200 Calorie Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower

I made this Spicy Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower for dinner tonight, it smelled AMAZING while it was roasting in the oven - and I'm only a little embarrassed to admit that I ate then entire thing by myself...

This was really good! I love spicy food so I knew I would like how this turned out - I even used extra sriracha as a dipping sauce :)

I had this as a main dinner dish but you could also have it as a side dish, or serve it with some other heavy sides if you're cooking for more than one person.

This recipe is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegan - make sure you use a Gluten Free Sriracha if you are gluten intolerant, not all brands are gluten free

Recipe:

1 medium head of Cauliflower - 146 calories

1/4 cup Sriracha - 60 calories

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Powder

1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes               

=206 calories for the whole head of cauliflower

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Wash Cauliflower and cut off the large stem and leaves

3. Mix together the Sriracha, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Powder, and Chili Flakes

4. Spread the Sauce mixture over the whole head of Cauliflower - Use a spoon or basting brush to do this, or wear gloves so that you don't stain your hands

5. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour - I sprayed some coconut oil on my cauliflower halfway through the cooking time but that probably isn't necessary

6. Remove from oven when tender, slice and add some salt and pepper if desired - enjoy while it's HOT :)

100 Calorie Zucchini Spaghetti

Pasta is delicious - but it is high calorie and filled with gluten! I have tried a few low calorie/gluten free alternatives and Zucchini Spaghetti is the best by far, in my opinion.

I like Zucchini Spaghetti better than gluten free/rice pasta because it is so much healthier and has a lower glycemic index so it doesn't spike your blood sugar

Another alternative is Spaghetti Squash - but I like the Zucchini Spaghetti better because it doesn't have the sweet flavor that the squash has, and I think it is much easier to cook (I hate wrestling with the Squash to cut it in half)

If you have a Veggetti or other Spiralizer gadget Zucchini Spaghetti is SUPER easy to make - I picked up mine at Wal-mart for about $15

You could also use the larger slicer on a regular grater and then just cut the slices into strips!

This Zucchini Spaghetti is Gluten free, Dairy Free, and Vegan :)

Recipe: (Makes 1 Serving)

1 Zucchini - 46 calories (green zucchini works better than the yellow squash)
1/2 cup Tomato Sauce (no sugar added) - 50 calories           
= 96 Calories for a large bowl of spaghetti!

1. Wash your zucchini thoroughly and cut it into spaghetti strips
2. Place in medium sauce pan with enough water to cover, bring to a boil - boil for 3-4 minutes
3. Heat up spaghetti sauce in a separate sauce pan
4. Remove the sauce and noodles from heat - drain the zucchini noodles
5. Serve up the Zucchini Spaghetti while it's hot! Add garlic salt if desired

Broccoli Pancake & Poached Egg (140 Calories)

This is one of my favorite go-to quick meals when I am just cooking for myself at my apartment. I made it this morning for breakfast for my "last first day of school" - it is kind of like a low calorie version of Eggs Benedict

If you don't have an egg poacher you can just prepare the egg any way you like - basted, fried, scrambled, etc.

This quick meal is good any time of day, I have made if for breakfast, lunch and dinner :)

I like the Broccoli Pancakes because they pack this meal with extra protein - but if you like a sweet-savory combination you could try it with a Sweet Potato Pancake

I buy these Broccoli Pancakes at Whole Foods, I really like that they are individually wrapped because it takes a while for me to get through a whole box!

This meal is also Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Vegetarian!

Recipe:

1 egg - 70 calories

1 Broccoli Pancake - 70 calories         

= 140 calories

1. First heat up a skillet and begin cooking your broccoli pancake - cook for about 7 minutes on the first side, 4 on the other, and keep flipping until both sides are crispy and the patty is heated through

2. While your broccoli pancake is heating up cook your egg - I use a microwave egg poacher to cook mine, but you could cook it in another skillet instead

3. Place your heated broccoli pancake on a plate and top with the egg - top with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Dining Out: Chipotle

Chipotle is a great option if you are unable to eat Gluten or Dairy because you can just choose whatever toppings you want!

I always order a Veggie Bowl with: White rice, Black Beans, Fajita Veggies, and LOTS of Lettuce

I basically make it into a salad - I don't like their actual salad lettuce or dressing though so I just order it as a burrito bowl and have them put lots of the shredded lettuce on top at the end, and I use the green Tabasco sauce as dressing :)

My bowl only has 330 calories, versus the bowl my boyfriend orders - a chicken bowl with white rice, black beans, corn, sour cream, and cheese -  which has 780 calories! 

If you make the right choices a build-your-own restaurant can be a low-calorie option - and it can be very high-calorie if you make the wrong choices!

You can find out exactly how many calories are in YOUR typical Chipotle order here: http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/menu/nutrition_calculator/nutrition_calculator.aspx