Iced Berry Sport Tea

This tea reminds me of the trendy berry flavored iced tea available coffee shops. The sports drink adds a subtle hint of sweetness and added electrolytes for an energizing kick. 

Ingredients: 

48 ounces water 

2 berry flavored tea bags (I have used Twinings Berry Fusion and Wild Berry) 

1-2 decaf green tea bags 

8 ounces natural sport drink such as Body Armor or organic Gatorade 

optional- cut up lemons and oranges 

Directions: 

In a medium to large pot, boil the water, turn off heat and add the tea bags. Steep for 10-15 minutes, remove the tea bags and allow to cool. Add the tea a large container, pour in the sports drink, and add fruit slices (if desired). Chill and serve. 

 Makes 7 cups, seven servings 

Serving Size: 1 cup Calories 10 Protein 1 g Carb 2 g Fiber 0 g Sugars 2 g Fat 0 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 3 mg

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Mediterranean Stuffed Mini Peppers- Two Ways

These mini peppers are the perfect pre-game appetizer, a filling snack or as a delicious side dish. They can me made hot or cold. First way: Roasted Stuffed Peppers 

Ingredients:

6 mini bell peppers, rinsed, halved and seeded 

2-3 tablespoons hummus 

1 tablespoon chopped olives

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese 

parchment paper or cooking spray 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees then placed the halved peppers face down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip over and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from over and spread with 1/2-1 teaspoon hummus (depending on size of your pepper), top with 1/2 teaspoon chopped olives and 1 teaspoon cheese. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, remove and serve. 

Make 6 pepper halves, 6 servings 

Serving Size: 1 pepper halve Calories 47 Protein 1 g Carb 3 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat <1 g Sodium 213 mg

Second way: Chilled Stuffed Peppers 

Ingredients: 

6 mini bell peppers, rinsed, halved and seeded

2-3 tablespoons hummus 

1 tablespoon chopped olives 

1 tablespoon diced cucumber 

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese 

parchment paper or cooking spray 

Directions: 

Place peppers on a plate, cut side up. Spread with 1/2-1 teaspoon hummus (depending on size of your pepper), top with 1/2 teaspoon chopped olives, 1/2 teaspoon cucumber and 1 teaspoon cheese and then serve. Chill in the fridge if not serving immediately. 

Make 6 pepper halves, 6 servings 

Serving Size: 1 pepper halve Calories 47 Protein 1 g Carb 3 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat

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Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

Just a few simple ingredients combine to create this delicious side salad that is low in fat and calories but big on flavor! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups sliced cucumbers

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon Tajin seasoning (a chili lime seasoning blend) 

Directions: 

Add the cucumbers to a small to medium sized bowl. Pour the rice vinegar and lemon juice over them and the sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss to coat and serve. Chill if not serving immediately. 

Makes 2 cups,  4 servings 

Serving size 1/2 cup Calories 21 Protein 5 g Carb 5 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 4 g Fat 0 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 314 mg

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Vegetarian Jambalaya

This vegetarian jambalaya is very easy to make and is so filling that you won't miss the meat!

Ingredients: 

3 cups chopped red bell pepper 

3 cups chopped celery 

1 cup chopped onion 

1 teaspoon olive oil 

2 15 oz cans kidney beans (rinsed well) 

2 15 oz cans black eyed peas (rinsed well) 

2 cups cooked cauliflower rice 

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning  

Directions: 

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a large pan or pot and add the bell pepper, celery, onions, and sauté on medium heat until just before tender (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile cook the cauliflower rice according to package directions (I use Trader Joes Frozen which cooks for only 3-4 minutes in the microwave) and rinse the canned beans, Add the kidney beans, black eyed peas, cooked cauliflower rice and seasoning to the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 12 cups, 6 servings 

Serving size: 2 cups Calories 226 Protein 13 g Carb 37 g Fiber 10 g Sugars 6 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 940 mg

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Cranberry Recipes Part One: Banana Pecan Cranberry Muffins

Spending a lot of time at home has certainly got me baking again. Here is one of two cranberry recipes I have developed in the past week (stay tuned for part two coming soon!) These delicious muffins are not only easy to make, but they are a good source of fiber and low in fat too. They freeze well and taste great warmed in the microwave and spread with a bit of butter or almond butter for a filling breakfast or snack. 

Ingredients:

2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned, not quick, use a gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

3/4 cup oat flour (use a gluten free brand such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 large sized over ripe bananas, mashed

6 tablespoons liquid egg white

¼ cup (packed) brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup dried cranberries

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oats, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder and protein powder in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, brown sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Add the oats/flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the nuts and cranberries. Spoon into 12 regular or 6 jumbo size muffin pan cups  coated with cooking spray and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 35-45 minutes, until top is firm, lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted into the center. Store in the refrigerator for best shelf life

Makes 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffin

Serving size 1 regular sized muffin Calories 165 Protein 7 g Carb 26 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 11 g Fat 3.5 g Saturated fat <1 100="" g="" mg="" p="" sodium="">

Serving size 1 very large muffin Calories 330 Protein 13 g Carb 52 g Fiber 6 g Sugars 22 g Fat 7 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 200 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 82: Power Salad

The Recipe ReDux for May is "Shower Season," meaning we were challenged to develop healthy recipes that could be served at brunches and showers for this time of year....think graduations, bridal baby showers galore!

Vegetables and salads are often overlooked or ignored at these types of gatherings so I wanted to create a salad that would be enticing enough for guests to choose to put it on their plate for its flavor, not just for obligatory health benefits. I tried a combination of trendy kale salad mix, balanced out with some simple butter lettuce, added some fresh fruit and dried cranberries for sweetness and then topped it with chopped nuts for a salty crunch. This salad is packed full of nutritious power foods like berries, kale and nuts, thus earning its name. The tastes and textures work really well together and you can top it with your favorite vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients:

6 cups kale slaw type salad mix (with kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli- I used Trader Joes Cruciferous Crunch)
6 cups butter lettuce
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup chopped apple
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pistachios...almonds or walnuts would work well too)
vinaigrette dressing of choice

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl, add dressing, toss and serve.  Chill in the fridge with dressing on the side if not serving immediately.

Makes 14 cups, about 7 servings

Serving size 2 cups (without dressing) Calories 85  Protein 2 g  Carb 16  g  Fiber 3 g Sugars 11 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium  27 mg
   

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Recipe Redux Post # 80 Purple Potassium Power Smoothie

March's Recipe ReDux centers around the theme of "Spring Cleaning."  Being that the first day of Spring falls this week, we were asked to create a recipe with at least 3 ingredients that we have currently on hand to "clean" out our pantry/fridge and reduce food waste.

I ended up making a smoothie with exactly 3 ingredients for a couple of reasons:

1.  Over ripe bananas are always hanging my kitchen around that need to be used up or frozen

2.  A bottle of purple carrot juice from Trader Joes was sitting on my counter and I have been wanting to try it out in a smoothie instead of just consuming it via straight shots here and there to get in some extra vitamins/minerals

3. My daughter was under the weather and asked for a smoothie, which I wanted to use an opportunity to give her some extra nutrition

To keep things simple I tried the combo of just banana, strawberries and purple carrot juice and it came out quite tasty. Gabby was a huge fan and drank it down immediately so that deemed it a winner in my book.

This smoothie has a whopping 500 mg pf potassium (15% of daily value),  100% RDA for Vitamin C and is a good source of fiber.  It is great for a post exercise/sport event snack and you can even add your favorite protein power or some almond/peanut butter to make it heartier as well.

Makes 1 serving 

Servings size 1 smoothie Calories 149 Protein 2 g Carb 37 g Fiber 4 g Sugars 23 g Fat 0 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 17 mg

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Recipe Redux Post # 79 Mediterranean Bruschetta Mix

The Recipe ReDux for February is Oscar themed dishes. The challenge is focused on create a dish associated with a famous movie or a viewing party appetizer worthy to celebrate the big night. Parties  tend to have more than their share of indulgent goodies so I thought I'd make a very light and refreshing dish to offset all the heavier foods that tend to be served.  This recipe combines very simple ingredients to create a delicious low calorie appetizer that works great with crackers, pita bread or bruschetta style with toasted bread.  It tastes great on toast spread with hummus or mashed avocado as well. I hope you will give it a try along with all the other Recipe ReDux Oscar recipes!

Ingredients:

1 cup diced Persian Cucumber

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup diced black olives

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

dash of dried oregano (optional)

Directions:

Combine all of the above in a medium sized bowl.  Chill is not serving immediately. Serve with pita wedges, pita chips, toasted bread. 

Makes 3 cups  6 servings

Servings size 1/2 Calories 45 Protein 1 g Carb 4 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 2 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 44 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 78 Banana Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins

January's Recipe ReDux challenge is ringing in the New Year with a theme of cooking with "new to you" ingredients.  We were encouraged to share a healthy recipe using an ingredient that we have never tried before. Since I went gluten-free over 5 years ago I have always missed certain baked goods, namely muffins. I have created many recipes of my own to satisfy the craving and am always scanning the offerings at local coffee shops and bakeries to see if they may have any tasty gluten free options to treat myself from time to time as well. When we were in Tahoe for the holidays I was surprised and delighted to find gluten free oat bran muffins in skiing village coffee shop and have been thinking about trying to experiment with using oat bran at home too.  This challenge seemed to be the perfect opportunity to try making with it so I ordered some of Bob's Red Mill gluten free oat bran and went to work. I decided to keep with one of my favorite bases to use when baking muffins, mashed banana in order to keep the sugar and fat content low. I also added some corn meal to enhance the flavor as well and the recipe came out pretty darn good!   Hopefully you will enjoy it too and l check out all the other "new" culinary creations developed by the talented Recipe ReDux group.  

Ingredients:

2/3 cup oat bran ( use Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

1/4 cup oat flour (use a gluten free brand such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

1/4 cup corn meal

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 large sized over ripe bananas, mashed

6 Tablespoons liquid egg white

¼ cup (packed) brown sugar

1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries 

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oat bran, oat flour, cornmeal, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, brown sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Add the oats bran/flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the blueberries. Spoon into a 12 space regular size muffin pan coated with cooking spray and bake for about 25 minutes, until top is firm, lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted into the center.

 Makes 12 servings

Serving size 1 muffin Calories 130 Protein 3 g Carb 20 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 9 g Fat 4 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 73 mg

IMPORTANT NOTE: these muffins are very moist so the ones you do not eat on the day you bake them must be stored in the fridge.  

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Recipe ReDux Post # 76 Roasted Red Pepper and Pumpkin Soup

The Recipe ReDux for December is “Souper Soups” and we were encouraged to create healthy soup recipes.  I wanted to develop something festive for the holidays so I decided to go with red peppers plus a hint of pumpkin as a base to combine with vegetable broth.  Adding some paprika and cayenne gave the recipe a nice kick.  These simple clean  ingredients come together to create a flavorful nutritious soup that is very low in calories and fat, yet surprisingly filling.  I hope you will give it a try along with all the other Recipe ReDux soup recipes.

Ingredients

5 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the peppers to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Roast them 10 minutes, flip them over and then roast for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Add the half of the cooled peppers and 2 cups of the broth to a blender or food processor and blend on high speed for one minute. Add the rest of the peppers, the last cup of broth and the spices in the blender and blend for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. Put the blended mixture back in a medium pot and warm on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until heated through.

Makes 4 -5 cups, four servings
Serving size: about 1 cup Calories   60  Protein 2  g Carb  15 g Fiber  1 g Sugars  2 g Fat  0 g Saturated fat  0 g Sodium  106 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 73 Mexican Style Cucumber Boats

August Recipe ReDux theme is “Crunchy Snacks!”  When I think of crunchy snacks-chips, pretzels, popcorn come to mind, yet this time I wanted to try create a different kind of snack.  Raw veggies pack a healthy crunch and I had some cucumbers in the fridge, so I decided to start with those.  I wanted to make a heartier snack so I filled tried my luck at a Mexican themed cucumber boat by filling them with some black bean dip from Trader Joes that I had bought recently and have been wanting to sample.  Topping them with some tomatoes, corn, olives and cheese worked perfectly and the recipe came together nicely. These are a great appetizer, afternoon snack, or a few of them could work for a quick lunch too.  I hope you will try them out along with all the other snacks developed by the Recipe ReDux group.

Ingredients:

3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed, halved and seeded (makes 6 “boats”)
6 tablespoons black bean dip (I used Trader Joes brand)

2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons cooked corn
2 tablespoons finely diced tomato

2 tablespoons low fat shredded cheese

Directions:

Spoon about 1 tablespoon black bean dip into each cucumber half, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of corn, tomatoes and olives. Top each with one teaspoon of cheese and serve. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Serving Size 1 boat: Calories 45 Protein 2 g Carb 7 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 156 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 58 Family Friendly Sangria

The Recipe ReDux for May is Cocktails and Mocktails for May Celebrations and it couldn't have come at a better time.  Gabby's class breakfast fundraiser was on May 5th and the theme was Cinco de Mayo of course!  So... we decided to develop a mock "family friendly" sangria for the occasion.  Instead adding table sugar were relied on that natural delicious favor of the fruit juices and the cut up fruit and it came out delicious. The kids and parents were hooked and it is so easy to make and looks pretty too.  We hope you will give it a try and asked check out the other tasty beverages from the Recipe ReDux crew!

Ingredients:

8 cups white grape juice

2 cups orange juice

1 cup no sugar added cranberry juice

4 cups lemon sparkling/mineral water (without sugar added)

2 limes, sliced

4 clementines or 1 large orange, sliced

1 cup blackberries

2 small apples or 1 large, cut into ½ inch cubes (peel left on)

Directions:

Add all the above EXCEPT the sparkling water, to a large pitcher (or two depending on the size you have on hand).  Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  Right before serving add the sparkling water, mix well and serve.

Makes 15 cups (liquid, not including the fruit garnish)

Serving size: 1 cup/ 8 fluid ounces Calories 97  Protein 1 g Carb  25 g  Fiber 0  g Sugars  25 g Fat  0g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 11  mg

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Cranberry Guacamole

A few weeks ago a was sent this lovely serving bowl and some dried cranberries from the Cranberry Institute, and was encouraged to make a fun recipe for Spring.  I am fortunate to be one of their Cranberry Bog Bloggers and took advantage of the opportunity and decided I wanted to make some sort of fun dip to fill that awesome serving bowl.  I came up with this super delicious cranberry guacamole recipe that I have been saving for Cinco de Mayo, and here it is!  You will be amazed at how cranberries can change your guacamole from being just ordinary to extraordinary!  I hope you will try it out for this Friday's fiesta or anytime soon, enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 small avocados or 1 large, peeled, pitted and mashed

½ of small jalapeno pepper or ¼ of a large, diced

juice from ½ of a lime

1 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro

a dash or two of garlic salt

1/4 cup dried cranberries

(additional salt to taste)

Makes 1.5 cups, 12 servings

Directions:

Add all the above EXCEPT the cranberries to a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the cranberries and serve. If you do not have a food processor, just be sure to chop the cilantro/jalapeno very fine, mash the avocado well and mix all the ingredients together with a spoon in a small bowl.

Serving size: 2 tablespoons Calories 40  Protein <1 carb="" g="" span="" style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  4 g  Fiber  1.5 g Sugars 3 g Fat 2.5 g Saturated fat <1 1="" g="" mg="" nbsp="" o:p="" sodium="">

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Recipe ReDux Post # 55 Cauliflower Mushroom Taco Filling

February Recipe Redux theme is Taco Tuesday!! So as you can guess, we were encouraged to develop a creative taco recipe :)   It is my belief that that the world can always use more vegetarian taco options so I decided to develop one to add to the mix!  I used two of my favorite veggies as a base -cauliflower and mushrooms, and simply sauteed them with some onions and basic spices and the result was really delicious.  Caulifower often has a potato-like texture, and mushrooms can be somewhat “meaty” in mouth feel so these two veggies worked very well as the filling to replace potatoes and meat, which are two popular types of taco fillings. This filling is very versatile and works well in tortillas, lettuce wraps, atop a salad or even as a yummy veggie side dish.  You can add beans, cheese or your favorite meat to pump up the protein.  I hope you will try it and also check out some of the other great taco ideas from the Recipe ReDux group!

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped raw cauliflower florets

4 cups chopped Portobello mushrooms

1 cup chopped white onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tablespoon chili powder

½ tablespoon ground cumin

salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

After chopping up all the veggies add the mushrooms and the onions to a large pan coated with the tablespoon olive oil and sauté on medium high heat, stirring occasionally,  until starting to brown (about 5 minutes).  While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, steam the cauliflower al dente in a pot of shallow boiling water or in a microwave-safe dish in 1 inch of water (covered) for about 4 minutes.  Drain the cauliflower and add it to the pan with the mushroom-onion mixture. Add the cumin and chili powder, mix well to coat the veggies and continue to heat for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Add salt to taste if desired and serve.  This works great with tortillas, lettuce cups, or mixed in with black beans atop a salad or as a burrito bowl with beans, rice and cheese.

Make 5 cups 5 servings

Serving size: 1 cup  Calories  90 Protein 4 g Carb 13 g  Fiber 3 g Sugars 5 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium  40 mg

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Recipe Redux Post # 54: Kicked Up Tomato Soup

My challenge for Recipe ReDux this January was to create a “budget friendly” entrée that costs less than $3.00/serving.  I thought this was a great idea and brought Gabby in on the task so she could learn about the cost of ingredients in addition to helping me in the kitchen.  When I think of cost friendly, I think of canned ingredients so we looked in our pantry to see what we had.  Being that’s its been cold and rainy lately we thought a soup recipe would be in order and got to work combining what staples we had on hand.  We decided to do a kicked up tomato soup that actually included adding refried beans, corn, chili powder and cumin for some flair.  It was super easy to make and…..costs only roughly $ 1.00 per serving!!  You can add left over chicken or more beans  (like whole pinto or black) if you want to increase the protein and can garnish it with low fat cheese or sour cream as well. We hope you will try it along with the other budget friendly recipes from the Recipe ReDux group.

Ingredients:

32 ounces of vegetable broth

One 16 ounce can of corn  

One 16 ounce can of refried beans

One 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) until warmed though and beans are uniformly mixed in, about 10 minutes. 

Makes about 12 cups, six servings

Serving size: 2 cups Calories 140 Protein 6 g Carb 24 g Fiber 7 g Sugars 19 g Fat 4.5 g Saturated fat 0.5 g Sodium 800 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 49 Turkey and Veggie Taco Filling

One of my favorite places to escape Los Angeles for a weekend trip is San Diego.  Years ago when I was there for a conference we were treated to a wonderful meal downtown for dinner at a trendy Mexican place.  It was a warm evening so I decided to order a taco salad and I found it extra special since they used ground turkey and it contained one of my favorite veggies- mushrooms. I have been wanting to re-create it for a long time now and this month’s Recipe ReDux gave me just the chance! The August challenge is to make a vacation inspired recipe and this is the one I chose. I hope you will give it a try and sample some of the other tasty trip-tastic treats developed by the talented Recipe ReDux bloggers too.

Ingredients:

16 ounces lean ground turkey

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups finely chopped bell pepper (red, yellow or a mixture)

4 cups chopped mushrooms (I used portobello)

1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

salt to taste

Directions:

Coat a large sized pan with the olive oil, add the turkey meat and brown on medium heat, breaking up into small pieces, for about 7-10 minutes until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the onion, peppers, and mushrooms to the pan and sauté on medium high heat until softened and starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Put the turkey back into the pan with the veggies, add the canned tomatoes and spices and simmer on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until warmed through.

Make 8 generous cups, 8 servings

Serving size: 1 cup Calories 110 Protein 16 g Carb 10 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 120 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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Recipe ReDux Post # 48: Cajun Cauliflower "Rice" and Beans

July's Recipe ReDux theme is "Get Your Fruits and Veggies in Shape" and we were encouraged to develop a recipe using fruits or veggies in unusual shapes/creative cuts.  Cauliflower had been on sale at my local Sprouts Market last week so I eagerly bought 2 large heads. As the week wore on I started to realize the cauliflower had been just sitting in my fridge and it needed to be eaten!! I decided it would be the perfect veggie to work with for this challenge and I thought it would be a good idea to try my luck at another cauliflower rice recipe.  As you may recall, I have made a faux risotto with cauliflower rice with turned out great.  This time I went for simple pairing of cauliflower rice with black beans and spiced it up with some Cajun flair.  Just four ingredients combine to make a super yummy dish that can be served as a side with your favorite protein, or even be a meal itself served over salad or topped with avocado, cheese and salsa! It is high in fiber and protein and low in fat too, which is a bonus!! I hope you will give it a try and take a look at all the other creative veggie/fruit recipes developed by the talented Recipe ReDux group!

Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
Two 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well

Directions:

Make the cauliflower into raw "rice " by using THIS recipe.  Add the tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and put in the cauliflower rice and sprinkle the seasoning over it .  Saute on medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the black beans and heat for another 3-5 minutes until warmed through.

Makes 5 heaping cups, five servings

Serving size: 1 heaping cup Calories 189 Protein 12 g Carb 31 g Fiber 8 g Sugars 2 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium  136 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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Gabby’s Eats: Strawberry Banana Protein Muffins

“Let’s bake something with strawberries!” had been a frequent request from Gabby over the last couple of months.  Unfortunately this persistent asking happened to occur during the late Winter/early Spring when strawberries just are not in season in California. (Yes, we could have used frozen but fresh ones taste so amazing.) I would explain this to Gabs but it didn’t really stop her from asking from time to time. So she was very excited indeed when strawberries popped into stores in May and the time had finally come to be able to use them in a recipe. Gabby enjoys the protein muffins I make for breakfast, namely the morning glory flavor.  She decided that another version, a strawberry banana protein muffin, would be just her choice for the our beloved berries.  Her enthusiasm prompted her to initially suggest adding a full 2 cups chopped to the recipe, which was a bit overzealous and led the muffins to be too soft. We scaled them back to 1 ¼ cups and that was just the right amount.  They came out delicious and this recipe was very well worth the wait!

  Ingredients:

2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned, not quick, use a gluten-free oats if you are on a gluten-free diet)

3/4 cup all purpose (or oat flour, which can be used on a GF diet)  

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

6 Tablespoons protein powder (preferably natural unflavored)

3 large sized over ripe bananas, mashed

6 Tablespoons liquid egg white

6 Tablespoons (packed) brown sugar

1/4 cup milk (we used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1.25 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and protein powder in a small bowl.  

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, brown sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Add the oats/flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. 

Fold in the berries. Spoon into 6 jumbo size muffin pan cups (or 6 small ramiken/small oven safe baking dishes) or 12 regular sized coated with cooking spray and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 30-35 minutes for the regular size, and 35-40 minutes for the jumbo, until top is firm, lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted into the center.

Makes six jumbo or 12 regular servings

Serving size 1 very large muffin Calories 290  Protein 13  g Carb 52  g Fiber 7  g Sugars 20  g Fat 3.5  g Saturated fat  0 g Sodium 280 mg

Serving size 1 regular sized muffin Calories 145  Protein 7  g Carb 26  g Fiber 3.5 g Sugars 10  g Fat 2  g Saturated fat  0 g Sodium 140 mg

Gabby's Shot

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