Funloaf

Once again, blogging has taken a backseat to work, school, interviews and last-minute graduation details. But rest assured, I have been cooking and eating plenty!

One of my favorite new dishes is Turkey Meatloaf. I found a recipe for turkey meatballs on SELF.com, but made it my own. Click here for SELF's version of these "Oatmeal Meatballs with Spinach": http://www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes/2008/07/oat-meatball. 

Here's my twist on the recipe:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup 0% FAGE greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup packed baby spinach and arugula, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup packed basil, chopped, plus 1 sprig
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 egg white
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound all-white-meat ground turkey
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 can (26 oz) diced tomatoes, plus juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc - it's smooth and crisp - plus, great to sip on while you're cooking!)
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Heat oven to 400˚ and spray 9x13 glass dish with PAM olive oil cooking spray. Mix oats and yogurt with 1/4 cup water in a bowl until oats begin to absorb liquid. Add spinach, basil, Parmesan, egg white, half the garlic, salt and pepper, and stir. Add turkey and mix until well combined.

Form into a meatloaf (instead of meatballs), place in dish and bake for 10 minutes. Turn meatloaf over and bake for 10 more minutes. Add the rest of the garlic, basil sprig, tomatoes and wine. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 more minutes (until the center has no pink). Top with a dash more cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes (until cheese has golden brown color). 

I chose to pair it with a vegetable medley comprised of zucchini, purple eggplant, garlic and lemon juice and a glass of sauvignon blanc. 

The meal was light and refreshing - a perfect way to usher in healthy spring eating!

Tabouli

Vibrant hues with essential basics: fruits, vegetables and whole grains alongside eggs, fish, poultry & red wine ... these are the staples of the Mediterranean diet.

Throw in a good amount of walking and some yoga and you've got a whole new, healthier lifestyle. 

It's what I'm trying to do my last semester of college, so that when I hit the "real" world in May I'll be leaner, stronger and more mindful of who I am, both inside and out.

For lunch today I paired Tabouli Wheat Salad on a bed of spring mix with a handful of blueberries and blackberries & a slice of 100% whole wheat scratch made bread slathered in fruit spread. 

The Tabouli is a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, basil vegetable salt and ground pepper. It's extremely easy to make. You simply boil a cup of water to mix with the Tabouli and package of seasoning, refrigerate for 30 minutes, add in the remaining ingredients I listed and chill overnight or for at least two hours. It's delicious!

So here's to good food, creating new meals and becoming healthier than ever before.

Tuesday's workout: 8 a.m. yoga for 30 minutes, 4 p.m. run for 45 minutes