Tropical Superfruit Smoothie

Yield:1 large Serving
Ingredients:
1/2 ripe banana, peeled, sliced
1/2 mango, peeled, cubed
1/4 small papaya,seeded, peeled, cubed
1 c orange juice
1/2 tsp. flax seeds

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.Pour inside a glass and enjoy.

Per Serving:252 calories, 60g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 0.5g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.5mg sodium.

Brazilian Blast Smmothie

Yield:1 large Serving
Ingredients:
1/2 c non-fat greek-style vanilla or plain yogurt
1/2 c mango,chopped
1/2 c acai juice

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.Pour in a glass and enjoy.

Per Serving:187 calories, 40g carbohydrates, 7.5g protein, 0g fat, 2.5mg cholesterol, 113.5mg sodium.

Banana-Mango Smoothie

Yield:1 Serving
Ingredients:
1/2 ripe banana,peeled, sliced
1/2 mango, peeled, cut into chunks
1 c orange juice
1/2 tsp. flax seeds

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.Enjoy.

Per Serving:256 calories, 58.5g carbohydrates, 2.5g protein, 1.5g fat,4.5g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 13.5mg sodium.

Baked Egyptian-Style Felafel

After living in Egypt for six months, I developed a liking for felafel, a meatball-like mixture of herbs, chick peas, and fava beans deep fried in oil and served inside a pita.Most recipes for felafel call for frying but there is a healthier way to enjoy this quintessential egyptian street food. By baking them, you cut back on the saturated fat and calories and the end product is just as delicious if not more.

Yield:18 felafel balls
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
14 oz. canned fava or lima beans, rinsed well and drained
2-14oz. canned low-sodium chick peas (garbanzos), rinsed well and drained
6 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. whole coriander seeds
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c chickpea or regular flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a large baking dish with the olive oil. Set aside.
2.Combine all the ingredients together except the sesame seeds in a food processor or blender.Process until well combined.
3.Form the felafel mix into 2 Tbsp. sized balls or patties.
4.Place the sesame seeds on a dish.Roll the felafel balls or patties into the sesame seeds fully coating them.
5.Place the felafels in the oiled baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.Serve with sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and spreadable feta.

Per Serving:97 calories, 14g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 4g fat, 3g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium.

Maca Banana Smoothie

Cultivated and grown in the Peruvian Andes for approximately 2,600 years, maca is the latest super food to make an appearance in supermarket shelves.Maca is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables which includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage.It resembles a radish and comes in colors of yellow, purple, and off-white.Benefits of maca root include an increase in energy and endurance, enhanced libido,supporting the endocrine system, thyroid function, and healthy hormone production.

Maca is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It has a toffee, malt-like flavor which makes it a great addition to smoothies, energy bars, cereals,and baked desserts.

Yield:1 Serving

Ingredients:

1 c almond milk

1/2 banana, peeled, sliced

1 Tbsp. powdered maca

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.Pour in a glass and enjoy.

Per Serving:182 calories, 37g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 2.5g fat, 7g fiber, 0g cholesterol,157mg sodium.

Red Snapper with Bay Leaves

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
3-4 lb. red snapper, cleaned and scaled
2 Tbsp. olive oil, for brushing plus extra
handful each of fresh dill, parsley, or thyme
2-3 bay leaves
3 lemon slices
dash sea salt & freshly ground pepper

For the Marinade:
6 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. parsley

1.Preheat oven to 350F.Oil a baking dish with the olive oil.Place the red snapper in dish.
2. Brush the fish inside and out with the olive oil.Stuff the inside of the cavity with the fresh herbs, bay leaves, and the lemon slices.Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3.To make the marinade, in a small bowl,combine together all the marinade ingredients and whisk together until evenly combined. Pour evenly over inside and outside of red snapper.
4. Bake red snapper for 45 minutes.

Per Serving(3oz.):229 calories, 1.5 g fat, 30mg cholesterol,44mg sodium,5g carbohydrates,1g fiber,22g protein.

Goji Berry & Apple Juice Blend

This juice blend takes awhile to be ready but it is well worth the effort.It contains goji berries aka wolfberry, a red-orange berry that is native to Northern China.Goji berries are reported to boost immunity,support cardiovascular health,improve vision, and enhance libido.They contain high amounts of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin E, zinc, iron, copper, and calcium.

Yield:1 Servings
Ingredients:
1/4 c goji berries,soaked in 1/2 c water for 1 hour
4 apples, cored, sliced

1. Blend goji berries and apples in a juicer.Alternating between each one.Pour in glass.Stir.Enjoy.

Per Serving:224 calories, 53g carbohydrates,4g protein,1g fat,5g fiber,0mg cholesterol,95mg sodium.