Creamy Apple Chia Protein Pudding

 

Chia seeds are pretty cool, in addition to being packed with healthy fats and fiber, when added to liquids they transform before your very eyes.  This chia pudding recipe is easily transported in individual servings so would be a great on the go snack or dessert.  Since it contains carbs from the applesauce and protein from the protein powder, it would also make a great post workout snack.  Additionally, there are no added sweeteners of any kind, the sweetness of the applesauce speaks for itself!  Let me know if you try it in the comments.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk, or other milk option of your choosing (almond, cow dairy or any other milk you prefer would work just fine in this recipe)

4 cups unsweetened applesauce, creamy or chunky.  Flavored applesauce would be good

1.5 scoops of protein powder (I used unflavored plain whey protein powder, but any unflavored protein powder or collagen peptides would work nicely)

1 tsp cinnamon, or more if desired

1 pinch of sea salt

Optional additional ingredients for serving: apple slices, walnuts or pecans, coconut flakes, extra cinnamon.

Tools needed: bowl, fork or whisk, blender, measuring cups

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, measure out the chia seeds and set aside.

2. In a blender, combine the applesauce, coconut milk, protein powder, cinnamon and pinch of sea salt.  Blend until well combined.  Taste and add more cinnamon if so desired.

3. Transfer the applesauce mixture into the bowl with the chia seeds and immediatly begin to stir together.  Chia seeds will begin to absorb the moisture of the applesauce and will clump together if not thoroughly mixed.  Mix well and stir frequently over 5-10 mintues as it thickens up to prevent clumping.

4. Transfer to the refrigerator.  You can serve this with sliced fresh apples, an extra dash of cinnamon, chopped nuts or coconut flakes.

 

Sweet and Smokey Cabbage Apple Slaw

Fall inspired recipe, gluten free, low carb, paleo friendly.

This recipe is inspired by the start of fall (which officially begins tomorrow) and the start of Rosh Hashanah (which officially began yesterday at sunset).  Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a high holiday in the Jewish tradition.  A typical Rosh Hashanah dinner gathering includes foods that have symbolic meaning for the holiday.  To get a better understanding of some of the foods that are central to Jewish new year, check out this article.  A typical Rosh Hashanah meal would not be complete without apples dipped in honey.  The apples in honey represent the wish for a sweet new year, isn’t that a nice thought?

While my recipe would not be considered a traditional food for the holiday, I had Jewish new year as well as the start of fall in mind while creating this recipe, as this recipe includes apples and honey.  This is what I’d consider a template recipe.  Like more apples in your slaw?  Go for it!  Like a mix of red and green cabbage?  Try it out!

Happy new year if you celebrate it, if not, happy fall!

Ingredients:

Let’s assume all ingredients are pre-washed 🙂

Slaw ingredients:

1/2 medium red cabbage, shredded (or a mix of red and green cabbage)

1 apple, sliced thin

1/2 bunch of cilantro, leaves removed (set some aside for garnish)

Optional add ins: Shredded carrots, sliced avocado (do not chop until serving to prevent browning of the avocado), dried cranberries, toasted walnuts (not traditional for Rosh Hashanah).

Dressing ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Scant 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (just less than 1/4 cup, can add more as desired

1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder, I used dried chipotle peppers and ground them in my spice grinder, but you can also find this as a ready to use powder.  Note on spiciness: use 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder if you prefer less spice in your meals. (Optional substitution: if you don’t have chipotle powder, regular chili powder would be fine to use instead)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground.  (Optional substitution: If you don’t have whole cumin seeds, using 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder would be fine.)

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (If your chipotle or chili powder contains salt, you may want to lower the amount of sea salt.)

A note on the dressing:  I don’t like a lot of extra dressing mixed in with my slaw, so add to your liking.  I had a little dressing left over.  You can always serve with extra dressing on the side for anyone wanting a little more.  The leftover dressing would be good on other green salads and keeps well in the refrigerator.

Method:

1. Mix dressing ingredients, starting with only 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle/chili powder to start, taste and add more chipotle/chili powder as desired.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, incorporate shredded cabbage and finely sliced apple (and carrots, if using) mix to combine.  Toss in some of the cilantro leaves, being careful not to crush them.
3. Add dressing, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring as you add the dressing.  I used about 1/2 cup total of the dressing, which left a little dressing left over.  Refrigerate the slaw in the
4. Add more cilantro when serving, along with any optional add ins, such as dried cranberries, avocado slices, or toasted walnuts.

Healthier Taco Salad (Paleo friendly, Gluten and Dairy free)

 

While I love tacos just as much as anyone else (ok, maybe my husband loves them more than I do), I don’t always feel great after eating them.  I wanted to create a recipe that would hit the flavor mark (flavor mark is a thing, right?) with clean ingredients.  The beauty of a recipe like this is that it is a fast meal, the salad ingredients can be customized to one’s liking (in the photos I included red cabbage) and is great for a party or potluck.  If making ahead or for a group, I suggest keeping the plantain chips separate until serving.

Healthier Taco Salad (Paleo friendly, Gluten and Dairy free)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can pinto beans (omit for paleo version)

1 clove garlic, minced

Oil for cooking

Salad ingredients: Let’s assume that you have already washed your veggies, ok?

Lettuce (any variety), washed, dried and leaves torn

1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced in half

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced on bias

Red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

Black olives, drained

½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1-2 avocados

Plantain chips

Spice mix:

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon sea salt

Goes great with my dressing recipe: Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Method:

1. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, warm up 1-2 teaspoons of olive or avocado oil. When pan is warm, add the ground beef and spice mix. Stir to break up the beef and incorporate spices.  Allow to cook over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and has released it’s juices.  If doing the paleo version, go ahead and remove from heat.  If including beans, stir in beans to incorporate and cook until beef and bean mixture are warm.  Set pan aside.
2. In serving bowl, layer the following salad ingredients; lettuce, green onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, black olives and cilantro.
3. Top with beef and bean mixture. Garnish with avocado chunks and lastly, serve with plantain chips and cilantro lime vinaigrette.

Curried Turkey and Chickpea Shepard’s Pie

I wanted to share a recipe I developed a while ago, that for some reason I never posted.  I love shepard’s pie, and find that it is a fun type of recipe to play around with in terms of flavor and spice combinations.  This is comfort food at it’s finest, the warming spices of curry and garam masala pair nicely with the turkey and chickpeas.  Shepard’s pie in any form is great comfort food, in my opinion.  Let me know if you try it out in the comments.

Optional yam topping in food processor.  If using cauliflower topping, the same method will apply.

Shown with optional yam topping.

 

Curried Turkey and Chickpea Shepard’s Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped small

1 stalk celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1 bunch green onions, chopped and dark green ends discarded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh ginger root, grated

1 can (approximately 1 cup) cooked and drained chickpeas

Mix the following spices together in a small bowl:

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Cauliflower topping:

3 cups cauliflower, chopped (alternate version: use 3 cups chopped yams instead of the cauliflower)

2 tsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp curry powder

Method- refer to ingredients lists on how to chop all veggies.

1. Heat pan on medium heat, add 1 tsp coconut oil, onions, celery, carrots and green onions. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and half of the spice blend and stir.  Cook for another 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate spices.  Remove veggies from pan and set aside.
2. Wipe out pan, add 1 tsp coconut oil to the pan and crumble the ground turkey into the pan. Add remaining spice blend and stir to combine. Cook until turkey is cooked through.  Return veggies to the pan and add the chickpeas and 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Cook until chickpeas are warmed through and broth has reduced a little.
3. Preheat oven to 375^o F and grease a 9×9” square baking dish.
4. Steam cauliflower (or yams, if using) until tender, then remove from pan an allow to cool enough to handle. Mash the cauliflower (or yams) with the butter and spices, either by hand with a potato masher or food processor.
5. Add the veggie and turkey mix to a greased baking dish, then spread the topping evenly over the filling.
6. Bake at 375^o F for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is getting a little brown on top. Allow to cool a few minutes, be careful when taking out of the baking dish as it may be crumbly.
7. Serve with a fresh green salad for a well balanced meal. Enjoy!

 

Black Olive and Turkey Fritatta

I like this recipe because it is easy to pack for a breakfast or lunch on the go.  It has protein, carbs and fiber to help keep you full.  Keeping this intro short today, let me know if you try this recipe and how it goes for you!

Yam, onion, spinach, spice mix all waiting to be added to this tasty recipe.

Shredded yams on the bottom layer.

Spinach on the next layer.

Sauteed onions and ground turkey over the spinach.

Eggs poured over everything.

Finished product with black olives and tomato paste added on top.  I think I’ll add more tomato paste next time.

Black Olive and Turkey Fritatta

Ingredients:

Dozen eggs, beaten well with a splash of water and a pinch of salt
1/2 lb ground turkey
2-3 tsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped frozen spinach, set out before beginning recipe to allow to thaw a little.
1 medium yam, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped black olives
Tomato paste, to taste
Spice blend:
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F and grease a baking dish with coconut oil. I used a 9×9” baking dish, but any medium sized baking dish would be fine.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp oil, stir in minced garlic for a few seconds and then add shredded yam and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Allow to cook for a few minutes until soft. Remove from skillet and spread over the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Return skillet to heat, add about a tsp of oil and cook onion over medium heat until soft, 4-5 minutes and then add the frozen spinach and some of the spice blend. Cook until the spinach is cooked, adding a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Meanwhile, in another medium skillet, add 1 tsp oil, the ground turkey and the remaining spice blend and cook until cooked through. Combine the cooked turkey with the onions and spinach and remove from heat. Spread the turkey and veggies over the shredded yams in the baking dish.
5. Pour the beaten eggs over the baking dish, then toss the black olives on top and spoon the tomato paste in evenly spaced dollops over the top,
6. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, check the center for done-ness and return to oven if needed until the center is set.  You want the center to be cooked through and the edges to be slightly golden brown.
7. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve with fresh fruit or salsa and avocado for a complete meal.