Roasted Veggie Pasta, Red Wine & Parmesan

I love these kind of weeks. The ones where all of the sudden you realize it's Wednesday and you're halfway to a wonderful and beautiful weekend. Then all of a sudden, it's Friday night... the week has ended, you find yourself in the kitchen cooking up a delicious, fresh pasta for dinner - complete with a hefty glass of red wine and a little parmesan to top it all off.

Lovely. 

Is this how my week went? You could say that ;-)

I had been planning this dinner all week long... not that this type of meal requires a great deal of planning. But I find that when you set yourself up with something to look forward to, the days go by smoother, you smile more, and well... you can take a little more time to breathe.

A night at home with my love, a great meal enjoyed coffee table-style in front of the TV... I couldn't imagine a more perfect way to kick off my weekend.

And because I love you so much, I'll happily share this simple and pleasure-filled recipe. But first...

Like I said... Lovely.


Roasted Veggie Pasta
Fresh broccoli
1/2 white onion
1/4 - 1/2c frozen peas
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic powder
Butter
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley(roughly chopped)
2 Garlic cloves
Good quality Parmesan
GF Pasta of choice (though I strongly recommend spaghetti noodles)

Preheat oven to 425. Begin to boil water for pasta. Chop broccoli and onion into fairly large pieces, place onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Drizzle veggies with olive oil, add salt, pepper & garlic powder. Use your hands and mix it all together to ensure all veggies are coated with olive oil. Place veggies in oven and roast 20 - 30 minutes (they will be soft after 20 but if you're looking for the roasted flavor let them cook for the full 30, this allows the broccoli to get a little "char" adding wonderful flavor to the dish). Your water should now be boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Once the pasta is done, drain and rinse (leave in the colander). Finely chop the garlic cloves, add a small amount of butter (or olive oil) to your pasta pan, add garlic and saute until fragrant. Lower temp, add frozen peas and half of your fresh parsley. Once the peas have fully thawed add the pasta back to the pan. By now, the veggies should be roasted to perfection. Add these to the pasta mixture along with a touch more olive oil. Grate parmesan cheese into mixture and stir (the amount of cheese is truly up to you, and, if you cannot tolerate dairy feel free to add a meltable dairy free cheese or simply enjoy without). Add additional salt & pepper to taste. Plate the pasta, add a touch more grated parmesan and microwave for 30 seconds and top it off with the remaining fresh parsley. Lastly, pour yourself a fine glass of red wine, take a deep breath and enjoy.

Oat Free Quinoa Apricot Granola

I've come to a realization lately. Well, really more of a re-realization.

Granola, some sort of fruit be it fresh or dried, and yogurt, is a breakfast that I'm sort of... obsessed with. I guess it's really not that bad seeing as how granola can be made in a variety of ways, showcasing a multitude of flavors and textures all depending on the ingredients chosen. It's a healthy snack, a filling breakfast, something that may just become my everyday fall-back.

Anyway... during this re-realization I thought about the many people who are intolerant to oats... *gasp!* How sad it must be to go to your local grocer and not be able to pick up your weekly batch of granola, simply because, the sweet little oats don't act so sweet when settled in your belly. Naturally, I was just not okay with this fact. And thus... the oat free granola was born!

This recipe still follows closely to my many others, packed with nutrition and protein, a hint of sweetness and the perfect crunch to accompany your smooth and creamy yogurt of choice. The best part? It takes about 15 minutes to make, start to finish. I'm sensing you're ready for the recipe, am I right?

Oat Free Quinoa Apricot Granola
3/4 c quinoa flakes
1oz raw pumpkin seeds (just under 1/4c)
8 dried apricots (cut into small pieces)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c Perky's Crunchy Flax Cereal

2 tbsp cashew butter (I used Artisana)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Combine quinoa flakes through cinnamon in a medium bowl. Slowly heat cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla in a small saucepan until stirred to a smooth consistency. Add wet ingredients to the quinoa flake mixture, start the mixing with a spoon but you'll need to get dirty for this yummy granola, using your hands to finish off the mixing process. Place mixture in the oven for 6 minutes, remove and stir. Place back into the oven for 2-3 more minutes (at this point the granola should be golden and slightly brown at the edges). Remove from oven and add in the Crunchy Flax Cereal. Let granola cool, place into a mason jar and store on the counter.

Enjoy this oat free granola over yogurt, with a banana and almond milk for a delicious non-traditional cereal treat, or munch for a portable snack any time of day. It's delicious, it's oat free, and it's packed with good for you nutrients!

Let's take a look at the nutrition facts, shall we?

Per 1/2 cup serving

217cal

34g carbs

4g fiber

6g protein

10g sugar

Eat up and enjoy, and maybe keep a secret stash away from the public eye of your kitchen... it just may disappear faster than you'd like!

The First Guest Blogger on It Really Works - Jillian McKee!

I'm thrilled to be sharing this post with you all from Jillian McKee. She is the first guest blogger to appear on It Really Works! and what she has to share will certainly get you thinking more seriously about life, food and health and how these three important things are so interrelated. Enjoy this article and feel free to pass it on to others!  

(*Disclaimer: The following article was written entirely by the author, Jillian McKee. I did not influence any of her writing nor am I advocating for everyone to move to a vegetarian diet. However, the words she has to share are profound and should be taken seriously as these health tips and facts are backed by research and science.)


Improve Your Cancer Prognosis: Go Vegetarian!

According to the British Journal of Cancer, there is a strong correlation between vegetarianism and a reduced cancer risk. When the studies were complete, the results showed a 50% decrease in incidence of blood and lymphoma cancer, a 75% decrease in bone marrow cancer and a 66% decrease in stomach cancer. Strict vegetarians are the least likely to develop cancer, but those who avoid chicken and beef also had a greater chance of survival. A vegetarian diet can have many health benefits including:

Lowers Risk of Death
Red and processed meats are more likely to increase stomach cancer risk. Avoiding them helps to keep the immune system healthy and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease risk.

Effective in Treatment and in Prevention
Vegetables, fruits, and legumes are recommended for a healing diet. Antioxidants, phytonutrients and vegetable proteins are all effective in healing a person diagnosed with cancer. Vegetables can also prevent malnutrition and are beneficial in fighting cancer.

Helping to Restore Energy Levels
During cancer treatments, patients often lose healthy muscle mass and energy is depleted from the treatments. Vegetarian diets can restore energy levels and help patients heal faster. Leafy green vegetables will restore nutrients in diets and can help to prevent the patient from feeling lethargic. It also lessens abnormal cell growth.

Containing All Nutrients for Faster Healing
Antioxidants help to fight free radicals in the body that contribute to cancer development. The immune system becomes stronger and cells are less likely to multiply. Fiber is also present in legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Fiber provides the bulk to help move cancer-causing substances out of the body faster.

It may seem all well and good, but vegetarians diets do also have their drawbacks. Some of which include:

Not Protecting From Bowel Cancer
A vegetarian diet will not prevent bowel cancer. Vegetarians develop bowel cancer at a rate of 29% as compared to meat-eaters at a rate of 33%. Study do not result in sufficient evidence to say that vegetarian diets will prevent bowel cancer, however it does slightly decrease the risk.

Unhealthy Eating Habits May Develop
Since it is possible to follow a vegetarian diet by eating only junk food and no meat, there is danger in being a vegetarian. Vegetarians must ensure that they are eating green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, and legumes to avoid malnutrition. Since no meat is in the diet, legumes and nuts serve as dietary protein. Soy-based products are also protein substitutes that can be effective in fighting cancers. As long as there is no history of allergic reactions, soy is effective in fighting cancer.

Decrease your cancer risk and go vegetarian! Even during chemotherapy, a vegetarian diet will help the body to heal faster. There are far more benefits to going vegetarian than not. Consider how a vegetarian diet can help prevent risk of cancer and improve energy levels. Most people, even those diagnosed with mesothelioma or liver cancer, are pleased with their choice to go vegetarian. 

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.