Salad or wrap?  Wrap or salad?  Which one and how do you choose?  And are they really doing your  body good?

Well, it depends ultimately on what you're looking for.  Salads are light and refreshing meals that don't make you feel guilty...right?  Well you may be surprised to find the calorie counts to be high and health ratings low in some of your favorite salads.  This is largely due to the high-fat content in the dressings that make them taste sooooo good!  For the amount of dressing added to these 'healthy' salads from our favorite restaurants, calories can skyrocket upwards of 300 calories alone!  Not only that, but add the cheese, nuts, dried fruits, meats protein, boiled egg, croutons, etc., and your healthy-option-salad is running neck-and-neck with, if not exceeding the calorie count of your average cheese burger combo meal.  

No fear, AC Art Of Food is here!  My Black Bean & Greens Salad is a super healthy flavorful one that includes a modest selection of ingredients that are flavor-packed and nutrient rich.  Simplicity speaks volumes!!

RULES OF THUMB:

• Less is best- choose your favorite 3 ingredients, no more than 4 and add to your salad greens.
• Oil & vinegar, or my favorite, lemon & oil are super delicious with a pinch of sea salt, garlic powder, and fresh cracked pepper- don't knock it 'till you try it, you'll be surprised!
• Want more of a creamy taste- make avocado one of your toppings with the dressing option above.
• WRAPS: Size is everything!  Smaller wraps tend to run between 75-120 calories, much lower than their larger counterparts and are just as filling!  Portion control is key- EVERYTHING in moderation.

Say the word 'smothered' alone and you can pretty much get any hungry individual running to the table.  This recipe came about while trying to convince my family that meatloaf would be great for Sunday dinner!  Unfortunately, they didn't think the same.  With ground turkey on hand (and thawed) I knew I didn't want to prepare burgers (again), but something more hearty, healthy, not too time consuming to prepare, and easy on the waistline (without them knowing, ha!).  So I peeked in my pantry and saw that I had a couple of containers of vegetable broth, and the idea wheels started turning resulting in this delicious recipe for our Sunday dinner.  

I used a pan to prepare half of the patties until I looked over my shoulder at the air fryer calling my name.  One of my best girlfriends had just raved about a batch of turkey burgers she prepared in hers that were amazing!  Not only that, but the time, calorie count, and clean up were all a favorable 'win-win'!  In almost no time at all, dinner was served!

Luckily my hearty one-pan-meal experiment was a success!!  My family loved it so much that it was requested two Sundays in a row...primarily because they grimaced at the couscous I served with it the first time around and begged my homemade mashed potatoes accompany the patties and gravy the second time.  However, not only did the mashed potatoes make an appearance, but I decided to add some extra greenery by sautéing in fresh chopped collards to the gravy.  Now this version I call 'Turkey Patties in Goodness Gracious Gravy!' This step simply adds more vitamins, nutrients, and fiber to the already 'light' dish.  The gravy overall in both versions is a light and thin sauce that satisfies in taste without the heaviness of a traditional oil based thick sauce gravy. 

​What's more, this dish can be created vegan and vegetarian!  Omit the turkey patty and add in your favorite veggie meat-alternative protein (veggie/bean burgers work beautifully!).  Want a more clean and less processed approach?  Omit the patty altogether and opt for a portobello mushroom cap or eggplant slice- make it your own! 

Which version of this dish would you prefer?  How can you make it your own?

​Let me know in the comments below!

Have I got some news for YOU!🎉

Exclusive to only this AC's Cart Of Foodies FB GROUP and site subscribers!
                                                             The
      7-Day Flex Taste & Move Challenge

• What it is: A 7 day meal plan and fitness challenge with options...it's FLEXIBLE

​

• Who: AC's Cart Of Foodies FB Group & AC Art Of Food site subscribers ONLY! (You have to subscribe to this site www.acartoffood.com in order to join the Facebook Group 'AC's Cart Of Foodies'!)

​

• When: Saturday, September 8th (Receive your meal plan and choose your workout and get ready to 'Taste & Move' Sunday!)

💥

• Why: To help you jump-start the new you, and the FIRST day of the rest of your new lifestyle!!🤗

The Details:
• An AC Art Of Food customized 7 day meal plan (breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks) focused on **culinary health**- this is NOT a 'diet'. Unlike most meal challenges, the 7-Day Flex Taste & Move Challenge has a meal plan that you can eat for a lifetime!
(ACAOF's term **culinary health** is a mindful healthy eating lifestyle. It is not meant to restrict, but more so to incorporate better eating habits and eliminate the crap that ultimately harms your body)

• 7 different workouts with 7 daily routines each from various movement experts/trainers who have created specific routines just for my ACAOFoodies to choose from for your 7 days based on what best fits you!

• Each day of the challenge will also be accompanied with an inspiring motivational passage curated by a phenomenal author just for ACAOFoodies that will encourage you to be the best you, inside and out....and to keep you going!

The Meals:
• Plant based with options for your protein of preference. All meals have been specially designed for this challenge😋

The Workouts: (each workout listed has 7 days of routines):
1•Circuit
2•HIIT
3•Yoga
4•Pilates
5•Running
6•Zumba
7•Swim

The Cost$:
•To be clear, the value of this challenge is priceless!!  
But as a thank you and to show appreciation for my loyal subscribers and ACAOFoodies the **7 Day Flex Taste & Move Challenge** is FREE!!

AC Art Of Food's new monthly interactive custom meal plans will be available with 6 and 12 month subscription discounted rates coming this Fall! 


🤓So stay tuned to our AC's Cart Of Foodies Group page for more info and to ask questions in preparation for September 8th!!🤓

🥘.              7-Day Flex Taste & Move Challenge

​...are you ready to start the First day of the rest of your lifestyle?

In my early teens, there was this book on our shelf about eating based on your blood type.  Fast forward to my post college years, I revisited this information and based my eating habits accordingly.  I remember enjoying the lifestyle for a moment, but had not taken the definitive leap to give up ‘the meat’ at that point in my life…so, my attention to eating to condition my blood faded.  ​

​Fast forward June 2018, I begin brainstorming on out of the box ways to help make a significant difference in my audience’s eating habits for the betterment of their lives, for the entirety of their lives.  I thought back to that book on my parent’s bookshelf and jotted this down as a ‘possible’ approach.  A few weeks later my hubby and I vacationed to Florida where we encountered a wonderful woman, complete stranger, that we out of the blue struck up a convo with about eating right.  She goes into detail about her 16 y/o daughter that had been ill, low on energy, and very distraught mentally.  She explained how they had been to doctor after doctor, receiving prescription after prescription, to no avail, with these prescriptions sometimes causing more pain.  I even saw with my own eyes w-rays pics of her daughter’s blood cells before and after and the change was amazing!  Then she stated how a guest mentioned seeking a phlebotomist to research her daughter’s symptoms a bit further- taking an outside-of-the-box approach.  Eureka!! Based on a diet of foods proven to improve her blood cells, which were out of whack, her daughter’s condition turned COMPLETELY around!  Energy through the roof, pain ceased, and her overall mental state became more and more optimistic.  I witnessed with my very own eyes x-ray pics of her daughter’s blood cells before and after, and needless to say the change was amazing.  Based on, yep, you guessed it- the food that not only her body needed, but more specifically, her blood.

Two days after we returned from our amazing (and informative) vacay, I made a phone call to catch up with a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a while.  Not even two minutes pass and she is so excited to let me in on this ‘new’ eating lifestyle she’s just discovered that has her energetic and 12 pounds lighter in within two months!  ‘….girl YES!  It’s this book I found that shows you how to eat right for your blood type’.  If you could have seen my jaw drop!!  That was all the validation I needed to go to my own bookshelf where I found the author’s summary version of the main book specific to me and my family’s blood type!  Needless to say I read that book from cover to cover and vowed then and there to not only incorporate it to the best of my ability in my life, but also share this knowledge through recipes, encouragement, and supporting info to help others maximize their blood health with the vehicle of food!   I have since continued to hear positive feedback about this book and its' approach.  Now there have also been some unfavorable comments and testimonies I’ve found in my research with eating based on ones blood type.   However, they mostly pertain to the restriction of consuming certain foods which this plan requires that pretty much any healthier eating lifestyle would present. ​

​It seems like every month a new ‘Super’ food hits the scene promising ideas of fascinating healing powers, extended life expectancy, and the fountain of youth.  But are these just fads? No secret that most of these foods aren’t approved by the FDA, but what does that really mean?  To some it’s a huge deal.  But for folks like me, it just means the government hasn’t figured out a way to place control or a higher dollar amount on an item that has benefited the health of many, but I digress.

An awesome not-so-new Super Food I adore is amazing matcha!  I was already a fan of green tea when I discovered this powerfully beneficial beverage.  I first became aware of matcha several years ago from Dr. Oz and became obsessed with finding out more!

The Good
Simply put, matcha is finely ground green tea leaves- the best of the best tea leaves that is. Matcha has been a beneficial zen hot beverage of choice in Japanese culture for thousands of years and is a ceremonial tea tradition.  Similar to the already cancer fighting, immune boosting properties, and weight loss aid of the traditional green tea leaves that are steeped for tea, matcha is that much more potent.  Matcha also breaks down fat in the body from entering into cells which makes it an amazing defense against cardiovascular disease and obesity.  Be mindful that matcha’s fine green powder contains about 30 grams of caffeine.  However, this caffeinated ‘boost’ is more of a calm alertness as opposed to the jolt-then-crash that coffee often times causes.    

The Whisk
It is suggested that you have a small bamboo whisk in order to blend the fine grounded powder completely into the boiling water.  The actual process of whisking the tea is itself a traditional Japanese zen ritual, and it is highly recommended to prepare this tea properly.  However, I never picked up a whisk, but I did rediscover an alternate way of dissolving and getting the most out of my sipping.  Actually my Aunt Colette taught me this process years ago with her coffee:  

• Add your small amount of matcha powder to the cup.  
• Add in a liquid sweetener such as agave or honey. 
• The sticky texture adheres to the fine powder and dissolves it as you stir this mixture together with a fork.  You’ll notice a deep green shiny paste.  
• Mix in your hot (not boiling) water and you have a delicious zen, disease fighting beverage to get your day going.  I like mine with a touch of almond creamer.
  

​

The Possibilities
Not much of a tea fan?  No problem!  Matcha powder can be added to pancakes and waffles, smoothies, salads, cocktails, ice cream, many pastry items such as cookies and brownies, and so much more!  Just a teaspoon of matcha goes a long way and adds endless possibilities to your culinary creations.  There's something for everyone to enjoy to benefits of this ancient healing powder!

For even more info about this power packed super powder, check out this awesome report from CBS This Morning!

Matcha madness: Rising popularity of green tea jolt in U.S.
https://youtu.be/h0TYVyOPC5c

1.Nitrate-free Deli Turkey Roll-ups

• Nitrate-free deli turkey or ham
• Mozzarella cheese (lower in fat that most cheese)
• Fresh spinach leaves

Layer turkey, spinach leaves, and cheese, and roll!  Combine a tablespoon of mayo + mustard for the perfect dipping sauce!


2.Bagel My Tuna

• Thin sliced bagels
• Your little ones favorite prepared tuna salad

Simply sandwich tuna salad between bagel thins and cut into fourths.  Baby carrots are the perfect accompaniment!


3.Chicken, Tuna, Egg, or Tofu Salad Boats

• Fresh and firm cleaned romaine lettuce leaves
• Prepared chicken, tuna, egg, or tofu salad (tofu salad: prepare like egg salad substituting diced extra firm tofu)

Add your preferred salad to a container.  Wrap lettuce leaves in a paper towel and place in a ziplock bag.  Have your tiny scholar to assemble the boats themselves at lunch!  Shredded carrots adds awesome color and tasty nutrients!

4. Munch-ables

• Your favorite crackers
• Your favorite cheese/ veggie cheese, sliced to the size of crackers
• Your favorite protein (pepperoni, turkey, ham (the veggie options for these work perfectly!  Tofurky is a great option)

Separate each item (crackers, cheese, protein) in separate containers until it’s time to eat and stack away at lunch time!


5. Protein Caprese Salad

• 1 cup prepared quinoa, toboulei, or couscous
• 1 cup fresh spinach, kale, or other lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella diced
• Handful of basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze (found near the oils and vinegars in your grocery)

Now this lunch may be geared toward a more mature palate, but it’s never too soon to introduce new and different healthy food options to kids!  Line fresh leaves to the bottom of the bowl.  Top with your prepared grain salad.  Add tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and drizzle with glaze.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Enjoy!


6. PB&J Pinwheels

• Whole wheat tortilla
• Natural peanut butter
• Your favorite 100% fruit spread

Spread peanut butter onto tortilla.  Top peanut butter layer with fruit spread and roll tightly.  Slice roll in to 1 inch sections creating pinwheel discs.  Opt: Add fresh sliced fruit like bananas, peaches, pears, etc., for an added layer of fresh flavor and vitamins! 

7. Ceasar Pockets

• Pita round, halved and pocket opened for stuffing
• Prepared Cesar salad (fresh romaine + Ceasar dressing + lemon juice, and toss)
• Protein: shrimp, diced turkey, chicken, or veggie protein

Toss protein in Ceasar salad and stuff salad in each pita pocket.  Opt: Chopped and Chef salads work super as fillers for these pockets as well!  Sliced apples with a natural nut butter for dipping goes awesome with this lunch!


8. Fruit Wafflewhich

• 2 frozen waffles
• Cream cheese
• Your favorite 100% fruit spread

Toast waffles.  Spread one side with cream cheese and the other with 100% fruit spread.  Smash together and cut into fourths.  Feel free to make these PB&J’s by subbing peanut butter in place of cream cheese.


9. Crudite Sushi

•  Flatbread or other flavored wraps (tomato, spinach)
• Cream cheese with herbs
• Nori/Seaweed sheets
• Thinly sliced fresh veggies (cucumbers, carrots, sweet peppers, etc.)

Layout wrap and cover with herbed cream cheese.  Lay on nori/seaweed sheets to adhere to the cream cheese spread.  Add veggies and roll tightly!  Slice roll in to 1.5- 2 inches wide pieces.  Amino acids or a low sodium soy sauce makes for delicious dipping!  Opt: Make this lunch quick and easier by picking up a bag of broccoli slaw and adding it as your veggies!