Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

This was my first attempt using almond meal in a recipe and I was a bit skeptical, but these cookies came out great.  They have a light airy, chewy texture and the slight richness of the almond mixed with the dark chocolate pairs nicely.  And, they are grain-free, gluten free, lower sugar and lower carb too!

Ingredients:

1.75 cup almond meal

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (if you want very thin flat cookies use baking soda)

1 egg

1/3 cup margarine, slightly softened (preferably an all natural brand such as Earth Balance)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup chocolate chips (*use a gluten-free oats such as Nestle if you are on a gluten-free diet)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix almond meal and baking powder/soda in a small to medium bowl. In a larger bowl, mix the brown sugar, egg and margarine. Slowly start adding the almond meal mixture to the larger bowl with the egg/sugar mixture until a soft thick dough is formed. Stir in the chips.

Refrigerate the dough overnight or at least a few hours for best results.

Drop the cookie dough in rounded spoonfuls (or use a small ice cream scooper) onto a baking sheet to make 24 cookies. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes about 20 cookies

Serving size: 1 cookie Calories 130 Protein 3 g Carb 10 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 8 g Fat 9 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 70 mg

Read more...

Fabulous Food Finds: Udi's Gluten Free Hamburger Rolls Plus My Recipe For Fiesta Turkey Burgers!

I really enjoy Udi's gluten free bread and have been eating it for awhile now, so when I was contacted by one of their company representatives to try out some samples of their hamburger and hot dog buns in a BBQ inspired recipe post I was BEYOND excited!  Soon after I happily agreed a package arrived at my doorstep...

Not only did they send me the buns but I also got samples of bread, cookies, brownies, muffins, tortillas and pizza crust too!  I immediately tried the SnickerDoodle cookies which were to die for and my daughter and I had one of their Double Vanilla muffins the next morning which was also delish and seriously like having a cupcake for breakfast.

I have had this recipe for Fiesta Turkey Burgers in my mind for while now and getting the hamburger buns was a perfect opportunity to try it out.  Adding veggies, beans and spices to the turkey burgers was super tasty and also added a boost of vitamins and minerals plus fiber too!

I have to say that the hamburger buns worked perfectly as well.  They hold their shape nicely, even when carrying the weight of a hefty turkey burger and all the fixin's.  These buns are also crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside and are delicious when toasted. I used the Whole Grain Hamburger Bun variety which is under 200 calories and has a whopping 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein as well. I can't wait to try some recipes with their hot dog buns, tortillas and pizza crust too.  A big thanks to Udi's for providing me with the samples and hope you all try their products out along with this festive turkey burger recipe!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey  

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup egg whites

½ cup cooked black beans (I used canned from Trader Joes, rinsed well)

½ cup cooked corn

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon salt (if taco seasoning does not contain salt)

6 hamburger buns, preferably whole grain (I used Udi's brand which is great for those on gluten free diets!)

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Form 6 patties and place on a heated nonstick pan or grill. Heat 7-10 minutes on each side on high heat or until no longer pink on the inside. Lightly toast the 

buns, add the patties, your favorite condiments/fixin's in and serve.

Makes 6 burgers, 6 servings

Serving size: 1 burger (with Udi's bun) Calories 330 Protein 29 g Carb 44  g Fiber 8 g Sugars 2 g Fat 7 g Saturated fat 0.5  g Sodium 640  mg (sodium will vary depending on taco seasoning/salt added/bun used)

1 burger (without bun) Calories 140 Protein 23 g Carb 10  g Fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat0  g Sodium 270  mg (sodium will vary depending on taco seasoning/salt added)

Note: I was provided with products by Udi's to review but all of the views and opinions stated in this post are my own.

Read more...

Copycat Recipe: Tangy Pineapple Coleslaw

The concept of adding pineapple to coleslaw was introduced to me after eating at a local BBQ joint called My in the San Fernando Valley.  I loved the natural hint of sweetness the pineapple adds and needed to create my own version to enjoy at home.

Ingredients:

2.5 cups shredded cabbage

½ cup shredded carrot

¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

¼ cup light mayo *use a gluten-free brand such as Best Foods if you are on a gluten-free diet)

¼ cup finely chopped pineapple (canned, packed in its own juice)

1-2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, pineapple and pineapple juice. Throw in the cabbage and carrots and mix well until evenly covered with the dressing. 

Chill and serve.
Makes  3  cups 6 servings

Serving size: ½ cup Calories 60 Protein 1 g Carb 6 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 3 g Fat 3.5 g Saturated Fat 1 g Sodium 85 mg

Read more...

Fabulous Food Finds: Trader Joes Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette

This dressing has been around for awhile but I just had to highlight it in case some of you have NOT stumbled upon it during your Trader Joes shopping expeditions. It is super low-cal, has no fat, preservatives or artificial flavors and 2 tablespoons clock in at only 25 calories, 6 grams of carb, 5 grams of sugar and 170 mg of sodium. I have used some in my Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette, Zucchini Caprese Salad and Quadruple Berry Spinach Salad recipes with much success. Give it a try!

Read more...

Recipe ReDux Post # 13 Quadruple Berry Spinach Salad With Almonds and Goat Cheese

Now that it’s May, many of us are knee deep into “shower season” including baby and wedding showers, as well as graduation parties. Brunches go hand in hand with these occasions so this month’s Recipe ReDux challenge was to “share our favorite healthy brunch dish for the upcoming 'shower season.' “.  I was very excited about this “theme of healthy, special occasion/holiday brunch recipes “ and wanted to create something healthy and unique.  Brunches tend to be carb and protein heavy with baked goods, casseroles, pancakes, waffles, fruit, egg dishes and meats and veggies are often an afterthought or neglected.  I felt a brunch salad was in order so I combined the theme of fruit salad and veggie salad together, and my recipe was born. This salad is sweet, savory and has a nice crunch of almonds, plus creamy goat cheese too! It is so easy to make so I would have no problem throwing it together the morning of and shoveling it into to my mouth even at a breakfast hour :)  It’s a powerhouse of antioxidants and fiber and really great for any meal besides brunch.  Try it out and also take a look at the other yummy “shower season” favorites whipped up by the talented Recipe ReDux group too!

Ingredients:

4 heaping cups of fresh spinach

¼ cup each of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and chopped strawberries (2 cups total of the mixed berries)

¼ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

dressing of choice (my recipes for Strawberry Vinaigrette and the Easy Version taste great in this salad, as well as good ol’ Trader Joes Fat Free Balsamic Vinaigrette!)

Directions:

Wash and dry the spinach and berries and chop up the strawberries into smaller pieces.  Add them all to a medium sized bowl. Top with the goat cheese and almonds, toss with dressing and serve. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Serving size: 1/4^th of recipe cup (not including dressing) Calories 100 Protein 4 g Carb 8 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 2 g Fat  5 g Saturated fat  2 g Sodium 95 mg

get the InLinkz code

Read more...

Lemon Raisin Walnut Brussels Sprout Salad

I really enjoyed the Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Cranberries and Almonds that I created for the holidays so I decided to come up with another delicious variation!!

8 cups Brussels sprouts, stems trims and halved 

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and trim stems of Brussels sprouts and cut into halves. Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray and roast for 20-30 minutes, (turn/toss them half way through) until lightly browned and tender but firm when pierced with a fork.  Let cool and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice.  Chop up the cooled Brussels sprouts and add them along with the raisins and walnuts to the bowl and mix well until evenly coated with dressing.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge if not serving immediately.

Makes 8 cups 8 servings

Serving size: 1 cup Calories 140 Protein 4 g Carb 13 g Fiber 4 g Sugars 6 g Fat 10 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 25 mg

Read more...

PB Rice Krispie Treats

 

Substituting PB for marshmallows makes a surprisingly tasty treat and makes them all natural with less sugar too!

Ingredients:

¼ cup chocolate chips (I used the Enjoy Life Brand, which is dairy and soy free)

1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (I used Trader Joes salted crunchy)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2.5 cups rice krispies

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine the peanuts butter, syrup or honey and vanilla extract and mix well.  Stir in the krispies and continue to mix until well incorporated. . Press mixture into an 8 by 8 inch pan. (Lining the pan with a large rectangular piece of parchment paper, placing the mixture on one side and then folding the paper over to press down works nicely since the dough is so sticky.)   Refrigerate for at least one hour.  Store in the fridge in an airtight container

Makes 16 squares, 16 servings

Serving size: 1 square Calories 150 Protein 4 g Carb 14 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 8 g Fat 9 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium  95 mg

Read more...