Avoid Sugary Granola by Making Homemade Granola

February 12th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Recipes - (0 Comments)

I really love granola, but I know it can be quite sugary if you buy it packaged from the store. So, I just make it at home with the right ingredients and less sugar! I think it tastes better from home anyways.

Did you know 1/4 cup serving of granola can be over 200 calories?! A lot of that comes from the oils and sugars.

healthy granola

Simple and Healthy Granola

Makes about 9-10 servings. One serving= about 1/4-1/3 cup= 160 calories, 7 g fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 6-7 g sugar, 3 g protein.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2-3 cups oats
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • pinch of ground nutmeg and ground cloves
  • 4 packets stevia or stevia/xylitol blend
  • 3- 3.5 Tbsp. real honey
  • 1-2 tsp. molasses
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil (or coconut oil for those of you who prefer that)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients, then stir in the wet ingredients. Stir for 1-2 minutes until the oats are well coated.
  3. Empty the contents onto a baking sheet. Spread out evenly. Bake for 18-20 minutes, and stir half-way through.
  4. Let cool, and then store in an air-tight container.

Simple as that!

lower sugar homemade granola

If you have ground flax seed, toss some in. It creates a nice nutty flavor. Or, you can always add some nuts, seeds, or dried fruit!

I prefer to make mine simple so that I can eat it in the morning with some almond milk and fresh fruit.

By the way, I discovered this new almond milk:

so delicious protein almond milk

Here are the ingredients: ALMOND MILK (WATER, ALMONDS), PEA PROTEIN, RICE PROTEIN, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL FLAVOR, LOCUST BEAN GUM, KOSHER SEA SALT, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN D-2, L-SELENOMETHIONINE (SELENIUM), ZINC OXIDE, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B-12.

It’s only 40 calories per cup, but has 5 grams of protein total. This comes from pea and rice proteins. 5 grams is better than zero or one gram if you are looking to add more vegetable-based proteins to your diet.

The only negative is that the protein almond milk contains carrageenan which many say has negative effects on the body. For now, I am not going to worry about it. There are many other things I look to avoid, and this is not going to be one of my battles.

Overall, I enjoy the flavor of this unsweetened almond milk better than other unsweetened milks! I don’t usually buy almond milk.

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Roasted Spaghetti Squash

February 4th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (1 Comments)

I absolutely love spaghetti squash. The texture is crunchy and fun, and the taste is buttery even though you don’t add butter! Mr. Cyclist/Triathlete (whatever he is into these days) doesn’t like spaghetti squash that much unless he eats it right away hot off the pan. So, some people might not like the idea of a pasta looking vegetable that taste like squash.

This time around, I decided to try roasting the squash to see if I could get a more roasted, crispier flavor.

roasted spaghetti squash

First, I bake the squash whole in the oven for about 45 minutes at 375 F. Poke some holes in it before you bake it. Turn it halfway through. Watch parts of Roni’s video here–this is similar to what I do.

After you have scooped out the insides, you can layer it on an olive oiled baking sheet as pictured above. I also sliced up a whole onion, a few cloves of garlic, and added some seasonings and sun dried tomatoes for a bit of extra flavor.

Roast it in the oven at 400 F for about 45 minutes longer. I kept checking to see if it got more golden brown, but only slightly.

spaghetti squash

The main difference cooking it this way is that it became a little more crispy and delightful, and a little less mushy compared to the normal preparation.

We also ate some homemade palak paneer made by Mr. Cyclist:

palak paneer

The two dishes don’t really go together, but this is the kind of cooking you do to make sure your produce doesn’t go bad!

For those who don’t know, palak paneer is an Indian dish made of a blended, thick spinach curry “sauce” with paneer (an Indian cheese that reminds me of thick mozzarella). We discovered palak paneer is best eaten with a bread or cracker of some sort. Mr. Cyclist made it from scratch based off of his travels to India last year.

So, do you like spaghetti squash?

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How is that Spelt?

January 27th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Healthy Living - (0 Comments)

I picked up some fresh spelt pasta from the farmer’s market last weekend. It was the first time I had spelt in a pasta before. Mr Cyclist was wondering what spelt is…

Well, I can tell you I turned it into this:

spelt pasta

Spelt is a form of wheat. Many might categorize it in the “ancient grain” category, therefore it has been less processed than the modern wheat plant we find in most everything these days. The outer layer of spelt is also more tough, so it is said to hold in nutrients better.

An interesting fact: Those who do not tolerate wheat products say that they can eat spelt-based foods and feel fine. If you have Celiac’s disease, it is NOT recommended to eat spelt because it DOES contain gluten. However, those with mild food sensitivities do well choosing spelt over traditional wheat.

The end result is a slighter healthier grain than your traditional whole wheat pasta. Plus, this one was fresh made! Yum.

healthy spelt pasta

I cooked some shallots and garlic, then sauteed a lot of fresh spinach. I added some pesto chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s and some sun-dried tomatoes.

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Quinoa Guacamole Salad

January 20th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I call this “guacamole quinoa” because that is what it tastes like: guacamole mixed with quinoa.

guacamole quinoa

This recipe is filling, tasty, and contains all the nutrients you need: Healthy fats, complete proteins, vegetables, fruit, high fiber, and a healthy carbohydrate.

I am not sure where I originally got this recipe idea from, but I know it was first adapted from Oh She Glows. I modified it to make it fit the ingredients I had at home, so here you go:

Quinoa Guacamole Saladavocado quinoa

Cooking time: About 30 minutes     Serves: About 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa (Mr Cyclist doubled this because he thought it wasn’t enough, but agrees that it should’ve been 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cups water with large pinch of salt or reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 small can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1/2  a pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach or about 3/4-1 cup frozen and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1/2 a bunch of fresh cilantro (or you could use a tube of puree cilantro herb to season)

    Dressing (from the Diva Dish):
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook quinoa according to package. Meanwhile, mix all your dressing ingredients together and prepare the rest of your ingredients.
  2. When the quinoa is near done, you can stir in your spinach and cilantro, and continue to heat until they are cooked in.
  3. Add the chickpeas, onions, garlic, and seasonings to quinoa.
  4. Add your dressing, then cool the quinoa. You can put it in the fridge for a little while or over a bowl of ice.
  5. Add in the tomatoes and avocado. Stir to combine until it is creamier. Put back in the fridge for another 5 minutes or so.

Serve with a cilantro garnish! You can also add some crushed red pepper for spice or a little chipotle chili powder.

quinoa avocado salad

Mr Cyclist says this wasn’t his favorite dish, and doesn’t want to make anymore cold quinoa dishes. He says he prefers it warm. So, if you like, try the dish warm and see if you like it better. I think it is good either way. I loved how easy it was to take to work for lunches. It is a complete meal all-in-one.

 

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Sam’s Spinach

December 12th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

“I ate a pound of spinach”… said no one ever. Until now.

Mr. Cyclists aka Chef Sam cooked a creamed spinach dish. He started with a 2.5 pound bag of fresh spinach from Costco. And yes, at meal time he ate quite a bit of spinach. I don’t really know if it was a whole pound!

Anyway, he based his recipe off of this Food Wishes YouTube site:

Don’t freak out. We did not use all this butter. Sam reduced it to a total of 2 tablespoons (or slightly less) in this recipe. He also used whole milk instead of cream, and added some extra fresh chopped garlic. Everything else was pretty much the same!

And, it turned out delicious!

We ate it with some homemade salmon croquettes.

Look at those chunks of garlic. Mmm.

What we realized is that the spinach to sauce ratio is fairly healthy. You are able to eat a lot of healthy greens, and much less creamy sauce.

Do you have any favorite cooked spinach recipes?

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Mashed Cauliflower instead of Mashed Potatoes

November 26th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I have mentioned my mashed cauliflower many times before, but have never posted the recipe for you guys. Well, it seems to be perfected, so here you go!

Everyone seems to love it, even my brother, Danny, who doesn’t like too many vegetables. And, it is a great healthy and light alternative to mashed potatoes. Especially, for those who want to eat more vegetables and a few less carbohydrates.

Mashed Cauliflower

Makes 4 large servings or 6 medium servings.

Ingredients:

  • 3, 12 oz. (36 oz. total) packages of frozen cauliflower (the frozen kind seems to get a little softer for mashing), thawed
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2-3 tsp. minced garlic (or about 4 fresh cloves, minced)
  • 1 Tbsp. dried parsley (or fresh)
  • 1 tsp. ground rosemary
  • 4 Tbsp. light cream cheese or reduced fat
  • 1 Tbsp. real butter or Earth Balance
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (sometimes I taste it, and end up adding more)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, steam your thawed cauliflower for about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook your onions and garlic in the olive oil on medium-low until caramelized a golden brown.
  3. Add your herbs and seasonings to the onion mixture.
  4. When the cauliflower seems soft enough to mash, empty the water from the pot, and put the cauliflower back in that pot over the warm stove-top. Add your onion mixture, cream cheese, parmesan, and butter to the warm cauliflower. Mash with a potato masher (works best) or large serving utensil until it becomes smoother. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Taste and see how you like it. At this point, I may add additional herbs or spices, or another pinch of parmesan. You can check your consistency as well. I don’t mind mine chunkier, but others may like it smoother.

You can see that my recipe comes out more yellow in color because I use caramelized onions. You could omit them, and try using some dried onion flakes instead or more onion powder to get a whiter color like a potato. But, I love onions!

I also tried to snazz-up my dining table with some holiday decor.

Picture didn’t come out so great this time, but you get the idea. Used white lights behind the drapes, and used leftover Christmas tree branches in the centerpiece.

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Veggie Baked Pasta

November 15th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (2 Comments)

Baked ziti is one of my favorite pasta dishes. Pasta is not my favorite, but when you add ricotta, I instantly love it.

I went to the store in search of big ziti noodles, but could not find any! So, I resorted to some whole wheat shells.

Instead of traditional baked ziti, I loaded it up with lots of vegetables, fat free ricotta, and no additional cheese. Mr. Cyclist helped put this whole meal together while I did a workout. So nice ;-)

Veggie Baked Pasta

Fills one 9 x 13 casserole dish and you may have extra sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 eggplant, diced
  • 1 small carton of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. parsley
  • 1 Tbsp. basil
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano
  • 1 large container fat free or low fat ricotta (I think it is 15 oz. container)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 box of your favorite whole wheat pasta (shells, penne, rigatoni work well)
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Prepare your sauce by sauteing the onions and garlic, then added the tomatoes and herbs. Cook for about 20 minutes. We add anchovy paste and about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for some pizzazz! To save time, you could use a jar sauce.
  3. While cooking the sauce, lightly saute the remainder vegetables in a large saute pan with the olive oil.
  4. To assemble: In a 9 x 13 pan, add a layer of uncooked pasta. Then add a thick layer of sauce. The sauce will soften the pasta during baking. Add the vegetables on the next layer. Add a thick layer of ricotta next. Top with the rest of the sauce. You can lightly stir to combine the layers slightly.
    If you have too much sauce, save the extra for another meal. You can also freeze the sauce for the future.
  5. Bake about 30 minutes until the pasta is al dente. The pasta on the edges may be a little hard, but that is OK. Some love the crispier pieces!

I didn’t add any meat to this, but you could add some grilled chicken or lean ground turkey. The fat free ricotta is also a good protein source at 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup! For those who love cheese, you could top with mozzarella cheese. But, I didn’t think it needed it!

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Recipe Round-Up: A Vegan Thanksgiving

November 13th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (2 Comments)

I am going to make some vegan recipes this year for Thanksgiving, and it has got my family raising their eyebrows. They don’t seem to understand.

When you say vegan, a lot of people think, “eww… gross”. But, this is not the case. Just because something doesn’t have milk or butter or eggs… or meat doesn’t mean it is nasty.

I am not vegan, but I also want to show them that they can enjoy all types of food, and want them to expand their taste horizons!

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up from around The Blogosphere:

Appetizers:

Main/Sides:

Desserts:

You can find more ideas on my Pinterest board here!

Do you have any great Thanksgiving recipes?

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Caturday!

November 11th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

This weekend we adopted two precious kitties from Angels Rescue! We had been planning to adopt them, and we got to pick them up Saturday!

Brother and sister kittens that we re-named Liz Lemon aka “Lemon” and Jack Donaghy aka “Jack”. Silly, I know, but for some reason it fits them.

Earlier that day I stopped by the farmer’s market to pick up some goodies.

Mostly kale, sweet potatoes, and lots of carrots.

They had some really good looking lettuces:

When your veggies look pretty it makes it more exciting to eat them.

And turn into pizza! Haha!

Cooked some of the kale with onions, and added a dollop of fat free ricotta. Tasty.

Have a healthy weekend and happy Caturday!

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Superfood Dinner: Romano Crusted Salmon & Sliced Brussels Sprouts

November 6th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I was tired of salmon stinking up my house, so I decided to bake it! Fish smell-free!

This recipe turned out delicious! And, the cheese “crust” is really not bad for you. I used olive oil mayo (a little better than regular mayo because it has less fat and more olive oil), gluten free almond crackers for the breading, and romano cheese! Romano cheese is pretty strong, so you don’t need a lot.

Romano Crusted Salmon

Makes extra breading. I put what I don’t need inside a zip-top baggy, and save for chicken another night!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box blue diamond nut-thins (any variety is fine–I chose almond for a nutty flavor)
  • Approx. 3.5-4 oz. Romano cheese (can use Parmesan if that is what you have), sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil mayo *Use just enough to combine the cracker crumbs/cheese together
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 lb. wild salmon or steelhead fish

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you have what looks like bread crumbs.
  3. Pour half the “bread crumbs” into a bowl and combine with the mayo. Reserve the other half of the “bread crumbs” for another night.
  4. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Place the fish skin-side-down, and squeeze half a lemon over the fish.
  5. Press down your cheese/cracker topping on top of the fish with a spoon, and you can use your hands (just make sure to wash well after).
  6. Bake about 15 minutes.

For the brussels sprouts, slice them up length-wise. Saute them lightly (with about 1 Tbsp. olive oil) in a large saute pan. Add salt, pepper, and dried minced onion. Cook on medium for about 8-10 minutes. If you like, you could grate some leftover romano over top of the sprouts!

The reason I call this a superfood dinner is from all of the healthy omega-3′s in the fish, and the potent antioxidants in the brussels sprouts! An added bonus is that brussels sprouts are coming into season now.

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