Amazing Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

Cauliflower “Fried Rice.” Make this. Trust me.

People ask me all the time if I follow a low carb diet. The answer is absolutely not. I prefer to think of it as a "smart" carb diet. For example: I eat lots of fruit. You know what is in fruit? Yep, carbohydrates. But the they are carbs your body can recognize and use to fuel your day. Do you know what is in that breakfast cereal bar you just ate? Probably not, unless you studied the label, but I can guarantee your there was a plethora of carbohydrates. The problem comes about when those carbs are actually factory created chemicals that smell good and look good, but are completely unrecognizable to the human body.

 So, yes, I choose to be as educated as I can about the food that goes into my body, including the sources of carbohydrates I include into my diet. I'm smart about them, But, no, I don't avoid them. There are definite times and places where grains make the recipe. Throw up your hands and rejoyce! This is not one of them. You'll never miss the rice. We actually told a little fib at dinner and told the kids this was just like the fried rice they love from our neighborhood sushi restaurant. They both ate an entire bowl and never once balked at the taste or texture of the cauliflower. Victory!

Anyway, needless to say I loved the way this turned out. I'm even planning to meal prep it next week for my lunches. 

As a little tip...You’ll want to marinade the pork for several hours or overnight. So make sure you allow yourself time for that. It’s a worthwhile step. Other than that, this recipe couldn't be easier. 

Here you go:

Marinade Recipe: In a zip lock bag combine the following-

3tsp minced garlic

2tbsp Tamari or Low sodium soy sauce

1tbsp dried minced onion flakes

1/4tsp black pepper

1tbsp sesame oil

1tbsp rice wine vinegar

1lb boneless, center cut pork, chops sliced into small thin pieces.

For the stir fry:

1tbsp sesame oil

2-3 tsp minced garlic

1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped

1c green sweet peas, I used frozen

3 scallions, finely chopped including stems

1c of shredded carrot

2 large eggs

For the “Rice”:

2 bags of pre-washed cauliflower florets or a large head of fresh cauliflower. Wash if necessary.

2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Begin by ricing your cauliflower. Place the contents of one bag or ½ a head of cauliflower into the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it is the consistency and size of grains of rice. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Repeat with second bag or second ½ of the cauliflower.

In a very large pan, warm 1tbsp sesame oil over medium heat and sauté onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic carrots, peas and scallions and cook until carrots have softened.

Next, push all the vegetables to the perimeter of pan and add the pork and marinade. Cook the pork thoroughly, but do not incorporate the vegetables until the pork is fully cooked, about 4 minutes depending on how large or small you cut the pieces of meat.

After the pork is fully cooked, combine it with the veggies by stirring gently and once again push the meat and vegetables to the outer edge of the pan. Crack one egg at a time into the center of the pan and season with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs and incorporate them into the mixture.

You are ready for the final step. Retrieve your riced cauliflower and pour the entire bowl into your sauté pan. Before you stir, top the cauliflower with 2-3tbsp low sodium soy sauce and then stir to mix all the ingredients evenly. No need to really “cook” the cauliflower, just warm it through. 

Garnish each serving with 1/4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

*I also added a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes to my rice. I did not include this in the recipe because I prefer to keep my recipes more child-friendly. Personally, I think great either way, but the heat from the chilies is really tasty.

Hope you enjoy it!

Savory Sage & Butternut Squash Soup

Savory Sage and Butternut Squash Soup

For the past few weeks I've been participating in a nutrition and exercise challenge from the Barre3 Studio where I teach classes. I wanted to come up with some recipes that both satisfied my cravings for warm comfort food and fit within the guidelines of the challenge. One of my very favorite recipes born out of the challenge was this Savory Sage and Butternut Squash Soup. It is delicious and so simple that it can literally be made in 10 minutes. If you have dietary restrictions, you'll also be happy to hear that it is dairy free, soy free, gluten free and could very easily be nut free, if you choose. 

I paired this soup with a simple Greek Salad topped with grilled chicken. It is perfectly creamy and I love the natural sweetness of the squash paired with the sage. I think it's perfect for lunch or as a first course next time you host friends for dinner. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

36oz of Fresh Butternut Squash cubes or 3 (12oz) bags of pre-sliced butternut squash cubes. (I buy Green Giant butternut squash cubes in the produce department near the bags of fresh broccoli, green beans, etc.)

1 tbsp coconut oil

¼ tsp dry sage

¼ tsp dried chili flakes

Salt to taste, at least ¼ tsp

Black pepper to taste

2 cups vegetable broth (I prefer Swanson’s 100% natural)

Dry Roasted Pepitas, Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower seeds 

Serves 5

Method:

1.  Pierce each bag and place all three bags of butternut squash cubes in the microwave on high for 7 minutes. ***If using fresh squash and your prefer not to microwave steam the squash: Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with coconut oil or non-stick spray. Place squash cubes on the tray in a single layer and roast at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until softened and move on to step 2.

2. Pour broth, seasonings, coconut oil and cooked squash in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Additional broth can be added if you prefer a thinner soup.

3.  Top each serving with 1 tbsp of seeds and enjoy.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

It is no secret I'm in love with my Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oatmeal. I've been eating it every morning for months, but every now and then it's good to change things up. Fall fruits are my favorite to mix with oats...pumpkin, apples, raisins, cinnamon...its like having dessert for breakfast. I even joked with a friend today that I wake up every morning looking forward to breakfast...like skip the snooze button to get to the fridge and heat up my breakfast look forward to it. Plus, its little gift from heaven when the peanut butter gets all melty and gooey over the top of the oatmeal. Trust me, its amazing. I hope you love these as much as I do. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 large apple, any variety (I prefer Jazz or Fuji)

2 tbsp reduced sugar Craisins or raisins

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 packet of Stevia

¼ tbsp apple pie spice

2/3 cup old fashioned oats, not instant or 5-min oats

2 tbsp chia seeds

1 scoop of Whey protein, vanilla or cinnamon flavor

3/4 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

½ cup cottage cheese, 2 or 4% but not fat-free

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

2-3 tbsp real maple syrup

2 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter

*2 servings

Method: 

1   1. Clean and chop apple into small pieces, approximately 1/2 inch cubes .  Warm coconut oil over medium heat and add chopped apple, craisins/ raisins, apple pie spice and stevia.  Cook until apples are softened, but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside.

2   2. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.

3   3.  Divide oat mixture between two air-tight containers, such as mason jars.

4   4.  Top each jar with ½ the cooled apple mixture and refrigerate overnight.

5   5.  In the morning, warm oats for 1 minute and stir well. Microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds and stir again. Top with 1 tbsp of almond butter or peanut butter and enjoy.

Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan

When I think of my favorite comfort foods, there seems to be a few reoccurring themes. Evidently I really like cheese and fried goodness. This recipe for my Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan skips right over the bad fried part and goes straight to the melty, cheesy goodness. I love this meal because I can get it to the dinner table in about a 1/2 hour and I feel like I'm getting a really indulgent meal with out a lot of effort in the kitchen or miles to run afterward.

Here is what you'll need for chicken:
1/2c Plain or whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tbsp dry parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4c Egg substitute or 1 egg, well beaten
1c pasta sauce. I like Wild Oats Organic Sauces
1c Part-skim Mozzarella cheese
1lb Chicken breast strips or thin sliced chicken breasts

For Salad:
6 c Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
1tsp olive oil
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp stone ground mustard
2tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

For zucchini:
3 medium zucchini
1tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely minced garlic (I like Spice World Minced "squeeze" garlic)
Salt and pepper to taste

Here's how to make the recipe:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Set up your breading station: Line a pan with parchment paper or foil. Next, place the beaten egg or egg substitute in one bowl and the bread crumbs in another. Add garlic, parsley and 1/4tsp salt and 1/4tsp pepper to the bread crumbs and mix.

2. Dip each piece of chicken or breast strip in to the egg and let excess drip off. Next dip into bread crumbs, lightly pressing to help crumbs stick. Place on baking sheet.

3. Place the baking sheet in the oven. For these strips, the cooking time is approximately 20 minutes. For a larger breast, allow upwards of 30 minutes.

4. While the chicken cooks you'll want to prep your side dishes. For the zucchini:
Rough chop the zucchini while you heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add zucchini, garlic and salt and pepper to the pan and toss to coat with the olive oil. Cook until tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. For the salad: Add lettuce to a large bowl with a tight lid. In a small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and mix well. Add salad dressing to the bowl and place lid on the container. Shake to distribute the dressing. Immediately divide into serving bowls and top with black pepper.

6. After your chicken is fully cooked, remove from oven and set oven to broil. For these strips I grouped 3 strips together and topped each serving with about 1/4c of mozzarella.

7. Return the chicken to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

8. Heat sauce in a small sauce pan or microwave. Move each portion to a plate and top with 1/4 of the warmed sauce.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does. Feel free to leave comments and suggestions!

Perfect Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

I'm a big fan of any weekly menu plan that uses the same protein for more than night of dinners to feed our family. This recipe fits the bill perfectly. It tastes great as is as the main protein on your plate or with a few simple additions, its the perfect filling for pork enchiladas, tacos, soups, BBQ sandwiches, Hawaiian pineapple pork, Italian pork sandwiches and whatever else you can dream up. Dang, now I'm thinking how great this would be on a salad with pear, pecans and Gorgonzola cheese. We need more meals in a day...am I wrong?

This recipe is one I often recommend to folks new to food prepping. Mainly because it couldn't be any easier. When I started meal prepping I would often feel overwhelmed by the process because it seemed like too many elements to juggle and keep strait. Was that chicken for lunch or dinner? Did I put the garlic in the right dish? That's the beauty of this recipe. You put the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker, top with the seasonings, add the vegetable broth and forget about it. In fact, leave the lid alone. It is cooking, I promise.

Here is how to make the recipe:

First of all, I highly recommend using a slow cooker liner when you make anything in your slow cooker. It makes clean up a breeze and saves you a lot of soaking and scrubbing especially when you're making chili or dips. Back to the recipe-- Place your pork tenderloin in the slow cooker and liberally salt and pepper the meat then sprinkle evenly with the remaining seasonings.

Add vegetable broth and cover. Cook on low setting for 5-6 hours. Prepare for your house to smell amazing.

Regardless of the size of your tenderloin, you really need a relatively small amount of liquid to cook the meat. As you can see, even fully cooked, there is still plenty of liquid and I feel that cooking the meat in too much liquid changes the texture of the tenderloin in a not-so-great kind of way.

After the tenderloin is fully cooked, remove it from the slow cooker, reserving the cooking liquid. Shred the meat with forks while it is still hot. It should fall apart easily. 

After you've shredded the meat pour 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid over the shredded pork and give it a little stir. You are ready to eat! Serve it up or portion it out for lunches for the week.

And here is the best part. When you are done, just lift out the slow cooker liner and throw it in the trash. Occasionally there is some minimal clean up needed even with the liner, but usually I can just do a quick rinse and its done.

Here's the Recipe: Perfect Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
1-2lb pork tenderloin
salt- season liberally
black pepper- season liberally
1/4tsp garlic powder
1/4tsp cumin
1/2tsp dry mustard
1/2tbsp dry parsley
1c vegetable broth

Cook on low 5-6 hours

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

If you follow me via Instagram, you've probably witnessed firsthand my current obsession with Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats. I've been eating them for breakfast for so many days in a row now that I don't even post pictures of it anymore.

Breakfast is absolutely my favorite meal of the day. Sadly, so many of the things that come to mind when we think of amazing breakfast foods are not so good for you. These oats give me that "wow, these are delicious" feeling of eating something warm and satisfying without downing a giant-sized calorie-bomb of a cinnamon roll.

In fact, since I don't want to give these up, I've resorted to eating my other favorites as "breakfast" for lunch and "breakfast" for dinner. I remember as a kid thinking it was such a treat when my mom would come home from work and declare it a Breakfast For Dinner night. It's all just food, right? Eggs for dinner aren't really any different than a chicken breast for breakfast if that's really what sounds good, but those were some magic words in my seven-year-old mind. So that being said...feel free to have some overnight oats for dinner tonight!

Here's the recipe:
1/3c Old Fashioned Oats (not quick or instant oats)
1/2 scoop of Cinnamon or Vanilla Whey protein powder (optional, but recommended. I like About Time Cinnamon Swirl)
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
1tbsp Chia seeds
1/4c low fat cottage cheese
1/4c unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/4tsp vanilla extract
1/4c pumpkin puree
1-2tbsp Maple sryup or sugar-free maple sryup
(Reserved) 1tbsp natural peanut butter or nut butter of choice (top warm oatmeal with peanut butter just before serving)

Mix all ingredients well in a air-tight container and store in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove the lid and microwave for 1 minute. Stir thoroughly and microwave for an additional 30 seconds or until the cottage cheese is melted and oatmeal takes on a creamier texture. Top with peanut butter and chow down.

***Quick disclaimer: If cottage cheese is not your thing, you should still give these a try. Once the oatmeal is warm, you'd never know its in there! It makes these oats creamy and packs a good protein and calcium punch.

I make five servings at a time to last the week. It is just as good the first day as it is the last. Just make sure to choose air-tight containers to keep your oats fresh.

I hope you love this easy, healthy breakfast as much as I do. Its the perfect start to your Fall morning, plus with only 10 minutes of prep involved in making an entire week's worth of healthy breakfasts, you'll have plenty of time left to squeeze in a walk around the block or get a jump start on your meal plan for next week. Enjoy!

Meal Prep Lunch: Chicken Salad Two Ways

And, wow! It has been entirely too long since I posted. It's been an interesting last year or so since I sat down to write. I became a Barre3 instructor, accepted and quit a job, sent a child to kindergarten and cooked about 1,ooo healthy meals, many of which should have ended up here...and hopefully still will in the not too distant future.

I have been getting quite a few questions lately about meal prepping,mainly from followers of my Instagram account. For me, like I've told so many folks, meal planning and prepping is essential for me. Not only does it keep me sane when our schedule seems so hectic, but it also saves our family money. Going to the store with a plan keeps me from throwing extra food into the cart that we will inevitably toss in the trash. I mean, who among us has not pulled that wilted bag of yellowing and slimy bagged lettuce out of your veggie drawer and thought Dang! I totally forgot I bought that or Man! We should have eaten out one less time this week. It hurts even worse when the "bag of lettuce" is actually an $8 package of out-of-date chicken breasts.

Planning our meals out for the week takes a little effort over the weekend, but because I've made so many meal plans over the past couple of years, we've settled into a comfortable rotation of favorites that work for our family. I like to throw something new in here and there to keep it form getting totally monotonous, but we definitely have meals that just always seem to work. Some newbies make the cut and a whole lot don't. Don't beat yourself up when a meal goes wrong. Two weeks ago I made what was most definitely the nastiest textured chili to ever come out of a crock pot. I can't really even say what went wrong...think chili flavored baby food. Or don't. You probably shouldn't. It was that gross.

But back to why you're here--a meal prep recipe. In the spirit of keeping life simple, here are two of my favorite lunch meal preps. These are my go-to chicken salads. Simple, fresh, healthy and delicious---prep one of these recipes tonight and you'll have lunch for the next week ready and waiting in the fridge. I suggest portioning the salad out into individual containers to keep serving size in-check and ensure that your prep lasts you through the week. Plus, portioning out your servings eliminates excuses. You have a last minute meeting...forgot that dentist appointment? There is no reason to hit the drive thru when you can borrow your kid's lunchbox from last year (the one that obviously will not work for him this year, you know, because it already kept his food cold for an entire school year) throw in an ice pack and take that meal with you. Both of these salads taste great at your kitchen table or in the DMV parking lot.

Hope you enjoy! I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions!

Cran-Apple Chicken Salad:

16 oz of cooked, shredded chicken breast
3/4c plain Greek yogurt (add an additional 1/4c of yogurt if you prefer a creamier salad)
1 tbsp grain mustard or Dijon Mustard (optional)
1 med apple, diced (I prefer Fuji or Honeycrisp)
1 rib of celery, diced
2 tbsp dried cranberries (I prefer Ocean Spray 50% less sugar cranberries)
1oz toasted walnuts, rough chopped
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serves 4-5.

Sante Fe Chicken Salad:

16oz of cooked, shredded chicken breast
1/4c plain greek yogurt
1/4c light or regular sour cream
1/3c mild chunky salsa
1/2c sweet corn kernels
1/2c black beans
1/2c reduced fat or regular shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tbsp garlic powder
1/4 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 rib of celery, chopped
a handful of fresh cilantro, de-stemmed and rough chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lime
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serves 4-5.

I like these salads best on a Joseph's pita bread or toasted Ezekiel bread. I find the pitas at Wal-Mart in the deli section. I'm hoping more retailers will begin to carry Joseph's products, but for now its the only place I can find them. Either salad is also great on its own or on a bed of romaine. Enjoy!

Creamy Lentil and Potato Stew

For the longest time my idea of protein meant one thing... meat. I definitely grew up in a meat and potatoes household. Chicken, ground turkey, ground beef or the occasional steak: one of these was almost always the shining star on our dinner plates. Letting go of that traditional notion of what makes a "meal" is pretty liberating. I rarely set out to plan meatless meals, but they have slowly crept into our dinner rotation and have become some of my very favorites.

This creamy lentil stew has become one of my go-to recipes during this exceptionally snowy winter. It's filled with veggies and packs a protein punch with green lentils and great northern white beans. It is thick, creamy, warm-your-bones comfort food. This stew also works perfectly for meal prep. I like to make this and serve it to my family for dinner, then use the leftovers for lunches or busy weeknights. I hope you love it!

Creamy Lentil Stew:
Begin by warming 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add your finely chopped yellow onion, carrots, celery and garlic and saute for 6-7 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots and celery begin to soften. Season well with salt and pepper.

Next add your chopped potatoes and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Next add chicken broth, herbs, beans, lentils and water to your soup pot and bring to a rolling boil. Continue cooking at a low rolling boil for 10-15 minutes to soften potatoes and lentils.

I like to let the stew simmer for as long as possible --an hour or two-- to let the flavors develop, but if you are short on time, it really only needs to boil/simmer until the veggies and lentils are soft. After potatoes and lentils have softened, remove 2 cups of the soup and transfer it to a blender. **Let the soup cool for several minutes before blending- boiling hot soup will cause excessive steam and could cause your blender lid to fly off your blender and cause a huge mess** Blend the soup until smooth.

Return the blended stew to the pot and stir to combine. This is when your stew will really thicken and become creamy---transforming it from a soup to a stew. I like to continue to simmer the soup for a little while after this point, but you are ready to eat at this point. 

This stew reheats really well and like most stews and soup, I think it tastes even better the second day. I usually garnish mine with dry chili flakes for a little heat. It would also be great garnished with fresh avocado or some crispy crackers. Enjoy and stay warm!

Creamy Lentil Stew

Ingredient List:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 med onion, chopped

4 ribs of celery, chopped

1.5 cups carrots, chopped

3 large or 4 medium red new potatoes, cubbed

2 tbsp or 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 cups or 32oz of Organic vegetable stock

1 cup water

1 15oz can of Great Northern Beans

1 cup lentils

1.5 tbsp dry parstly

1 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 - 1 tsp Salt, or more to taste

1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or more to taste

Mini Meatloafs or Meatballs

One of the things I haven't been willing to give up for the sake of a healthy diet is comfort food. I still want to eat mac n' cheese and brownies and basically any and all kinds of fried goodness. While it would be wonderful to do that everyday, I have to rein it in and look at the bigger picture. Those thing are fine for an occasional meal, but for your run of the mill dinner a few healthy substitutions can take the classics you love right into health-ville with just a few changes. Enter meatloaf...I didn't serve it with the mac n' cheese I would have loved, but the baked maple cinnamon sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus weren't anything to complain about. I'll post those recipes soon!

So here we go with the meatloaf recipe. This makes a lot...like twelve mini loafs. It is usually enough for two dinners and a lunch or two, which I like but you could cut the recipe in half if it just seems like an overwhelming amount for you. This week I got a little more creative with my meal planning and knocked out two dinners with this one batch by baking up half the recipe as mini meatloafs and half as meatballs for my favorite zucchini noodle pasta instead of using ground beef.

Also, I really like these meatloafs kind of spicy. I'll give you two variations on the recipe in case you aren't a fan of "hot". The way I like them tends to be too spicy for my kids. The second variation uses more spices I would consider to be "Italian" flavors, but you can mix and match any spices your like. You really can't mess it up. My husband likes these REALLY spicy so he dips them in Siracha. It's good, but just a warning...if you do that, a little goes a long way.

This recipe couldn't be easier. I prefer to use a stand mixer, but if you don't have one you can just mix well with your hands. So, in the bowl of the stand mixer add...everything. I told you it was easy.

Once you have it all in there, turn on the mixer on but go slow. The bowl will be pretty full and you don't want to send raw turkey flying everywhere. Yuck, lesson learned.

Next line a baking sheet with foil to keep clean up easy. To make mini meatloafs roll the mixture into 12 baseball sized loaves. To make a meat loaf dinner and a meatball dinner, roll the mixture into six baseball sized loaves and use the remaining mixture to make 16 meatballs, approximately the size of a golf ball. You can put them pretty much side by side. These are just very spread out since I was only making six of them. I was able to fit all 16 meatballs on one baking sheet.

Now pop those guys in the oven and bake at 375. It takes 40 minutes for the meatloafs and 30 minutes to bake the meatballs. I baked them at the same time by just waiting 10 minutes to put in the meatballs. They are come out nice and brown. Yum!

Meatloaf

Meatballs

 

I really wish I had thought to take a picture of the plates when we had the meatloaf. The kids were screaming. You know, like they wanted to be fed or something and I forgot. Anyway, here are the meatballs in the zucchini noodle pasta before I stirred it up.

Preheat oven to 375

Cook time Meatloaf: 40min 

Cook time Meatballs: 30min

 Spicy Meatloafs:

2 lbs ground lean turkey

3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs (I prefer egg whites only)

1 cup quick oats

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 tsp sea salt (Optional)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dry thyme

1.5 tbsp dry mustard

2 tbsp ground black pepper

2 tsp dry chipotle pepper or chili powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 small onion, about a cup

1 6oz can 100% natural tomato paste

Italian Meatloafs:

2 lbs ground lean turkey

3 egg whites or 2 whole eggs (I prefer egg whites only)

1 cup quick oats

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 tsp sea salt (Optional)

1/2 tsp cumin

1.5 tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dry parsley

1 tbsp dry oregano

1 tbsp dry basil

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 small onion, about a cup

1 6oz can 100% natural tomato paste