KIND Bars

March 7th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (0 Comments)

In honor of National Nutrition Month, KIND sent me a box load of treats last week. So sweet of them!

kind bars shipment

They included a lot of their bars and a few bags of granola. As you know, I generally don’t buy granola because I figure I can make my own cheaper and healthier.

But, I absolutely loved their granola. It turned out to be a breakfast treat. I enjoyed it because it wasn’t too high in sugar and the calories weren’t outrageous. Most contain about 5-6 g sugar per 1/3 cup serving.

I like some of their bars–mostly only the ones with 4 grams of sugar. These ones are all nuts compacted into a bar with some type of flavor like vanilla extract.

My favorite was the vanilla almond:

vanilla almond kind bar

Eating it in the car before I go to the gym! 7 g protein and 5 g fiber. Love that.

Overall, I have pretty good things to say about KIND products, except double check your ingredient label. Like I said, try to choose the flavors that have the least amount of added sugar (4-6 g is pretty good).

Thanks KIND!

, , , , ,

Healthy Mug Muffins

February 25th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

For a long time now, I have seen other bloggers posting their cake mugs or mug muffin ideas online. I didn’t think much of it because I immediately thought of it as an unhealthy cake.

But, you can easily turn it into a healthy snack or breakfast!

healthy mug muffin

healthy cake mug

I found this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie for the mug muffin pictured directly above. It came out great, so I used this as my starting point to make a healthier mug muffin.

Healthy Protein Mug Muffin

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a banana (or 1 small) mashed–or you could use applesauce, sweet potato, or pumpkin
  • 2 Tbsp. brown rice protein powder
  • 2 Tbsp. oat flour
  • 2 packets stevia
  • 3-4 Tbsp. almond milk (or until the consistency of cake batter)
  • 1-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • splash of vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • dash of cinnamon
  • pinch of walnuts or almonds for the top

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients until you get a cake batter consistency. Top with walnuts.
  2. Microwave about 60-75 seconds.
  3. Cool 2 minutes before attempting to eat. It will be VERY hot.

Approx Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 35 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 9 g fat, 28 g protein, 38% of your DV for iron! Very low sugar–only from the banana.

Perfect nutrition for the morning. I ate some more cantaloupe, and the rest of the banana to go with it all!

, , , , , , , ,

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.

, , , , ,

My First Juicer

January 31st, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Kitchen - (0 Comments)

I was lucky enough to get a NutriPro Juicer from Bella for free! I have never owned a juicer, but was thinking about getting one. I always just figured I wouldn’t use it much.

nutripro masticating juicer

Even though I received a free juicer, all words written are my honest true thoughts.

Anyhow, if you are new to the juicing world, there are two types of juicers out there: centrifugal and masticating (chewing) juicers.

The NutriPro I got is a masticating juicer meaning that it “chews” through the food slowly. This is also known as the “cold press” method which supposedly preserves more enzymes and nutrients. We are not sure exactly how many nutrients are lost in the centrifugal juicers–it may be insignificant.

fresh carrot juice

Overall, I love my juicer, and it is fun to watch it crush foods. Sometimes it gets stuck if you put in a chunk of carrot that is too large. It seems to do about average as far a the yield that it produces. Mr. Cyclist thinks it may be a little low yield.

It is fairly easy to clean and dishwasher safe, and very quiet compared to other juicers I have heard.

fresh green juice

This is my standard juice that I make: 3 leaves of kale, half a small cucumber, 2 stalks celery, 1 small-medium apple, 2 lemon slices. Then, I add some wheat grass in between (if I have some ready and grown).

wheat grass for cats

Lemon (the cat) loves wheat grass, too!

You can read more about the NutriPro at my post on Diet-Blog.

Do you have a juicer?

, , , , , , , ,

Leftover Broccoli Stems? Don’t Throw Them Out!

January 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Healthy Living | Recipes - (0 Comments)

Many of us only use the florets of the broccoli plant. But, what about the poor little broccoli stems? I used to throw them out, but Mr. Cyclist had a genius idea for cooking them.

chile broccoli stems

He sliced the stems on the julienne setting on the mandolin. Then, sauteed in oil, chili oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce. Topped with black sesame seeds. It was absolutely delicious, but super spicy. I could only eat a few bites at a time.

asian kale salad

We had a cute little salad with it, and some miso soup!

ginger kale salad

Yesterday, I also went to the farmer’s market to load up on fruits, vegetables, and spices. It was a mad house. I finally made it out of there alive, and loaded up my fridge.

fridge with veggies

You can’t really tell from this picture, but there are loads of oranges, clementines, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, herbs, apples, some dried fruit, eggplant, brussels sprouts, and more…

I also picked up these spices for $0.40-$2 each!!

cheap bulk spices

What a steal! This week, I will have plenty of healthy recipe ideas ready to go. It definitely helps to do this shopping ahead of time.

, , , , , , , , ,

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.

 

, , , , , , ,

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22nd, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Hope you have a relaxing day full of good food and good company :)

Yesterday was full of food prep for today. Psycho Holiday Baker was at it again this year!

Haha. Cute. She made her famous turkey cookies again this year.

I helped with the artistic direction ;) Meanwhile, I made some vegan sweet potato biscuits and then baked my famous apple pie with the help of Betty Crocker.

I used this recipe from My Vegan Cookbook, and it came out fantastic. No yeast required! Pretty easy ingredients. The only thing I would mention is to make sure you use copious amounts of flour when rolling out because the dough is very sticky.

I also prepped my bourbon spiked vegan truffles (recipe from NY Times Well Blog). This is just the filling with pecans, graham crackers, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and bourbon. Then, you dip them in vegan chocolate.

We’ll see what they are like today!

Mister Matthew was making some fancy gourmet sandwiches that day.

And Dad cooked a healthy pre-turkey salmon dinner using a spicy Thai chile sauce with basil. It was delicious and nutritous!

You can find a similar recipe here. Just add a fresh basil garnish.

While he cooked us dinner, Psycho Baker and I went to step class to get our pre-turkey workout in.

Watching the Thanksgiving Parade now, then off to Thanksgiving dinner!

, , , , ,

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?

, , , , , ,

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

October 4th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (2 Comments)

I created a variation on my quinoa protein pancakes that I often make and freeze ahead for the next week. Pumpkin recipes are every where. Why not in my breakfast!

The pumpkin replaces the fat in the recipe, but also adds loads of vitamin A and some iron and manganese too!

For the recipe, click here. And, instead of the applesauce, use canned pumpkin! That’s it!

And here is what they look like when cooking. Don’t worry that they are a little more thick than normal pancakes. They come out smooth and very moist.

Happy Fall! Now, time to get outside and enjoy the weather!

, , , , , ,

Freeze Ahead Black Bean Burgers

October 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (2 Comments)

I was browsing the website, skinnytaste.com, the other day and came across this idea for black bean burgers made from scratch! I thought, how hard can that be?

It would give me another use for my food processor again. And, the best thing I love about this recipe is that you can make a bunch, and store in the freezer until you are ready to make a burger. They freeze extremely well.

Freeze Ahead Black Bean Burgers

Makes about 12-13 burgers

Ingredients

  • 2, 16 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained well. Pat dry with paper towel.
  • 1 small red pepper (if large pepper, use a little less), cut in large pieces
  • 1/2 a bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, with 2 tsp. of the adobo sauce
  • 1/2 a yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats (use GF oats to make GF recipe)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp. dried cumin
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil, for cooking

Directions:

  1. Rinse and drain the beans. Make sure to dry well. Excess moisture in this recipe makes the burgers too liquidy.
  2. Put all of the ingredients in a large food processor, and blend together! If you do not have a large food processor, you can use a smaller one to blend all of the ingredients except the beans. You can mash the beans with a fork, and then stir the ingredients together.
  3. Chill the mixture for about 30 minutes to help firm so you can make into burgers.
  4. Next, line a large plate or baking sheet with wax paper or plastic wrap. Spoon out the plate like you are making large cookies.
  5. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and freeze until you are ready to make the burgers. **I recommend freezing in a plastic freezable container if you are not going to make that night or the next day.
  6. To cook: Heat a large saute pan with 1 Tbsp. olive oil on medium. Add the burgers still frozen to the pan. Cooked uncovered for about 6-8 minutes per side. Flip when they become firm enough to put the spatula underneath.

You could serve on some whole wheat buns, or just eat it by itself. I prefer it on top of a salad with some avocado! Yum!

The next day, I brought it to work with a side of Brussels sprouts.

, , , , , , , , , ,