Super Healthy Protein Packed Granola

Need more energy? Who doesn't?!?! Try this granola in the morning for breakfast, as a snack or as a pre workout boost!

Here is what is in it and why it is so fabulous:

4 cups Old fashioned oats

1 cup unsalted sliced roasted almonds-protein, vitamin E, manganese (the miracle mineral) go ahead look it up-I dare you!

1/2 cup chopped walnuts-amino acids (good fats!)

1/2 cup unsalted roasted soybeans-high protein, fiber, manganese and iron

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds-protein, folate and amino acids

1/2 cup roasted salted pepitas-protein, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese

1/2 cup chia seeds-B vitamins, fiber and amino acids

1/2 cup chopped dates

2 tbsp cinnamon

Bake oats, chia seeds,walnuts, almonds and cinnamon mixture spread flat on a baking sheet at 350 for 20 to 25 min. Once that cools add all other ingredients and mix well! Serving size is 1/4 cup.

Enjoy and Happy Healthy New Year!!!
A

Apples with Greek yogurt dip

 

Greek yogurt dip with honey, cinnamon and peanut butter

1 and a half cups of plain Greek yogurt

2 tsp peanut butter

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp honey

Mix well and serve with red and green apples-like I did for a holiday party or with any fruit on any day as a healthy snack. I think this would also be good to spread on toast in the a.m or eat by the spoonful like I could do because I love it so much!

***Can substitute pumpkin instead of peanut butter, or use almond, apple butter or pumpkin butter instead.

 

Enjoy!!
xoxoxo-A

Cucumber tuna salad with Greek yogurt, soy sauce and wasabi mustard

 

Great source of protein!!!! Are you eating enough protein??? Tuna and Greek yogurt are 2 great and affordable sources. I eat Greek yogurt every day at some point whether it is in tuna salad like this, with granola or alone with berries or fruit. Try just adding Greek yogurt to something you are maybe already eating daily and watch what happens!!! It is an awesome and healthy substitute to mayo or even  cheese when called for in recipes.

2 4.5 cans of white albacore tuna (StarKist selects if you are feeling fancy!) Great source of omega 3, low sodium, high protein, low carb)

3/4 c Greek yogurt (my favorite healthy food in the whole world)

2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp wasabi mustard

3/4 c chopped cucumber

2 tsp chopped onion

1 stalk chopped celery

salt, pepper and parsley to taste

Options to eat:

Alone with whole wheat pita chips

On a flatout flat bread with more veggies

With hard-boiled eggs, cheese and tomatoes on a platter

Be creative and sneak other veggies, herbs or spices in there-you don't have to do it exactly how I posted it!

Enjoy!!!!
xoxoxo-A

 

 

 

 

Holiday Granola

Filled with goodies!! Makes a great healthy gift to give to loved ones too (which of course I am doing). I love to eat my granola with plain Greek yogurt!!! So delicious and fun to make!



walnuts-1 cup

almonds-1 cup

oats-6 cups

blueberry and pomegranate crasins-1 cup

dates-1/2 cup

white chocolate chips-1/2 cup

toasted coconut-1/2 cup

honey-1/4 cup

cinnamon--1/4 cup

Directions:

Mix together oats, nuts, coconut, honey and cinnamon then bake at 350 for 25 min. Let cool and add in crasins, choc chips and dates. Serving size is 1/4 cup.

 

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

A

Healthy Whole Grain Penne Pasta w/ ground lamb smothered in pesto garlic lemon sauce

[caption id="attachment_583" align="aligncenter" width="360"] penne with lamb and pesto[/caption]

What you will need:

8 oz Whole grain penne pasta

3/4 lb ground lamb-hard to find but so worth it!

1/2 c feta cheese

2 c spinach leaves

1/3 c pesto paste

1/4 lemon juice

1 cup pasta water

1/2 c skim ricotta cheese

2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 c chopped onion (white or spanish)

salt, pepper to taste

pine nuts to garnish

Optional: 1 c beef stock-mine was homemade from left over short ribs (celery, carrots, onion, basil, oregano and burgundy wine) I am pretty sure this contributed to the awesomeness but you should be fine with low sodium store-bought beef stock or without it at all. Lamb has a very powerful taste all on its own!!

Cooking Directions:

Cook lamb in skillet over med heat and drain fat

Cook pasta and set aside to cool-saving one cup of the pasta water for sauce

Add beef stock, garlic, onion, ricotta, feta, seasonings, pesto paste and  lemon juice to the lamb and mix together well

Let cook for 8 o 10 min on low to med heat then add in pasta water and pasta giving it all a good mix again

Lastly,  add spinach and pine nuts until all melted down and in together then serve

Warning!!! This smells divine from the minute you start to cook the lamb and you will want to taste it several times throughout the cooking process....its just so good!

(p.s. great for kids too! My 3 year old had 2 helpings!!)

(p.p.s remember portion control-you can eat this and not feel guilty about being what feels like  indulgent but remember to save some for lunch the next day!! )

Makes about 5 total servings and I served it with a tomato and feta salad dressed in olive oil and red wine vinegar!

Enjoy!

xoxo-A

 

Twice baked sweet potatoes w/Greek yogurt, ricotta, black beans and blue cheese

 

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes-maybe my favorite thing to eat in the whole world!

Step 1: Microwave sweet potatoes until able to cut in half and scoop out 3/4 of the inside.

Step 2: Add scooped sweet potato to 1 heaping tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 1 heaping tbsp skim ricotta cheese, 1/4 c almond milk (optional), 1/4 c black beans and 1/4 c  crumbled blue cheese.

Step 3: Mix together with hand mixer until well blended and slightly fluffy

Step 4: Bake for 15 to 20 min at 375 degrees

Other combos to try for the stuffing:

Spinach, black beans, Greek yogurt and feta cheese

Ricotta cheese, tuna, red onion and Greek yogurt

Enjoy!

xoxo-A

Savory Citrus Crockpot Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast-bone in, skin on (3 pcs)

3/4 to 1 can black beans

1 med yellow pepper chopped

1/2 c chopped spanish onion

1 med orange-skin on cut into quarters

1 lime-skin on cut into quarters

Juice of one lime or 1/4 lime juice

1 cup chicken stock

1 c water

1 c jasmine rice

1/2 to 1 c mango or pineapple salsa

Season with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp honey, salt, pepper red pepper flakes and  "Badia Complete  Seasoning" -they sell this at Giant Eagle in the "Mexican" aisle (its fabulous) if you don't have this use garlic, oregano, basil and cilantro seasonings.

Cook on low for 6 hours or so adding the rice during the last 2 hours. It will turn into a soup almost but you can serve it strained in a tortilla or with the broth as a rice and chicken soup.  The citrus is the key here-the flavor comes out with the honey and cinnamon-delicious!!

When you feel the crock mixture is complete and you are ready to eat remove the chicken breast and remove the skin and bones chopping the chicken up and adding it back to the crock pot. Also remove the lime and orange wedges as you won't want to bite into them. Add hot sauce and cheese if you wish. I like this one so much because it is healthy and fit for me as is, my boyfriend can add as much hot sauce as he wants after it is out of the pot and the flavor and ingredients are perfect for my 3 yr old son. Makes for great leftovers too!

Try it and let me know what you think!
Enjoy!

xoxo-A

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato fries! So simple and a tasty and healthy alternative!!!  I like them better than regular fries!

1.Peel and cut your potatoes into strips

2.Drizzle olive oil over them and sprinkle very lightly with salt, pepper and parsley

3.With hands give them a rumble around  to coat with oil and seasonings

4.Bake in oven for 40 min at 350-turning halfway through

Enjoy!!

xoxo-A