Mesa de Vida

Check out my guest post for the Full Circle Good Food Blog – 6 Power Foods for Physical Fitness!

Chef Kirsten — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:12:51 +0000

A delicious and easy recipe for chicken and pepper pasta with kale, tips on how to refuel NATURALLY without sugar or artificially-sweetened “power” drinks, plus what to eat and when if you’re training for a marathon, bike race or if you’re just a weekend warrior.

Get it all on my newest guest blog post for the Full Circle Good Food Blog!

I’d love to hear what you’re training for, how you enjoyed the recipe and any tips you have that help you power through your training sessions! Comment below or over on my Facebook page, I look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Sign up to receive my free newsletter! Get updated when new recipes are added, tips to help you create a healthy new family legacy, inspiration about my own 100 pound weightloss and exclusive discounts for newsletter members only! I also send you a free gift, Mesa de Vida’s Guide To Healthy Family Favorites, upon signing up! 5 classic meals “healthified”, tips on stocking a healthy pantry and tips to make better tasting recipes, naturally! Enter your email and it will be on it’s way!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Cardio taking up all of your week? How to get the same heart-healthy benefits in three 30-minute workouts per week!

Chef Kirsten — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:45:26 +0000

Check out the findings of a study published in the Journal of Physiology showing how you can get the same heart-healthy benefits of five 60-minute workouts in just three 30-minute workouts per week! The key is the intervals, give it a shot!

What are you going to do with all of your extra free time?

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

What’s on the menu next week? For members of Menus by Mesa de Vida these amazing meals!

Chef Kirsten — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:21:53 +0000

What’s on the menu next week for Menus by Mesa de Vida members? These amazing meals that take the guess work out of healthy menu planning, make you look like a kitchen rock star, enjoy more time and money to enjoy with your family and oh yes, they will bring more life to your family table!

Members are enjoying:

~Slow cooked sofrito chicken over sofrito brown rice

~Tomato, artichoke and chicken saute with lemon-rosemary roasted potatoes

~Tomato, basil and potato frittata

~Almond crusted cod with quinoa-green bean salad

~Minute steaks with garlic-red wine glaze, salad

Plus a healthified bonus dessert recipe for rice pudding you’re going to LOVE!

More than just recipes with a shopping list, all of the work has been done for you and almost every day is a plan of action to have a leg-up on the following day prep. A slow cooker meal and vegetarian meal every week, all real-food recipes that keep you healthy and happy!

All of this sent every week to members for only pennies per day! Get healthy, save time, save money (membership pays for itself if you only cook 1 recipe per month vs. eating out) and bring life to YOUR table!

Become a member today at MenusByMesadeVida.com! Menus are sent out Friday mornings at 7am, if you want this menu get on the list before May 17!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

How to make vegetables taste delicious and even more nutritious!

Chef Kirsten — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:00:29 +0000

Bored with steamed vegetables? This is SURE to bring more life to your table and hopefully more life around the table!

Bump up the delicious and jazz up your next vegetable side by sauteing your veggies instead!

Still quick, still healthy – in fact even healthier than boiling because all of the nutrients don’t get poured down the drain, and a little bit of healthy oil helps your body utilize the vitamins in the veggies – but more delicious and inspiring than a plain old pile of steamed vegetables!

This is a picture I took at one of my personal chef clients homes today, these are a few of the side dishes I was making. My client LOVES her veggies and requests them again and again prepared the way I do!

Asparagus with green onions, broccoli and fresh green beans….I had already prepared Brussels sprouts and a big pile of sauteed spinach too. My client LOVES her veggies as do I.

How to make them? Simple! Add the veggies, some chopped garlic and a teaspoon or so of healthy oil (coconut oil or avocado oil are best for high-heat cooking) to a hot pan and toss. Add in a pinch of salt, or like I do for this client that loves Indian flavors, add some curry powder or ground coriander and fresh black pepper. Toss a few minutes until cooked until crisp-tender then serve! For broccoli and thicker ends of asparagus that take a little longer I add about 2 tablespoons of water at a time until it boils away and the vegetables are perfect.

Almost everyone loves their veggies when they’re made this delicious way! Try it and let me know how you like it…better than steamed, right!?

Enjoy your greens every day!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Menus by Mesa de Vida Weekly Menu for May 10, 2013

Chef Kirsten — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:44:48 +0000

What’s on the menu next week for members of Menus by Mesa de Vida? Besides these healthy and delicious chef-designed #RealFood recipes for delicious weeknight dinners (that happen to also be gluten free) members also get an organized shopping list to save time and money and plan of action for the week (THESE aren’t just recipes with a shopping list) and even a healthy bonus dessert recipe!

Yep yep! Seasonally inspired recipes that are easy to follow make you look like a healthy kitchen ROCK STAR! Bring more life to and around your family table with these delicious recipes going out to members tomorrow morning:

~Baja fish tacos with slaw and cilantro-lime crema

~Chicken and tomatillo soup

~Arroz con guisantes (Spanish rice and peas)

~Chicken jambalaya skillet

~Turkey “Joe” over garlic smashed sweet potatoes

~Bonus dessert: Strawberries Romanoff

I create these delicious menus for my personal chef clients as well as enjoy them myself…eating this way helped me lose and keep off over 100 pounds for over 6 years! Now I’m sharing them with you!

Members are getting the family healthier as well, I just had a member tell me last week her husband has lost 22 pounds this year just from eating these delicious dinners instead of what they used to eat!

Bring life to YOUR table and become a member for only pennies per day…cooking just one meal per month vs. eating out and your membership will have more than paid for itself! YES!

Sign up at www.MenusByMesadeVida.com to start your membership and join thousands of other smart moms all around the country bringing more life to the table!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Whats on the menu for Menus by Mesa de Vida this week? Healthy and Gluten Free Weekly Real Food Menu Plans

Chef Kirsten — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:38:38 +0000

Whats on the Menus by Mesa de Vida menu next week?

Members are getting these chef-designed, healthy real-food recipes with organized shopping list and a plan of action including TWO slow cooker meals this week and one meal that takes practically ANY cooking! Eat amazing all week and have all of the planning done for you!

Tomorrow morning (and every Friday morning at 7am) these recipes and plan land in members email boxes along with helpful cooking tips and nutrition information:

Slow cooked braised beef Provencal over whole grain or brown rice pasta
Grilled teriyaki chicken with grilled zucchini and corn
French country beef and lentil soup
Chicken and corn chowder
Grilled vegetables over steamed quinoa with mango lassies.
PLUS a bonus healthy dessert recipe!

Sound good? Not only has eating like this helped ME lose and maintain a 100 pound weight loss, members are getting healthier also! 10 pounds, 20 pounds…even another ONE HUNDRED pound weightloss in addition to just getting healthier meals on the family table more often.

Real food, real delicious. Bring more life to YOUR table!

www.MenusByMesadeVida.com is where YOU can sign up too!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Healthy, easy and delicious Chicken Tikka Masala recipe that is Paleo, low-glycemic with vegan options

Chef Kirsten — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:49:24 +0000

This recipe is a spin-off from my previous post about how my personal chef client has lost over 20 pounds since switching to a gluten free diet that is comprised of mainly Paleo or low-glycemic meals I have the pleasure of preparing for her and her family. You can read this post here for even more recipes!

Super healthy and delicious chicken Tikka Masala over curried sauteed cabbage “noodles”. A personal chef client favorite!

I wanted to give you one of the recipes I prepared from this service and one I make for quite a few other personal chef clients. They request this dish again and again, they love it so much! This recipe has also made an appearance on Menus by Mesa de Vida, my weekly healthy menu planning membership, as have many of my personal chef client recipes I’ve created!

Lean, clean and easy, I hope you enjoy this recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala…Mesa de Vida style! This may not be authentic, but it tastes authentic!

May this recipe bring more life TO your table while you’re putting more life ON the table.

Healthy, easy and delicious Chicken Tikka Masala over curried cabbage "noodles". Paleo, low-glycemic with vegan options

Ingredients

2 tsp healthy oil/fat of your choice (we used Coconut oil)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1" cubes (To make Vegan use mushrooms or eggplant. I make this often and it is really delicious!)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1" fresh ginger, minced
2 pinches Kosher/sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp garam masala spice blend (I get this at PCC natural food markets in the bulk food section. Trader Joes has a great blend also.)
1 tsp curry powder
14 oz canned coconut milk - regular or light
14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 tsp healthy oil/fat of your choice
1 head cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch Kosher/sea salt
1 tsp curry powder

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, when hot add oil, swirl to coat. Add chicken (or vegan options), onion, garlic, ginger and seasonings. Stir often until this mixture turns golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, tomatoes and lime juice. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a rapid simmer. Simmer until the sauce is reduced down to a nice, thick gravy consistency, about 10-15 more minutes.
Meanwhile you can start the cabbage by heating another large skillet or soup pot over medium high heat, when hot add oil, swirl to coat. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Saute until the cabbage is golden brown and softened but not too soft.
Stir the cilantro into the Tikka Masala and serve over the cabbage noodles.
Enjoy!

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin

http://www.mesadevida.com/healthy-easy-delicious-chicken-tikka-masala-recipe-paleo-low-glycemic-vegan-options/

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Personal chef client that discovered she has Celiac disease has lost over 20 pounds! Plus two great Paleo recipes!

Chef Kirsten — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:22:21 +0000

Today I had the pleasure of actually seeing one of my personal chef clients, most of the time they are at work when I perform their service.

Paleo chicken enchiladas and instead of corn tortillas we use egg crepes that only take a few minutes to make.

This particular client started my using my services when she was diagnosed with Celiac disease. She had been experiencing weight gain, lethargy and generally just not feeling good. When she was diagnosed she called me right away because this was a whole new world for her.

As someone that didn’t enjoy cooking much and relied heavily on processed foods, she knew she was going to need to start eating more unprocessed foods and with two young daughters and a busy husband, she also wanted her entire family to eat together as much as possible. So she called me. I was happy to help! The majority of my personal chef clients have food allergies and I specialize in making their diets as delicious (and safe) as they can be!

Grass fed beef rollups with garlic, asparagus and spinach tucked inside. Ready for the grill!

I get to come there every other week and cook 3 fully cooked meals her and her husband take for lunch and enjoy for dinner after the kids have gone to bed, as well as make 4 additional meals that are slow-cooker or quick-saute ready so she can still have the benefit of cooking a nourishing meal for the family without all of the prep. My client wanted mostly Paleo-style meals as she is enjoying gluten free whole grains, legumes and carbohydrate vegetables as snacks in between meals. All of their meals are of course gluten free, unprocessed, organic and all meats are organic and/or wild or grass-fed.

Chicken “Fried rice” with no rice! Finely minced cauliflower stands in for the rice. Basically a big stir fry of delicious veggies and lean meat!

This morning I found out that in the 2 months since she started service with me she has lost over 20 pounds and feels amazing! She has energy now, feels up to exercise next and just has an overall feeling of wellness.

Just like my story – once you go to a largely unprocessed diet focusing on all of the delicious meals you CAN eat, that help keep your entire body healthy, and eat the appropriate portions of these delicious meals, weight maintenance is a natural side effect! No focusing on calories, grams, etc. Just eating clean food, every 3-4 hours and enjoying every bite. This is the way to live.

This particular service my clients ready-made meals included Chicken Tikka Masala (which you can grab the recipe for here), Chicken “fried” rice, Roasted tomatillo chicken enchiladas with a carb-free crepe wrap (get a recipe here.) Their ready to cook meals all prepped and ready to go include garlicky asparagus and spinach stuffed grass-fed flank steak rollups ready for the grill, marinated chicken breasts ready for the grill with a walnut-basil pesto, chicken fajita ingredients ready for a quick stir-fry and a slow-cooker ready black bean and veggie soup.

Super healthy and delicious chicken Tikka Masala over curried sauteed cabbage “noodles”. A personal chef client favorite!

Sound good? While I am fully booked with personal chef clients, if you are interested in how I can help you live a healthier, more delicious life while bringing more life to your table, please let me know! If you’re in the Seattle/Eastside I have a wait-list for personal chef clients and would love to discuss adding you, or discuss a meal-kit planning/shopping/preparation mini-personal chef service. Click on over here to learn more and to contact me if I can help you!

Not in the need for a personal chef service, or not in the Seattle area? I can help YOU create your own healthy family legacy with nourishment consulting that includes not only nutrition consulting but also cooking lessons, mindset makeover, how to create the healthy life of your dreams without dieting and much, much more. This service is not only available locally, I have clients all over the nation that are on a mission to create new healthy family legacies of their own! If you are interested please jump on over here and I would love to talk about how I can help you!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

BetterU week 3 update. Are you following along on the 12 week health challenge that can improve your life?

Chef Kirsten — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:29:20 +0000

As you may know, I have the honor and privilege of facilitating the live presentation of the American Heart Association GoRed for Women BetterU 12 week health challenge here in the Seattle area.

50 women all on a mission to improve the REAL numbers that matter in a real-life way: blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar. Oh yeah, weight management is part of it but NOT the focus. The benefits of living this kind of a lifestyle is natural weight management. This is how I lost over 100 pounds: by focusing on a long, healthy life. Living for a healthy future…NOT to be skinny.

Want to do the challenge yourself? Catch up with us and follow along at your own pace from anywhere in the world! Head on over to the American Heart Association Puget Sound blog which I’m updating weekly after our meetings and catch up, get on board and be on your way to a BetterU!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!

Great deal for Reusies from PCC Natural Markets in the Seattle Area this week!

Chef Kirsten — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:31:50 +0000

Good deal alert in the Seattle area: Right now at PCC Natural Markets (which happens to be my #1 favorite grocery store, as well as the majority of my personal chef clients) if you spend over $50 you get a free Chinook Book with mobile coupons.

There was a deal in there for ReUsies Snack & Sandwich Bags! You can get 20% off if you buy 4 pouches AND right now (take advantage of this deal even if you’re not in the Seattle area) for Earth Week Reusies is having a deal for $4 bags while they last! Jumping on this deal now! I got my Chinook Book deals yesterday and there are some really good deals. Thanks PCC!

Cheers, may your day be delicious!

Are you ready to create your own new healthy family legacy? Click below.

Want more body and soul nourishing recipe inspiration? Check out all of my recipes, categorized to find just what you need!

Healthy family & gluten free weeknight dinner menus to help take the guess work out of healthy eating! Chef-designed…and delicious!