gala Apples, diced

- 1 medium Cucumber, diced

- 1/2 cup Green Onion, chopped

- 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped

- 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped

- 1/2 cup Raisins

- Lemon (squeeze on diced apples to prevent browning)

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl!

How easy is that?!

Simple. Healthy. Delicious.

My mom and I went shopping before lunch and picked up some organic hazelnut oil and organic walnut oil.  We tried both oils on separate slaw to see which one we preferred.  I liked the walnut and my mom liked the hazelnut!  So everyone has their own preference of flavor of course.  You could also use organic olive oil or your own dressing.  I think a light raspberry vinaigrette would be a great choice.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Per 1 Cup Serving
71 calories, 2.5g fat, 8.1mg sodium, 108.6mg potassium, 11.1g carbohydrates (2g fiber, 8g sugar), 1.4g protein.

Spaghetti Squash

I'm always looking for different low-carb foods, cause let's face it, who wants to eat the same thing over and over again.  I sure don't!  So, my mom suggested spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta.  The squash can be baked, boiled or microwaved. Once it's cooked, you can pull a fork lengthwise across the flesh and it will fall into strands that resemble spaghetti.  Pretty awesome!

Nutrition wise, a 1 cup serving of cooked spaghetti squash has 42 calories and 10 g of carbohydrates.  It is very low in fat and is a great source of dietary fiber.  Spaghetti squash also contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.

When it comes to taste, spaghetti squash can be quite bland. To spice up my squash, I lathered both halves with extra virgin olive oil and chopped garlic.  I tend to use garlic a lot when I'm cooking and not just because of the amazing aroma and fabulous flavor!  It’s the best overall plant for stimulating the immune system, the best anti-clotting herb, one of the best anti-fungals, and potentially useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

“People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,” said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. “Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.”

So... why not eat like a Greek Olympian? :)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides.
*Tip* The seeds can be saved and roasted just like pumpkin seeds!
- Spread 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on halves.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic on halves.
- Place squash on baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes (mine took about 45).
- When squash is done (tender) run a fork through the flesh lengthwise.

And there you go!  You can save 180 calories and 33 g of carbohydrates by eating a cup of spaghetti squash instead of a cup of pasta ;)

Enjoy!

Grilled chopped chicken, spaghetti squash and mixed vegetables, for the win!

 

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/81490-spaghetti-squash-nutrition-information/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/unlocking-the-benefits-of-garlic/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/ask-our-experts/health-benefits-of-garlic-zb0z11zphe.aspx