Revamped "Creamed" Spinach

Who loves a good serving of creamed spinach? I know that I do! But I also know that all of that cream and butter pretty much negates the nutrition I'm getting from said spinach. The other day while I was cooking, I needed to cook up a whole bunch of spinach that was on the verge of going bad, so I had the idea of creating a healthier version of creamed spinach.

My secret ingredient...cauliflower!

If you have been reading my blog lately, you'll know I've been loving cauliflower lately. I've used it for pizza crust, mac and cheese, pasta sauce, and all kinds of things. I seriously love it. I thought that if I had created a "cream" sauce for pasta, why not use it to make "creamed" spinach, and get even more veggie servings in!

So that is what I did, and I must say, I really liked the outcome!

Revamped "Creamed" Spinach

Ingredients (for about 4 servings)
-6 cups of raw spinach (you can add more if you want)
-1 cauliflower head, cut into chunks
-2 garlic cloves
-2 tsp cooking oil
-1/2 an onion
-1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt
-salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder to taste
(Optional, if you have some parmesan cheese you can also sprinkle it in towards the end!)

Directions
1. Bring a medium pot to a rolling boil, and add your cauliflower. Cook until tender, drain and set aside.
2. In a medium to large skillet, heat up your cooking oil over medium high heat.
3. Mince your cloves of garlic and sautee for one minute, then reduce heat to medium.
4. Add in your spinach. It will pile high at start, but it will really cook down. Stir around so all the leaves get some heat and they start to wilt.
5. In a food processor, add your cauliflower, greek yogurt, and season with a small amount of salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Process for a minute or two, until it starts to turn smooth.
6. Once the cauliflower mix has smoothed out, add your desired amount to the spinach, and mix together. If you're adding parmesan, add it in now!
7. Let the mixture heat through for a minute or so.
8. Dish out and enjoy! We had this with some chicken and it was delightful!


What's your favorite cauliflower recipe? I'm always on the lookout for a good one!

Body, Heart and Soul

Many of you know, and some of you may not, that every month I hold different challenge groups. Some are thirty to sixty days and revolve around health and fitness. Others are just seven days long and vary on topic from clean eating to how to create your own hand lettering pieces at home.

Well I've been brainstorming and I have come up with a really exciting new program that I will be launching this fall! My heart is totally in this one and I cannot wait to see it come to life.

As I have embarked on my own journey to health since February of this year, the one thing I have really noticed is that even though my original main goal was to get physically healthy, I have seen changes in all areas of my life.

I have seen physical transformation in the form of pounds and inches lost on my body. I have seen my energy increase, which has led to me dealing with situations in a better mindset and better emotional state. I have noticed that my energy and zest for life and being adventurous with my husband has increased.

My daily quiet time with the Lord has become more consistent and my brain feels clearer and less foggy throughout the day. I have put more discipline and passion into my work and my daily routines and interactions with people.

The transformation has not only been physical, but across the board. And that is what I am passionate about. Specifically in reaching out to other women. I know that I have only tapped the surface of potential in my own life, and it has ignited my passion to reach out to other women and lead the way.

That has led me to this new seven day group called "Body, Heart and Soul." For one week, I will teach women about exercise, healthy eating, and their Biblical identity in Christ. Every day will involve me posting a specific, easy but effective exercise to follow. I will also be posting a healthy recipe, and over the week you will get ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

Lastly, and most importantly, I will be teaching from one of the most influential passages of scripture in my life, Ephesians 1. I struggled severely growing up with realizing my identity in Christ, and it's a passion of mine to teach what I have learned. So many of our body issues come from a deeper rooted identity issue.

The climax of the week will be something I am most excited about- a live event here in the Atlanta, Georgia area! I will gather together those from the group that are local to the area, and we will spend a few hours one morning on the weekend to be together.

It will be a morning filled with a workout together, a delicious brunch and time of fellowship, followed by a time of individual and corporate prayer. I'll be pulling out a lot of stops and my mind is already filled with tons of Pinterest-y ideas. So if you are in the Atlanta area, you are not going to want to miss this!

The dates for the group are still to be determined, but please message me or comment below if you want to be a part of this exciting new seven day group, I would love to have you be a part of it and learn how to incorporate some healthy ideas into your life and be in community with other awesome women!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Who has ever just had a hankering for macaroni and cheese that just wouldn't quit? I must admit, that I am guilty! I LOVE mac and cheese. There's just something familiar, warm, and comforting about it. But, while I do enjoy an indulgence every once in a while on my journey towards health, mac and cheese just isn't all that healthy as is.

So I wanted to find a way to make it healthier so we could still enjoy this treat from time to time. Oh boy, did I find a delicious revamp of this tasty classic! And it uses one of my new favorite ingredients- cauliflower!

Did you know that cauliflower packs a powerful nutrition punch? Check out just a few of it's benefits!

(photo courtesy of Pinterest)

And what if you don't really like cauliflower? Well, good news, you can't really tell that it's in this recipe of mac and cheese! So you can also use this to sneak in some extra servings of veggies for your kids or husbands, or yourself!

Alright, so here's the digs on our Revamped Cauliflower Mac and Cheese! It's super easy, and insanely delicious!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (makes 2 larger servings or 4 smaller servings)

Ingredients 
1 head of cauliflower
3/4 cup of plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 an onion
Salt, lemon pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Your choice of pasta (whole wheat is best!)

Instructions
1. Boil two pots of water, one for the cauliflower, one for the pasta. 

2. Cut cauliflower into floret pieces. 

3. Cook both in a rolling boil until tender. Note that the cauliflower may take a few minutes longer than the pasta, so adjust your timing accordingly.

4. Drain and set aside.
5. Place cauliflower, yogurt and onion (you don't need to cut very small) into the food processor. Blend for about a minute, until it starts becoming smooth.

6. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and seasoning into the food processor, blend another minute until it is all smooth and incorporated.
7. Put over your pasta, and enjoy! 

Now, for some variations, if you want to get your protein in, blacken, grill, or bake some chicken seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper, cut into strips and have it on top of your pasta!

If you want to get even more extra servings of veggies in, switch your pasta out for cooked spaghetti squash! It's one of my favorite new veggies as well. It looks like pasta and tastes amazing. 

You can also roast some cauliflower separately seasoned with paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil, and serve it over your pasta! Mix all the seasoning and oil with cauliflower in a bowl, roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes or until it is cooked through and looking nice and tasty! 

Let me know what you think of this recipe! I am going to be doing a series of recipes this week and sharing them with you all, so comment below with any kind of recipe you are curious about making a healthier version of! 

What recipe would you love to make healthier? Comment below! It could be my next feature!