Lemon “Poppy Seed” Pancakes

I enjoyed the lemon + chia seed combo in the protein bar recipe tat I posted last month so I decided to try it in pancakes as well!

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour (if you are on a gluten free diet use a brand such as Bob’s Red Mill or you can make your own to by grinding gluten free oats in food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup egg whites
1 cup nonfat milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 teaspoons lemon zest (peel grated from fresh lemon)
2 teaspoon chia seeds

Directions:

In a small bowl combine the baking powder, flour and brown sugar together. To a larger bowl add the egg whites, vanilla, lemon zest, chia seeds and milk and whisk together. Then slowly whisk in the flour mixture until a smooth, thin batter is formed. Let stand for a few minutes. Add ¼ cup (for 1 pancake) to a non stick skillet, or one coated with cooking spray and heat on high heat for 1-2 minutes each side. Repeat with ¼ cup mixture 5 more times for a total of six small pancakes. Makes 6 pancakes.

Serving size: 1 pancake Calories 90 Protein 3 g Carb 13 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 6 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 140 mg

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Recipe ReDux Post # 15 Almond Coconut Rolled Dates

The Recipe ReDux theme for July is travel snacks and we were encouraged to post our favorite creations of treats/mini meals for on the go.  Fruit, turkey jerky, baby carrots and home made protein bars are standards in our household but another portable recipe I developed recently is centered around dates (literally!).  I buy and enjoy medjool dates from Trader Joes and use them in salads, smoothies, in my Date Walnut Protein Bar recipe and even as a snack by themselves.  In the past I  have also noshed on store bought coconut rolled dates as naturally sweet dessert and those were the inspiration for this recipe.  But I took it one step further by dipping them in almond butter (which has been jazzed up with some vanilla and brown sugar) BEFORE rolling them in coconut and the result was insanely delicious :) I generally keep these on the fridge for the long term, but they will travel well if you put them in little muffin liners and then into a baggie or container to take with for a few hours journey.  Hope you enjoy these at home or on the road and check out the rest of the tasty travel fare created by the talented Recipe ReDux group!

Ingredients:

12 pitted whole medjool dates

¼ cup creamy almond butter

¼ cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

parchment or wax paper

12 whole almonds (optional, I used honey roasted)

Directions:

Mix the almond butter, vanilla and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread the coconut out on a piece of parchment/wax paper (or clean plate) and set aside another empty piece of parchment/wax paper (or second clean plate) to set the finished dates on.  Dip each date in the almond butter mixture to coat, roll in coconut, place one almond firmly in the center for decoration and set on paper/plate. Repeat this step 11 more times for a total of 12 rolled dates. (note: one rolled date will need about 1 teaspoon almond butter and 1 teaspoon coconut to be completely coated). Chill in the fridge if not serving immediately.

Makes 12 servings

Serving size: 1 rolled date  Calories 110 Protein 2 g Carb17 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 14g Fat 5 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 25 mg

An InLinkz Link-up

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Arugula Apricot and Almond Salad

A refreshing and easy Summer salad for one

Ingredients:

1-1.5 packed cups of arugula

1 large apricot

7  almonds, chopped (I used honey roasted)

1 Tablespoon crumbled goat cheese

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

Directions:

Wash and dry the arugula and apricot and chop.  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 1 servings

Serving size: 1/4^th of recipe cup (not including dressing) Calories 100  Protein 4  g Carb 7 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 g Fat 7  g Saturated fat 2 g Sodium   110 mg

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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

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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.

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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

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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!

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