antioxidants

Vegan Blueberry-Coconut Muffins

April 4, 2013 by Nicole, RD · 7 Comments

I must confess, the first sip of a piña colada poolside is a moment worth savoring and (too many) calories worth spending. I know this because Mr. Prevention and I are returning from 4 glorious days in Cabo San Lucas.

When we were researching places to go for a spring getaway, Mexico probably wasn’t our first choice. After a rather sickly honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, we both feared the ill effects of eating and drinking. Mr. Prevention having been to Cancun, I to Acapulco, and together to Puerto Vallarta, we decided to go somewhere new.

Let me just say that Cabo was an excellent, excellent choice. We’re already looking to book our next trip back!

Back to those piña coladas, however.

Due to the very unfriendly calorie count on drinks that come with umbrellas, I reserve their enjoyment for very special occasions only. On this 4-day trip, I’ve had only ONE piña colada…and yes, a few margaritas. But really and truly, just a few. I know that my dress pants await, as does facing the scale at some point. Vacation, to me, is still all about balance. I managed 2 workouts out of the 3 days we did not spend traveling. In all honesty, that number would’ve been 3 for 3 had I not stupidly rejected sunscreen.

Lobster. Lobster. Lobster…am I. #dumb

Other than spending our last day reading a novel in the shade and walking like a tin man (sunburn on the backs of legs and knees is seriously, seriously painful), the trip was a huge success. I’m sure Mr. Prevention was sipping drinks poolside while I winced around our balcony, but I’m not complaining. I’m telling you, the first sip of that piña colada poolside on day #1 was worth the wait and worth any agony thereafter.

Despite my sadness over leaving heaven on earth (pictures coming soon!), Mr. P and I agree that less than a week is an ideal length for getaways. After a few days, we yearn for the return to our normalcy of healthy meals, regular workouts, our Lily girl…and maybe even work. Did I just say that?

Here’s a little piece of coconut for you to savor, and me too. I have some of these babies in my freezer awaiting my return to ease me back into reality!

Vegan Blueberry-Coconut Muffins slightly adapted from May I Have That Recipe?

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
3 Tbsp water
1 cup blueberries + 1 Tbsp flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened, plain coconut milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners; set aside.

Combine the flaxseed and water in a small dish; set aside. Combine blueberries and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl and toss to coat; set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and shredded coconut in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the coconut oil, agave, and sugar in a separate large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and flaxseed/water mixture, beat an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Fold in blueberries. Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin well.

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 250 calories; 13.3 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 197 mg. sodium; 31.3 g. carbohydrate; 4.0 g. fiber; 0.4 g. protein; 14.8 g. sugar

Result: Very coco-nutty! I love the bursts of blueberry and the coconut flavor runs deep throughout. In other words, if you love coconut…you’ll love these. If you don’t love coconut, you likely won’t love these! Like most vegan muffins, these were moist and thanks to the fat content, were filling!

Back to work tomorrow…and Saturday. #vacationisover

Be well,

Filed Under: 250 calories or less, antioxidants, carb-controlled, fruits and vegetables, guilt-free, kid-friendly, recipe, snack, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian ·

Red Lentil-Pumpkin Soup

October 30, 2012 by Nicole, RD · 14 Comments

I hope all of my east coast friends are safe and sound. This hurricane business is no joke. I couldn’t help but be distracted yesterday at work, especially after BFF sent a text message alerting me that Sandy may be reeking havoc on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Sometimes, Google is not my friend.

First article that popped up: dangerous winds and 20 foot waves between the town I live and the town I work, with 30 miles of Lake Michigan shores running along the road the entire way. Wonderful. The Midwest has lost their reputation as the safest (and yet, we’re still the most boring) place to live in the United States.

By the time I arrived home (safely and unscathed by mother nature), the winds had picked up a lot. Would the wind knock out my internet just as my stupidity nearly stole my cookbook? These kinds of things happen to procrastinators like me.

T-2 days until this cookbook gets sent off. *knock on wood*

While the weather cooperated, so did dinner.

The only good thing about Mr. Prevention being away on work is my opportunity to try recipes he would turn up his nose to. Yes, the man turns up his nose when my response to, “What’s for dinner?” isn’t “Pizza” or “Buffalo Wing _________”.

Gotta love’em. And I’ve got to find the positive because when he left on Saturday after being home from LAST week’s business trip for only 24 hours, I cried. I throw the man under the bus publicly on a daily basis, but my god do I love him. More than the day I married him.

And you know what? He would’ve eaten this soup…and liked this soup. Because it’s delicious, of course. It was also really easy to make

Red Lentil-Pumpkin Soup from Cooking Light

2 tsp olive oil oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 cup dried small red lentils
1 tsp ground cumin
scant 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 cup water
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels/pepitas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Heat a medium-to-large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat once hot. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in 3 cups broth, lentils, and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Place the lentil mixture in a blender or blend with an immersion or stick blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return lentil mixture to pan over medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth, 1 cup water, and pumpkin to pan; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Stir in ginger and lemon juice. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon pumpkinseeds, and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings (1 1/2 cups each).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 264 calories; 6.8 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 426 mg. sodium; 37.0 g. carbohydrate; 9.8 g. fiber; 16.8 g. protein

Result: This was such a perfect fall soup. I increased some of the flavors (lemon juice, ginger, garlic, salt) to give it a bit more oomph, but it was a great soup and very simple to make. This time of year, I use my immersion blender a lot and contrary to popular belief, that inexpensive kitchen gadget is incredibly helpful especially when compared to the dangerous task of blending hot soups in blenders. Enjoy!

Early morning meeting. But first, a (small) pot of coffee.

Be well,

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Filed Under: 300 calories or less, antioxidants, carb-controlled, fiber, fruits and vegetables, gluten-free, one-pot meal, quick meals, recipe, Uncategorized, vegetarian ·

Sweet Potato Coins with Gorgonzola and Bacon

October 19, 2012 by Nicole, RD · 23 Comments

I used to say New Years Eve was my favorite holiday. During my “early adulthood”, I was a big party animal. I used to not require sleep and could party hardy day after day. Now, not so much. At the ripe age of 27, my body rebels against and minor upset in my routine and I pay for it…for days. My body aches if I don’t get enough sleep…what’s up with that?

Now, I don’t know what my favorite holiday is…but I’m leaning towards Thanksgiving.

Christmas is great, but sometimes the stress of shopping and finding the “perfect gift” can get to a woman! Other than my brother, I find EVERYONE in my life difficult to buy for. I guess this means we are blessed and I shouldn’t complain, but come December 20-something when I’m roaming the malls aimlessly and rid of any great gift ideas, I need to remind myself of this.

Valentine’s Day is okay. Mr. Prevention lacks in the romance department, so there’s nothing really out of the ordinary that goes down on Valentine’s Day. We may have dinner out, but usually not…crowds of crazy romantics on cold winter nights – meh. I may choose our every night routine of me in the kitchen and him in the recliner over that.

Labor Day and Memorial Day are cool. I like cookouts, beer, and friends. But in healthcare, things have transitioned to “paid time off (PTO)” versus “holidays”, so these holidays (and others) are never “freebees”.

The 4th of July is alright, but it’s 2 days after my birthday and I’m not in love with fireworks, so…definitely not my favorite.

That pretty much leaves Thanksgiving, which is centered around food and family — nothing better than that. Because my family is in Chicago and Mr. Prevention’s is in Champaign, we generally travel to both destinations to see the grandparents, family, and friends. This also means I am away from my kitchen and subsequently, not involved in cooking the Thanksgiving meals. For a person like me, this is sad.

I’ve decided to try various Thanksgiving recipes leading up to the big day. That way, I can enjoy the cooking surrounding the holiday and provide you, dear readers, with healthy recipes to include at your Thanksgiving feasts.

This recipe comes from the What’s Cooking Blogger’s Choice Recipe Swap. I was assigned Ashley’s blog, Cheese Curd in Paradise (um, could there be a cuter blog name?). While it was hard to choose, I went back over a year to choose a Thanksgiving-ish recipe. Ashley had chosen this recipe during last year’s recipe swap in preparation of Thanksgiving and so I knew it would be great. So many bold flavors and they just work in perfect harmony. These are simple to make and will start one serious holiday party of taste in your mouth. Thanks, Ashley!

Sweet Potato Coins with Gorgonzola and Bacon adapted from Cheese Curds and Paradise and originally, The Jey of Cooking

1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 sweet potatoes, washed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
ground black pepper
3 slices nitrate-free bacon, cooked and chopped
1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp chives, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Whisk together orange juice and brown sugar, add sweet potato coins and toss to coat. Remove from bowl and place on baking sheet. Seasoning with black pepper. Bake for 60 minutes, flipping rounds half way through.

Remove from oven and transfer rounds to a serving platter.While potatoes are cooling a bit, mix yogurt and gorgonzola in a small bowl. Gently spoon mixture onto potatoes. Top with bacon and chives.

Yield: 14 coins

Nutrition Information (per coin): 48 calories; 1.5 g. fat; 4 mg. cholesterol; 78 mg. sodium; 7,.1 g. carbohydrate; 0.93 g. fiber; 1,6 g. protein

Result: These flavors…work! So, so good! The potatoes turned out perfectly — just be sure to cut them about 1/2 inch thick so they hold up well. You can sub in blue cheese and green onions just as Ashley did…I simply used what I had on hand. If I were serving Thanksgiving, these would definitely be on the appetizer menu! I could also make a meal of them…addicting!

I got a flu shot yesterday…not feeling the best today. What’s up with that?