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Indulge your tastebuds with this Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl. It tastes like dessert, but also a nourishing breakfast! Swap the straw for a spoon! Smoothie bowls are becoming more and more popular these days. Pinterest is filled with beautiful smoothie bowl creations. My dietitian friends Liz & Janice over at Meal Makeover Moms even made a Smoothie Bowl Coloring Cookbook!
Making a smoothie bowl instead of an on-the-go drink can help practice mindful eating and encourage slower eating. It’s easy to suck down a smoothie in a few big gulps. By enjoying a smoothie bowl with a spoon it can help you slow down, be more aware of what you’re eating and pay attention to whether or not you are actually hungry. What’s fun about smoothie bowls are the fun toppings you can add. Opt for nutrition powerhouse toppings like fruit, nuts, & seeds. Rather than blending toppings into a smoothie, add them on top smoothie bowl and enjoy their crunch with a spoon rather than through a straw
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Swiss chard walnut pesto and roasted tomatoes is the perfect heart healthy topping to your favorite pasta.
Monday night was always pasta night at my house growing up. (and sometimes Sunday too, if we were going to Grandma’s!). Over the years our traditional pasta dinner has transformed into healthier variations. I like to give myself some credit for these changes (hello, dietitian in the family!), by introducing some healthy twists to pasta night. Revamp your pasta dish with starting with the pasta itself. Switch it up to add more variety, but also a boost in nutrition. Try whole wheat pasta for more fiber or a plant based pasta like Banza (chickpea pasta) or black bean pasta for an extra boost of fiber & protein.
I used Banza pasta for this recipe because I love the rotini shape. Banza packs in 13 grams of fiber and 25 grams of protein per 3.5 ounce serving. It’s like built in portion control because it’s so filling!
Skip the heavy cream sauces and try a pesto as a heart healthy pasta topping. The ingredients in this Swiss chard walnut pesto recipe contains heart healthy benefits including:
Swiss chard contains Vitamin E which has shown anti-inflammatory effects and helps protect tissue from oxidation damage. Eating foods with plenty of vitamin E might also reduce the chances of developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to a heart attack or heart failure.
While most nuts contain monounsaturated fats, only walnuts are comprised primarily of polyunsaturated fat (13 grams out of 18 grams total fat). Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your body’s cells.
Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats. Studies show that eating foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease.
Rethink your pasta night by trying this pesto! This recipe does make more pesto needed for the amount of pasta. To save leftovers, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or freeze in an ice cube tray for later use.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath and a colander. Blanch the Swiss chard in the boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Shock immediately in the ice water. Drain by squeezing the leaves in a ball in a clean kitchen cloth.
In a food processor, add the cooked Swiss chard, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 3/4 cup olive oil. Pulse until the mixture breaks down. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grape tomatoes and saute about 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to burst. Add the 2 cups of the Swiss chard walnut pesto (there will be some leftover) and heat through. Toss with the cooked pasta.
Top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
*Makes about 3 cups of pesto. Reserve leftovers in the refrigerator for about a week or freeze into an ice cube tray for later use.
Break out of breakfast boredom and try sprucing up your breakfast with this Avocado (Waffle) Toast that will gear you up for the day ahead.
I love breakfast. I love food. I love breakfast food. I was excited to see this month’s Recipe ReDux‘s theme was to “break out of breakfast boredom”. I’ve been cooking up a lot of breakfast recipes here lately, well because I love breakfast!
I just don’t understand how people skip breakfast in the morning. Come on people, breakfast food is the best! I just love the versatility of breakfast. You can go either sweet or savory and it’s one of the easiest meals where all food groups can perfectly fit.
For me, breakfast is best when it has the perfect balance, both nutritionally and flavor-wise. I like to practice what I preach and aim for at least 3 food groups per meal, one food group being a fruit or vegetable. This avocado (waffle) toast is packed with lean protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and fiber.
But let’s get real, this kind of breakfast is not always on the regular, especially on the mornings where I am running out the door sipping on my coffee in my travel mug on my commute. Don’t worry, I have plenty of other breakfast options that might work too! Protein Pancakes (these taste delicious reheated too!) 2 minute (microwave) Oatmeal Muffin (single serving!) Tropical Wild Blueberry Smoothie (perfect for on the go!) Frozen Single Serve Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal (make ahead recipe!) Swiss Chard and Mushroom Quiche (make ahead recipe!) Protein Smoothie (without using protein powder!) The Best Overnight Oatmeal (make ahead recipe!)
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Add a boost of flavor and nutrition with a Tropical Wild Blueberry Smoothie. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
It dropped to 2 degrees here in NJ this past weekend.. BRRR. Simple tasks like running errands was brutal in the cold. I kept envisioning a getaway to a warm tropical island. Sadly, there were no tropical island trips planned in the near future, so I had to improvise. Instead I created a tropical wild blueberry smoothie.
You may think I’m contradicting myself for wanting to get away to a warm place and then make a cold smoothie, but smoothies are a staple in my kitchen year round, no matter what the temperature is. Why? Because smoothies are so easy to pack in a ton of nutrition with a variety of healthy foods coming from all food groups.
Plus, smoothies are so easy to customize with various combinations, so you’ll never get bored! I always like to experiment in the kitchen with new combinations and new ingredients. One new ingredient I tried in this smoothie recipe are wild blueberries. Wild Blueberries have twice (2x) the antioxidant capacity of larger cultivated blueberries. A growing body of research shows the potential health benefits of Wild Blueberries including gut health, diabetes, cancer and brain health.
I often find that certain fruit flavors, like blueberries, get lost when getting mixed into a smoothie because other strong fruit flavors take over.
Wild blueberries are a little extra special than your regular cultivated blueberries. Wild blueberries have a more intense flavor than regular blueberries. Wild Blueberry plants grow wild and are genetically diverse with thousands of interlocking plants spreading naturally across fields called barrens. It’s this diversity that gives Wild Blueberries their complex and delicious flavor — an extraordinary mix of tart and sweet. Smoothie Tip: Use frozen fruit when making smoothies. This will chill the smoothie plus thicken it without using ice, which can water down the flavor.
The Wild Blueberry crop (99% of it) is frozen. These potent little berries are individually quick frozen (IQF) at harvest locking in their nutrition and taste. It’s nature’s pause button.
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Pancakes made with whole grains and packed with protein, will keep you full all morning! These pancakes don’t use protein powder to boost up their protein content. Can you guess what secret ingredients add that satisfying boost?
I’ve been making these protein pancakes for a few years now when I get that pancake craving. I never really liked pancakes growing up. (I was a weird kid) I think it was because I never felt satisfied. I always had them as more of a dessert, rather than breakfast.
Just by adding a few wholesome ingredients to a blender and BAM you got yourself a protein-packed pancake batter. How much easier can it get?
What makes the protein content so high? Cottage cheese and egg whites! One serving of these protein pancakes contain 19 grams of protein. The cottage cheese helps thicken the pancake batter for a fluffy pancake.
These pancakes have been posted way back when I first started blogging. I spruced up the pictures and tweaked the recipe a bit for improvement in both taste and nutrition.
Combine rolled oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, ground flaxseed, cinnamon and banana in a blender to form a thick pancake batter like consistency. Do not over blend.
Cook on a hot non-stick pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray until golden brown.
Flip over until the other side is golden brown.
(Optional) Top with additional banana slices, walnuts, and maple syrup.
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Switch up your snack routine with Savory “Cheesy” Popcorn!
Have you recently bought a new ingredient that is sitting in your pantry just because you really don’t know really how to use it? I bought nutritional yeast for one recipe and it’s been sitting in my pantry ever since.
Did you know… National Popcorn Day is January 19th? I wanted to celebrate with a delicious new popcorn recipe! Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. Many people don’t realize, but popcorn is a whole grain. The white part that puffs up is the endosperm, the flakey part is the bran, and the part that usually gets stuck in your teeth is the germ.
Popping popcorn at home is very simple. Bonus – there is the flexibility to play around with different toppings.
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it. Because it’s inactive, it doesn’t grow like baking yeast does so it has no leavening ability. Yeasts are members of the fungi family, like mushrooms. (source)
The golden flakes of nutritional yeast have a nutty aroma and well known cheesy flavor, making it a go-to vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese. (Hence the quotes in the recipe title “cheesy”) If you like this recipe and don’t have or want to use nutritional yeast, simply swap with Parmesan cheese.
Using nutritional yeast is a great alternative for those with lactose intolerance or who are vegan. Plus, nutritional yeast is rich in Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Vitamin B12.
Flavor combinations
Sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn and call it a day, or add a few extra spices to kick it up a notch. I added salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika for an overall savory flavor profile.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a few pieces of popcorn – if the corn slowly spins in the oil then the oil is hot enough.
Add remaining popcorn and cover with a lid. Once the popcorn starts popping, shake the pot gently to have the oil evenly coat the kernels.
Remove from heat when the popping stops (when you can count to 3 between pops) and transfer to a large bowl.
Combine the nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in a small bowl and mix to combine.
Get a large serving bowl and place half of the popcorn in it. Spray generously with olive oil then sprinkle over half of the spice mix. Add the remaining popcorn and repeat once more. Toss to coat and serve.
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Adding more plant-based proteins into a healthy diet, like chickpeas, can reduce the risk of heart disease. Chickpeas are a versatile legume in the kitchen and with a few simple ingredients, you’ll get hooked on these Lemon Parsley Chickpeas! I’m on a total chickpea kick lately. These lemon parsley chickpeas, hummus, and Banza pasta.. I can’t get enough.
Did you know.. Chickpeas, also called Garbanzo Beans, are the most widely consumed legume in the world?Chickpeas are a great balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. With the new USDA guidelines, along with many other beneficial improvements now encourages healthy eating patterns to include:
A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes such as beans and peas, soy products, and nuts and seeds.
The typical American diet is so “meat-based” when it comes to the protein food group. Adding variety of plant-based protein is beneficial for many reasons including it’s high fiber content, providing adequate protein for growth and repair, and low in saturated fat which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Chickpeas are a great plant-based protein to start incorporating into a healthy diet!
Make your morning breakfast a little more fun, by turning a cup of oatmeal into an oatmeal muffin with just adding a few more healthy ingredients and the ease of popping it in the microwave to cook. There are so many single-serving microwave recipes out there, but many are more on the indulgent side – I’m talking to you, brownie in a mug.
I first learned about this recipe idea from Love Grown Foods, themselves, but I decided to spruce it up a little bit by adding some other healthy ingredients. I thought it would be fun to share a “how-to” video version!
I’ve been wanting to start creating videos for awhile now on the blog, so bare with me as I am still in the learning phases of this venture.
I love this recipe because it serves one. I love muffins, but sometimes I don’t want to make a whole batch especially if I am the only one eating them. Plus it’s a fun healthy twist from a regular oatmeal kind of breakfast.
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Upgrade your game day eats with a healthy new twist. Cauliflower just got an upgrade in “snack-ability” with these Almond Crusted Cauliflower Bites.“This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. Ditch the chips and grab some Game Changing Flavors this football season! Enter for a chance to win the Ultimate Football Party Prize Pack, get great savings and ideas for delicious snack hacks at GameChangingFlavors.com.” We all know fresh cut veggies aren’t the top of everyones list when watching their favorite teams on game day. By sprucing up vegetables with a new healthy twist, game viewers are going to want to keep grabbing for more!
By just adding a little pizzaz, cauliflower just got an upgrade in “snack-ability”. The smokehouse flavor almonds have such great flavor that you don’t need many other ingredients. The crunchy exterior of the almonds and panko give it that “fried” texture, but they are baked making them much healthier. Dig in next time you are watching the game! What football team are you rooting for?
1/2 cup Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup whole wheat panko
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl to create an egg wash. In a separate bowl, combine the Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds with the whole wheat panko breadcrumbs.
Dip each cauliflower floret in the egg wash, then coat with the almond mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cauliflower florets are fork tender and almond coating is golden brown.
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When you are craving something sweet, but don’t want to make a whole batch, a Single Serving Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie will hit the spot.
It’s getting a little nutty with Recipe ReDux group this month. Today (October 22nd) is National Nut day and we were challenged to go nuts and make a recipe using nuts in any form – whole nuts, chopped nuts, ground nuts, nut butter and/or nut flour.
Sometimes I just get that craving for a warm, out of the oven, soft gooey chocolate chip cookie? But then I always run into the problem of not wanting to make a whole batch. I have a big sweet tooth and if too many sweets are hanging around, I tend to indulge on some each day. I’ve noticed a big trend on Pinterest of the single-serving type desserts which is genius! The other night when I was having that craving, this new recipe did the trick!
I know I’ve mentioned plenty of times here, but I LOVE the peanut butter and chocolate combo. The peanut butter helps keep the cookie soft and chewy and going with large chocolate chunks from my hidden stash of a dark chocolate bar = heaven. Wash it down with a glass of milk … craving fixed!
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Swap the straw for a spoon! Smoothie bowls are becoming more and more popular these days. Pinterest is filled with beautiful smoothie bowl creations. My dietitian friends Liz & Janice over at Meal Makeover Moms even made a Smoothie Bowl Coloring Cookbook!
What’s fun about smoothie bowls are the fun toppings you can add. Opt for nutrition powerhouse toppings like fruit, nuts, & seeds. Rather than blending toppings into a smoothie, add them on top smoothie bowl and enjoy their crunch with a spoon rather than through a straw
