Welcome to Happy Healthy Chick!

NEW **VEGGIE PEANUT CURRY** NUTRITARIAN RECIPE!

I developed this website/blog after spending my entire life on a quest for health and happiness (which go much more hand-in-hand than you might think). I thought this would be a great way to share what I’ve learned along the way with other people. I will share with you articles and tips on diet/nutrition, exercise/fitness, beauty, and motivation, as well as healthy recipes, favorite books and helpful online resources.

They key to everything is YOU! This is about YOU and ONLY YOU. You are the ONLY person who is responsible for your health and happiness. When you work on being healthy, you become happier and everything else falls into place. In Outwitting the Devil, Napoleon Hill states, “The first duty of every human is to himself. Every person owes himself the duty of finding how to live a full and happy life.” 

Oprah Winfrey took this one step further when she said, “you can’t take care of others if you aren’t taking care of yourself.” No truer words were ever spoken. We’ve been conditioned to think that taking care of self=selfish, nonsense! My husband will be the first one to attest, when I am eating healthy and exercising regularly I am a much happier person, therefore a much better wife and mother.

Read my Eat to Live diary as I followed Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live plan fr six weeks. Very exciting stuff!!!

Veggie Peanut Curry*

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c water
2c chopped kale
3-4 sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 Tbs. all-natural chunky peanut butter
1/2 tsp. curry powder

INSTRUCTIONS:
Place water in a saucepan over medium heat, and add onions. Once onions have softened, add mushrooms and kale. Cover and steam for apprximately 5 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and kale deepens in color. Sprinkle mixture with curry powder, and toss with tongs. Push vegetable mixture to one side of pan, and add peanut butter. Toss to coat and serve immediately. Serves 1.

*Nutritarian recipe

Best Black Bean Burger

INGREDIENTS:

15 oz can low sodium black beans
3 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. minced red onion
1/2 minced fresh jalapeno pepper
1 lg. clove gralic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. flax seed meal
1 tsp. fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse black beans and set half of the beans aside. In a large mixing bowl, mash half of the black beans until they are the consistency of a very thick paste. Add all remaining ingredients including the rest of the whole black beans and mix well. Add water 1 Tbsp. at a time until the mixture is just moist enough where you can form burgers without them falling apart. Lightly spray wire rack with cooking spray and bake black bean burgers for 30 minutes.

Serving Suggestion: Serve over sauteed greens to remain nutritarian, or in a more traditional vegetarian manner with lettuce and tomato slices on a bun.

Makes 4 black bean burgers

Carrot Quinoa with Snap Peas

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 c carrot juice
2 c water
1/3 c sliced green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c chopped walnuts
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 1/3 c quinoa rinsed & drained
3 chopped carrots
1 1/2 c chopped spinach
1 c sugar snap peas

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sautee garlic, walnuts and green onion in carrot juice until fragrant. Add thyme, quinoa and carrots and simmer 10 minutes, add 1c water, simmer for 10 more minutes. Add 1c water, snap peas and spinach. Cook for 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Tomato Basil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1c water
3 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c chopped celery (stalks & leaves)
1/3 c diced sweet onion
1 med. zucchini, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2c chopped spinach
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1-28 oz. can soldium free stewed tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS:

In 1/2 c water, sautee garlic, onion and celery until softened and fragrant. Puree tomatoes in food processor and add to pot with 1/2c water. Bring to a boil, then add basil, zucchini, pepper and spinach. Simmer until zucchini is softened.

Serving Suggestion: Can be eaten as a soup, or used over top of baked spaghetti squash.

Chickpea Curry*

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c water
1 large chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1 large potato, diced
115 oz. can chick peas rinsed well
1/2 fresh lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

In medium sized pot, add water, garlic and onion and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes until onion is softened. Reduce the heat, add next six ingredients and let sit on medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add diced potato and chickpeas to the pot, cover and simmer 7 minutes or until potato is tender. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and serve over a generous handful of uncooked spinach leaves.

*Nutritarian recipe

Saffron Cauliflower*

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lb. fresh cauliflower florets
1 1/2 tsp. saffron threads
2/3 c golden raisins
1 large red onion, chopped
2 Bay leaves
4 Tbsp. chopped basil leaves
4 Tbsp. chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place saffron in a small bowl or ramekin and cover with 1/2 c boiling water for 1 minute to infuse. In large casserole combine all remaining ingredients except parsley. Pour safffron water over the top (including threads) and mix well. Cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes, toss and recover, then bake for another 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves, garnish with parsley and serve.

*Nutritarian

Mock-a-Mole*

INGREDIENTS:

2c cooked green peas
1/2c chopped tomato
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
juice from 1 lime
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Puree in blender. Refrigerate 3-4 hours. Serve with fresh vegetables for dipping.

*Nutritarian

Wheatberry Salad*

INGREDIENTS:

1/2c rinsed wheatberries
1 can low sodium canellini beans
1/2 c chopped green onion
1/2 c diced celery
1/2 c diced tomato
juice of 1 fresh lemon
2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook wheatberries according to package directions and bring to room temperature. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl. Serves 4.

*Nutritarian

Greek Style Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium red or yellow bell peppers
1c cooked plain couscous
15 oz. can drained cannellini beans
1 cup crumbled fat free feta cheese
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 c sliced scallions (whites only)
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground mixed peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat overn to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, slice a thin layer from each pepper bottom so they will stand up. Slice about 1/4″ down from stem so you can remove pepper tops. Finely chop all useable pepper scraps and set aside in medium bowl. Remove seeds and stems from peppers and stand in a medium sized casserole dish. Add remaining ingredients to the finely chopped peppers that are in bowl. After combining thoroughly, stuff the peppers with the cousous mixture. Add cup of water to bottom of casserole, and cover tightly with either a cover or foil. Bake for 1 hour or until peppers are softened.

Serves 6 at 3 WW pts. ea.

Greek Turkey Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 c. minced celery
1/4 c. minced red onion
1 clove minced garlic 
1.3 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1 medium egg
2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese
1 pc. whole-wheat bread sliced into small cubes 
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp. dried dill

INSTRUCTIONS:

In small skillet, cook onion, garlic and celery in olive oil for 5-7 mins. or until soft. Season with some of the salt and pepper. In large bowl, combine  vegetable mixture with remainng ingredients and mix well. Form mixture into 5 patties and grill on high 5 min. per side or until cooked through. 6 WW pts. per burger. Serving suggestion: Serve on a bed of field greens for no extra WW pts., or on a light whole wheat bun for an extra 2 WW pts.)