Breakfast Smoothie & Detoxifying “Green Drank” (v, gf)

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Recently, a reader asked why I have posted only one true breakfast recipe. The answer is, I usually blend a protein smoothie for myself and throw it in a blender bottle in the morning- it’s a fast, portable meal that keeps me full for hours, and the protein is timed well after morning workouts. Posting variations of the same smoothie would be boring, but I thought I’d share the basics.

My favorite combo is:

PB & CHOCOLATE BANANA SMOOTHIE

  • 2-3 scoops chocolate protein powder (your choice- whey, soy, both, other)
  • 1 banana, cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • water (1 1/2- 2 cups)

Directions: blend all ingredients well, for about 2 minutes in a food processor. Pour and serve.

But this morning, I made:

VANILLA-BLUEBERRY FLAX SMOOTHIE

  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (whey or vegan)
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 2 cups water Read More

Apple Cinnamon Granola (veg)

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Dave loves granola, and I’ve been pretty unhappy with what we’ve been buying. So much of what’s available in grocery stores is laden with fat and way too much sugar (which is why it’s so good, but still). I’d been wanting to try to make my own so I wouldn’t feel like I was sugar poisoning my husband, so this apple cinnamon version was my first attempt, mostly because I had all of the ingredients at home. It was soooo easy- just mix and bake.

The recipe I loosely followed still used more sugar than I did, so my measurements are below.  The proportions of oil and liquid/sweeteners to nuts and grains seems like a good jumping off point for other versions. Ta-da!

APPLE CINNAMON GRANOLA

Adapted from Rockstar Diaries

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 3.9 oz cup Motts Natural applesauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I used Penzey’s Vietnamese Extra Fancy– ooh, la la)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 c honey
  • 3 tbsp agave syrup
  • 1/2 c almonds, unsalted
  • 1/2 c cashews, lightly salted
  • 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • parchment paper to line baking sheet Read More

Chicken Thighs Braised in Marinara (gf)

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Hello! I haven’t posted in a while- we’ve been moving into and getting settled in our new home! It’s been a very exciting month, but moving always means meals out and cereal for dinner for a while. Instead of posting bowls of Kashi and soy milk, here’s the first meal I cooked in our new kitchen:

CHICKEN THIGHS BRAISED IN MARINARA

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

Quickie: 4-Minute Bibimbap Fake-Out (veg, gf)

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Had four minutes yesterday morning to whip up something that would feed me for two lunches. That’s all the intro needed.

with first Sriracha application

 4-MINUTE BIBIMBAP FAKE-OUT

Ingredients:

Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes with Coarse Salt and Nutmeg (v, gf)

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If you have read my other posts, it’s no big secret that I adore sweet potatoes. With undying, eat-them-two-to-three-times-a-week adoration. They’re incredibly nutritious, they’re versatile, they’re filling, and they’re beyond delectable. Craveable, even… which leads me to this post.

snack ti-yme

I had NEVER TRIED sweet potatoes (say whaaaa!!!???) until I met my husband. My mother-in-law, Jane Ann, makes them in holiday casseroles and as dinner sides all the time and she opened my sad, beta carotene-deficient eyes to the wonderful vegetable. My life is now divided into time BSP and ASP.

These days, when I want a sweet and salty, deeply flavorful snack that is still going to do something good for my body, I make these. If you can wait about an hour to snack, I swear: give these a shot and they will kill any craving you have. They have all the warm, homey trappings of comfort food, and they won’t break the calorie bank. From the bottom of my orange, starchy little heart, here are:

ROASTED BROWN SUGAR SWEET POTATOES WITH COARSE SALT AND NUTMEG

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes (at least 1 pound)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • a few shakes of cinnamon (1/4 tsp or so)
  • freshly grated nutmeg (same- 1/4 tsp or so)
  • a large pinch of kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp) Read More

Curried Barley “Risotto” With Shrimp

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I like to make this barley risotto fake-out when I want to make a one pot, complete meal that tastes indulgent but isn’t. Usually, I make the dish with shrimp and asparagus and no curry powder, but this time I had broccoli on hand and a Eureka! curry powder moment, which turned into the dish I’m posting. Curry powder is most definitely a polarizing spice, so by all means, omit it if you’re not a fan.

the rirruto

It was quite delish, and is very easy to make. Once you know the proportions of water and barley and the cooking times (all of which will remain the same, regardless of fillings), you can substitute other veggies and protein for the shrimp and broccoli (see bottom of post for tried-and-true combos).

CURRIED BARLEY “RISOTTO” WITH SHRIMP

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 Steamfresh bag of broccoli cuts
  • 2 small or 1 large onion(s), cut into large dice
  • 1 1/4 cups Quaker medium pearled barley
  • 3 tbsp canola or olive oil, divided
  •  3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 5 1/2 cups stock, or water + 5 tsps cooking base or bouillon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp curry powder, optional
  • a few generous grinds black pepper

    Read More

Quickie: Mexican Chicken & Quinoa Protein Bowl (gf)

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Whipped this up the other night when I was craving taco-style flavors but needed to enjoy them in a healthy way. It’s quite simple, and you could substitute other veggies or a different grain to fit what you have available in your pantry. This made quite a bit of food, so remember that the recipe can be halved easily. Enjoy!!

nutritious and delicious

MEXICAN CHICKEN & QUINOA PROTEIN BOWL

Ingredients:

  • 1- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 tbsp homemade or store-bought taco seasoning 
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 can pinto beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • Salsas, cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt to top Read More

Simple Pork Tenderloin Roast (gf)

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First off, a nod to a classic cookbook, and one of my favorites, Joy of Cooking. We had two pork tenderloins to  roasted and I needed a simple, classic recipe. Times like those almost always lead me to Joy of Cooking. It’s a fail-safe and fabulous reference for recipes for over 4,500 of the most beloved American dishes (at least, the 2006 edition contains that many. 4,500). Need to make a pan sauce? Joy of Cooking. Need to roast a chicken? Joy of Cooking. Making dumplings? A yellow cake? Green beans almondine? Biscuits? A standing rib roast? Joy of Cooking.

It’s been named by the NY Public Library as one of the 150 most influential books of the 20th century (dude…). If you don’t have a copy, or are looking for just one cookbook to guide you through common kitchen adventures, I suggest picking one up. And, you’ll have it forever- these books make great heirlooms.

ta-da!

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN 

Lovingly adapted from Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp thyme, rosemary, oregano, or other spice you’d like to use
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • pork tenderloin(s), 2-3 lbs in total Read More