Zuke and Mac

I have relatives who live in Italy...here is their masterpiece. It's pasta with a zucchini marinara. Thanks Aunt Janie and Uncle Michael!

What you'll need:

• 1/4 Large Yellow Onion
• 4 Zucchini
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomato
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 Stick Butter
• 1 Egg
• Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Basil
• Salt
• Pepper

Make It:
Chop and Sautee onion with a dash of salt and pepper in a medium pan with extra virgin olive oil.
Chop and cube zucchini after deseeding it. I made that mistake once and it sucked. Add de-seeded Zukes to onions.
Continue to sautee until the zucchini is tender.
Add the diced tomato to the zucchini and let it cook on low for about 30 minutes. Add seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil your pasta while your zucchini and onion are finishing up. I like using whole wheat thin spaghetti, but this also works well with farfalle (bow ties), and angel hair.

While the pasta is cooking...

In a mixing bowl add that 1/2 stick of butter, cubed. Oh yes, the whole thing. (Where's my healthy agenda you ask? Well, the answer is simple...somtimes a sacrifice needs to be made. This is one of those times. But honestly, you can get away with only using a quarter stick and be okay.) Next, add the raw, beaten egg.

Before draining the pasta when finished, set aside a cup of the used pasta water.

In the mixing bowl containing the butter and egg, add the HOT pasta and mix very well. The pasta will cook the egg and melt the butter.

Then, add the zucchini sauce! If is slightly dry, pour some of that used pasta water in there and mix it up until it reached your desired looseness. If you want to add the cheese, sprinkle it over the top.

Mango and Avocado Salad

This isn't really a salad. I came across this recipe when I decided to go on a raw food cleanse. Needless to say, I needed to get super creative. I don't know where I found this idea, but here it is:

What you'll need:

• 1 Mango
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• Lime

Make It:

Cut up your ripe mango and avocado into cubes. How do you cut a mango you ask? Find out HERE. Use the same technique for the avocado.

Put your finished cubes of fruit into a bowl and add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, dash in some salt, and squeeze half of the lime on top. Mix all ingredients gently and let chill.

Serve happily!

Nearly Guiltless Nachos

I can't be perfect all the time. As much as I hate to admit it, I could eat nachos as a meal three times a day, everyday. They are perfect for me and I love them.

What you'll need:

• Whole grain tortilla chips
• Fat free cheddar cheese
• Fat free pepper jack cheese
• 5 Grape tomatoes
• Romaine lettuce
• 1/2 Fresh jalepeno
• Fat free sour cream
• Salsa

Make it:
It's amazing how something sooo simple can be soooo amazing.

Start by placing your cheeses in a microwave safe bowl, add a dollop of some of the sour cream and stir it all in. Microwave until the cheese melts for about 1 1/2 minutea and stir after every 30 seconds. If your cheese isn't melting in the microwave correctly, bake the chips with the cheese until it's all melted and then follow the steps below.

Chop up your veggies into bite size pieces that will sit comfortably on a chip!

Lay out your chips on a large plate and then pour the cheese over the tortilla chips. Top with the jalepeno slices, chopped tomato, and shredded romaine lettuce.

Either on the side, or plopped in the center, add your salsa and sour cream.

Optional: You can always add guacamole, black olives, avocado, grilled chicken or ground turkey

PS. Corn tortilla chips are in the photo above, because they were on sale and whole grain wasn't. waaa