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Save time and utilize the Instant Pot to make hearty whole grains, like wheat berries. Learn how meal prepping a batch of whole grains can turn into various recipes throughout the week.
The Instant Pot continues to be magical. What takes over an hour to cook, now is done in 35 minutes.
Meal prep strategies
Every week now, I’ve been prepping at least one whole grain for the week. Everyone meal preps a little differently. I tend not to make full meals, but to get the cooking process started, like chopping veggies, making a batch of whole grains, grilling a few pieces of chicken, roasting a tray of veggies, etc.
This way, I am not mandated to a certain meal and it gives me more flexibility while allowing to save time during a busy week.
Prep a batch of whole grains, like wheat berries, to add on top of a salad, in a stir-fry, mixed into a soup, as a side dish, or even served up breakfast-style. Switch up the prepped whole grain each week for variety.
Health benefits of wheat berries
Wheat berries contain 6 grams of protein, with over 20 percent of your daily value for dietary fiber, and 8 percent of your iron in each serving.
What are Wheat Berries?
Wheat Berries are the whole grain form of wheat – the whole, complete grain before it has undergone any processing. They’re a high-fiber whole grain, containing the bran, germ, and the endosperm. Wheat berries typically take longer to cook because they are not processed and it takes a while for the liquid to penetrate through the bran to soften the grain.
When cooked, wheat berries have a chewy bite and a subtle nutty, earthy flavor. They’re sturdy enough to handle bold dressings in salads and still delicate enough to taste delicious with some milk, honey, and cinnamon.
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Whip up this delicious appetizer with just three simple ingredients! Lemon Pepper Asiago Stuffed Tomatoes are going to be your new go-to recipe. This post is sponsored by La Terra Fina. Thanks for supporting brands that make this blog possible!
For a New York Giants fan, who the heck am I going to root for during the big game on Sunday since both the Patriots and the Eagles are the NYG’s rival? NJ.com interviewed NYG fans, and I guess most will be pulling for the Patriots this year.
My boyfriend is a die-hard Eagles fan (football season is always competitive fun when our teams are playing each other). I’m going to be a supportive girlfriend and root for the Eagles this year. Plus, I always like an underdog win!
With all good football viewing Sundays comes good food! The key to delicious appetizers is each bite is packed with flavor. My secret: La Terra Fina Greek yogurt dips & spreads. Following the tagline “Good Food from the Good Earth,” La Terra Fina produces a wide range of ready-to-eat refrigerated dip, spreads, and quiches that are rich in flavor and high in quality.
You first saw La Terra Fina on RDelicious Kitchen from my one of my Grocery Store Finds round-up. They recently have gotten a brand new look, but kept the same great taste!
These Greek yogurt dips are perfect for entertaining. Enjoy as is served warm or cold, dunked with vegetables, crackers, or bread or utilize them in a recipe.
The lemon pepper & asiago flavor quickly became my new favorite flavor with real ingredients, no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
This is the perfect recipe who wants to show off a new appetizer that tastes like you’ve been developing these flavors in the kitchen for a while, but really this recipe can be put together in 15 minutes with just three ingredients.
Learn more about La Terra Fina and their great products on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter — we all need a shortcut here and there while entertaining and their dips are perfect! Follow along with them on social media for more great recipes.
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Not one, but two layers of delicious chia pudding. Have you ever tried using pomegranate juice to thicken your chia pudding? You will now because I know you’ll want to try this Layered Chocolate Pomegranate Chia Pudding. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by POM Wonderful and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
Do you ever go through food phases? Chia pudding has been on constant repeat for me these past few weeks. I love that it’s easy to meal prep in advance for a quick (and satisfying) breakfast in the morning.
Plus, chia pudding is easy to customize with various flavors. Another food phase I’ve been into is pomegranates. It definitely helps that they are in season right now, so I am grabbing one every time I am at the grocery store.
When fresh pomegranates aren’t in season, I can still get my pomegranate fix with POM Wonderful 100% Juice.
POM Wonderful 100% Juice is powered by antioxidants. The pomegranate is whole-pressed, meaning a unique blend of polyphenol antioxidants from two whole pomegranates – including its fruit, pith, and rind – is found in each 8 oz bottle.
You can usually always find a bottle of POM Wonderful 100% Juice in my refrigerator. I love adding a splash of pomegranate juice to sparkling water for a fun fizzy drink.
I had fun partnering with POM Wonderful 100% Juice and The Recipe ReDux to create a recipe using pomegranate juice. With my current chia pudding food phase, this was the first idea that popped into my head. I’ve always made chia pudding with milk or non-dairy milk as the liquid, so I wanted to see if POM Wonderful 100% Juice would yield the same kind of pudding-like consistency.
It did! I wouldn’t be posting this recipe if it didn’t 😛
Not one, but two layers of delicious chia pudding. Have you ever tried using pomegranate juice to thicken your chia pudding? You will now because I know you’ll want to try this Layered Chocolate Pomegranate Chia Pudding.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate layer:
1/4 cups chia seeds
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pomegranate layer:
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1/2 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
(Optional) toppings: mini chocolate chips. pomegranate arils
Instructions
Chocolate layer: In a small bowl, whisk together chia seeds, yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. Cover and transfer to the refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pomegranate layer: In a small bowl, whisk together chia seeds, yogurt, and POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice. Cover and transfer to the refrigerate for 1 hour.
Assembly: Remove the chia puddings from the refrigerator. In 4 separate serving cups or containers, and 1/2 cup chocolate pudding to each cup. Add 1/2 cup pomegranate pudding on top to each cup. Top with mini chocolate chips and pomegranate arils, if desired.
Keywords: chia pudding
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Be sure to also check out the other pomegranate-inspired recipes from fellow dietitians and food bloggers in this Recipe ReDux link-up. It’s the first and only recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians. Enjoy!
Prep breakfast the night before, so you can freely hit the snooze button the next morning. This Mocha Overnight Oats recipe will not only fill you up but also give you a little extra energy for the morning.
I used to be the person who never hit the snooze button. I would jump out of bed the second my alarm went off. I’ve gotten into the bad habit of staying up too late doing work. Sometimes I just get on a roll and keep working until my eyes can barely stay open. I know this is such a bad habit. I’m working on it..
This month’s Recipe Redux theme is “Grab a Book and Cook” which is a fun way to remake a recipe from your favorite cookbook. I grabbed my newest book from my collection for this month’s theme.
I love overnightoats. This new mocha overnight oats variation has become my new favorite! It is adapted from Lauren Harris-Pincus’ “The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club” cookbook.
About The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club:
The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club is filled with delicious, easy to make recipes containing 300 calories or less and packed with a minimum of 20 grams of protein. You’ll find a variety of recipes featuring dairy, protein powders, nuts, seeds, eggs and ancient grains including hot trends like overnight oats, smoothie bowls and mug cakes.
I never thought to add coffee to my overnight oats. This is genius! The little extra pick me up, plus the mocha flavor is a perfect way to start the day. The original recipe calls for the addition of coffee and chocolate protein powder, but I only had vanilla protein powder, so I added that plus a little cocoa powder to get that same mocha flavor.
Prep breakfast the night before, so you can freely hit the snooze button the next morning. This Mocha Overnight Oats recipe will not only fill you up but also give you a little extra energy for the morning.
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These perfectly portioned (vegan) Chocolate Mint Mousse desserts will satisfy your sweet tooth.
The great debate: Is it chocolate chip mint ice cream OR mint chocolate chip ice cream? Also, does it need to be green or is it okay being white? My family and I have discussed this in great lengths. We have different opinions, but one thing we can agree on is the love for the chocolate/mint combination.
Do you remember those Andes candies? Still, to this day, my mom put those in our Christmas stockings.
I repurposed the Oui yogurt glass containers for these perfectly portioned desserts. The secret ingredient that makes this silky and smooth vegan mousse – silken tofu!
Silken tofu is silkier than regular tofu, provides an incredibly delicate texture. That’s why it’s a natural fit in mousses and pies. Don’t worry, you would have no idea there is tofu in there. Tofu takes on the flavors of what else is in the recipe – in this case, chocolate mint!
I’m sure you knew that tofu is an excellent plant-based protein, but did you know tofu is also an excellent source of calcium? Calcium is not just found in dairy products, but also soy and dark leafy greens, which is important for bone health.
These perfectly portioned (vegan) Chocolate Mint Mousse desserts will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon mint extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups (16 ounces) silken tofu (NOT soft tofu)
1 tablespoon water
Toppings: coconut whipped cream, shaved chocolate, mint leaves
Instructions
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Remove the bowl from the heat as soon as the chocolate has melted, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the maple syrup, espresso powder, mint extract, and salt.
In a blender, combine the silken tofu, water, and melted chocolate. Blend until thoroughly combined.
Divide equally between 4 ramekins or little jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Top with coconut whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and mint leaves if using.
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Spread the holiday cheer by sharing this DIY Chex Party Mix.
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” .. name that movie!
Another great way to spread Christmas cheer is sharing a fun little snack with those around you this holiday season.
General Mills kindly sent me a care package to create Chex party mix to spread the holiday cheer. Look how adorable this personalized wooden spoon is!
Last month, I had a wonderful opportunity to spend a couple days at the General Mills headquarters learning all about General Mills and the Bell Institute of health, nutrition, and food safety.
General Mills and the Bell Institute of health, nutrition, and food safety truly stand behind their mission statement – serving the world by making food people love.
When I was there I cooked in the Betty Crocker test kitchen and learned she is a famous woman who never existed. Guys… Betty Crocker is NOT a real person! My mind was blown. The recipe creations they come up with in that kitchen are delicious. I tried a pumpkin spice cheerio latte AND a cinnamon toast crunch latte when I was there. The cereal was actually blended in to the beverage. So creative!
We even saw the behind the scenes of GM’s food photography studio where they take all of their photography for their recipes and the images that appear on the box’s products.
It was interesting to learn that each General Mills brand has their own unique story. Wheat Chex have always been a staple in my pantry. I love the crunchy texture. I often add it to my homemade trail mix.
It’s always so common to do a cookie swap or gift candies during the holiday season, but sometimes it feels like a sugar overload. This year I am packaging up this savory snack mix to pass out this year. I always like making something to pass out to everyone.
If you are still looking for a sweet treat, Chex has got ya covered with a recipe for that too – Muddy Buddies. In my house, we call this “puppy chow”.
Thank you, Chex, General Mills, and the Bell Institute to help make the holiday season a little brighter and cheery for everyone!
1 cup garlic-flavored bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
In a large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels, and bagel chips; set aside. In a small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container. (OR Pre-heat oven to 250°. Put cereal and seasoning mixture into an ungreased roasting pan and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes.)
Disclosure: I was provided with travel and accommodations to the General Mills for the #InsideGMI experience. I was not additionally compensated for my time or to write this post.
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Looking for some simple meal prep solutions? Prep these simple Vanilla Maple Chia Yogurt Parfaits ahead of time for busy mornings. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Nature’s Path and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t on board with the whole chia pudding trend when it first started circulating the internet. I wasn’t a fan of the texture. After trying it a few more times, it really grew on me. That goes to show that tastes/textures do evolve over time and we have to give foods a 2nd or even 10th chance.
This is a lesson I share with my clients all the time. We have to try new foods just more than once and in a variety of ways. I once hosted a cooking class that just focused on one ingredient – cauliflower. In this class, we cooked cauliflower in 5 different ways. It was interesting to see that all participants had their opinions on which version they enjoyed best. At the end of the day, everyone enjoyed cauliflower in at least one way.
For a while, I was blending my chia pudding to create a creamier consistency, but then the texture of the chia pudding grew on me and I really enjoy it as a breakfast since it keeps me full and satisfied all morning. Chia seeds are rich plant-source of omega-3 fatty acids, that can reduce inflammation.
No parfait isn’t complete without the granola layer. I topped mine with one of my favorites – Nature’s Path Pumpkin Seed + Flax Granola.
My favorite holiday is just a few days away! I love Thanksgiving because it’s all about friends, family, and FOOD!
I realized I have a ton of recipes that would be a good addition to a Thanksgiving menu. Turkey is pretty much a staple, but the sides are just as important. I get sad when I see a Thanksgiving spread of just beige/white foods. Bring on the colors! Bring on the flavors! All of these recipes contain ingredients or concepts of a traditional Thanksgiving recipe, but with a dietitian/chef twist.
Soups are a great way to start the Thanksgiving meal. Soups are an easy way to pack in nutrients and big bold flavors. This Butternut & Acorn Squash Soup has easily become one of my favorites. It’s creamy without any cream or dairy! How? Check out the recipe to find out.
The side dishes really make up the bulk of the Thanksgiving Day menu. Aim to create a very colorful spread. Different colors mean different nutrients. Think outside the traditional Thanksgiving menu and add new recipes to your holiday table.
If you are looking to lighten up your holiday desserts, simply just trim back the amount of sugar. Trust me, no one will even notice. You can also try one of my seasonal dessert recipes too!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Between the delicious food and spending time with friends and family who we are truly thankful for, it’s hard to beat. I’m sharing this Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes over on the Healthy Aperture blog today. Plus, I’m chatting about taking away the stress around holiday eating and ways to incorporate balance.
E-mail them to [email protected], Then head on over to Chef Julie RD on Facebook, Wednesday, November 22nd at 10:30 am EST where I will be answering everyone’s questions live!
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This sheet pan recipe has a special gut health ingredient – miso! Sheet pan dinners are becoming a staple for busy weeknights. Sheet pans dinners are versatile and can be mixed and matched with different ingredients and flavor blends.
Gut Health:
More and more research is being studied about gut health and the connection to overall health. Some are even calling the gut a “second brain” as now studies are showing how much they continuously work together. According to Harvard Medical School, a troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person’s stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected.
Why gut health is important
I’m sure you’ve heard about how probiotics support gut health. If not, probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. The body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep the gut stay healthy.
Food rich in probiotics includes yogurt, kefir and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, and miso – the probiotic-rich food I used in this recipe.
What is Miso Paste?
In simple terms, miso is a fermented bean. Primarily, miso is made from soybeans, but any bean can be used. I use chickpea miso or white soybean miso often, just because it’s lighter in color and a more neutral flavor.
Varieties of Miso Paste
Diving a little deeper into the difference between varieties of miso, I consulted one of my favorite cooking resources, The Kitchn.
White Miso
White miso is made from soybeans that have been fermented with a large percentage of rice. The actual resulting color can range from white to light beige, and the miso has a definite sweet taste. White miso is best used in condiments like mayo or salad dressings, or in light sauces.
Yellow Miso
Yellow miso is usually made from soybeans that have been fermented with barley and sometimes a small percentage of rice. It can be yellow to light brown in color. Yellow miso has a mild, earthy flavor and is better for general use in not only condiments, but soup, marinades, and glazes.
Red Miso
Red miso is typically made from soybeans fermented with barley or other grains, though with a higher percentage of soybeans and/or a longer fermentation period. It can range in color from red to dark brown. The deep umami flavor of red miso can overwhelm mild dishes but is perfect for hearty soups, braises, and glazes.
Many have an understanding that probiotics are important for gut health and with cold and flu season upon us, the best defense may be good gut health, but the key to these helpful gut health bacteria is feeding them with prebiotics for the probiotics to flourish in the gut. Prebiotics are a type of fiber. They are un-digestible plant fibers that already live inside the large intestine. The more food, or prebiotics, that probiotics have to eat, the more efficiently these live bacteria work and the healthier your gut will be.
Prebiotics are found in whole foods that are packed with fiber (aka. plants)! To improve gut health, a mixture of both probiotics and prebiotics is needed. Probiotics need to be fed (by prebiotics) in order to remain active and healthy and to benefit you as much as possible.
Bottom Line
Prebiotics (fiber) is the food for probiotics (helpful bacteria) to flourish, to improve gut health.
Let’s put it this way: It’s like you can’t out-exercise a poor diet. The same goes for gut health. You can’t consume more probiotics without consuming prebiotics to improve gut health.
Sheet pan dinners are becoming a staple for busy weeknights. They are versatile and can be mixed and matched with different ingredients and flavor blends. This sheet pan recipe has a special gut health ingredient – miso!
In a small bowl, whisk together miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic until smooth.
In an even layer spread the green beans on the baking sheet. Make room in between green beans and place salmon skin side down. Brush salmon generously with miso mixture. Drizzle remaining miso mixture over green beans.
Bake for 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until salmon is opaque in the center and can flake easily. Broil for the last 1-2 minutes.
Garnish salmon and green beans with sesame seeds and scallions.
Keywords: dinner, salmon, sheet pan
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Disclosure: This recipe has been updated to be entered into the #CelebrateSeafood recipe contest.
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