Archive of ‘Recipe ReDux’ category
February’s Recipe Redux theme is everyone’s favorite, chocolate! I love chocolate, especially dark chocolate. One of my favorite treats is a glass of red wine and dark chocolate.
In coming up with this months recipe, I wanted to redo the classic truffle. Since my day job is a sports dietitian for the University of the Pacific, I created these with a post-workout snack in mind. Chocolate, protein powder, dates, and nuts come together to make this delicious, gluten-free treat.
With just the right balance of carbohydrates and protein, a few of these balls make the perfect recovery snack.
Chocolate Protein Bites
Ingredients:
1 orange, juiced, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/4 water, or 1/2 cup water. (If you don’t like chocolate-orange flavor, use water)
2 cups pitted dates
3/4 cup protein powder, chocolate or vanilla flavor
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp. flax seed meal
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp. liquid sweetener, like agave nectar or maple syrup
1 cup crushed walnuts
In a food processor, chop the dates. Add the water or the orange juice and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cocoa powder, peanut butter and blend together. Slowly add the flax seed and protein powder until just combined. Add the syrup and pulse a few more times.
Remove the mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Roll into a small ball and then roll in the crushed walnuts. Freeze until ready to eat.
Enjoy the rest of the Recipe ReDuxer’s chocolate treats!
It’s that time again! Recipe ReDux kicks off the New Year with a fresh start. Nothing helps to start the day off right than a filling breakfast. I don’t know about you, but I usually have very little time in the morning to actually sit down for breakfast. Sure, I could get up earlier, but most of the time I eat breakfast at my desk or in the car on the way to the office from the gym. It’s not perfect but that’s just where breakfast falls in my life. I love nothing more than lazy sundays complete with scrambles, pancakes, and fruit- but that’s not happening on a weekday.
I’ve loved oatmeal for as long as I can remember. In high school, trying to get creative with meat-free sandwiches, I would make oatmeal ones. Oatmeal bread, jam, and a sprinkling of raisins and rolled oats. Weird, but true. Once I graduated to college, I started making this to take with me to those early 8AM classes.
Try this recipe as an alternative to instant oatmeal packets and cereal. With only 1 tsp. of sugar per serving and full of whole grains, it rivals as a ready-prepared, flavorful breakfast.
Prepare all the ingredients the night before and breakfast prep takes no time at all. I usually eat this cold but feel free to heat it up if you like your oatmeal warm.
Vanilla Chai Overnight Oats
Ingredients: (per 2 servings)
1 cup rolled oats (not the instant kind)
1 cup unsweetened, vanilla flavored almond milk
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ginger
dash of fresh nutmeg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Raisins
Slivered Almonds
2 tsp. agave nectar or other sweetener
Combine all ingredients from rolled oats to vanilla extract in a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and place into the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours.
When ready to serve, stir in agave nectar. If you prefer your oatmeal warm, zap it in the microwave or heat it on the stove for 2 minutes. I actually prefer this cold! Top with raisins and almonds.
Per serving: 212 calories, 5.8g fat, 34g CHO, 5.5g fiber, 6.7g protein
Please check out my other re-duxers to see their breakfast creations.
What’s your favorite weeknight breakfast?
It’s that time again- November’s Recipe Redux is here! This month’s theme is all about whole grains. In the spirit of fall, I decided to highlight barley, a chewy, nutty grain high in fiber and selenium. Usually used in soups, barley is either unhulled or pearled. I like using unhulled barley in my dishes as I think it’s tastier than the pearled variety and has more fiber.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Barley and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp. Earth Balance Butter
1 cup barley
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp. walnuts
1 cup baby bella mushrooms
2 acorn squash
1 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
Directions:
Prepare the barley: In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups vegetable broth to a boil. Add the barley, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until done. Place the cooked barley into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. butter until melted. Add the mushrooms and arrange in a single layer. As Julie and Julia have taught me… “don’t crowd the mushrooms!” 
Sprinkle mushrooms with a pinch of salt and cook mushrooms for 3-5 minutes on each side. Pour the mushrooms and butter into the barley bowl.
Add the remaining butter to the sauce pan and add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add a bit of broth if the mixture sticks to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes until fragrant and cooked down. Add the sage, rosemary, oregano and another pinch of black pepper and salt. Add to the barley mixture along with the chopped walnuts and mix to combine.
Prepare the squash: slice in 1/2 and scoop out the seeds. Brush the inside with olive oil and place on a roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan so the barley will steam and not get crunchy. Scoop barley mixture into the center of the squash. Top with aluminum foil or glass lid and Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil for last 15 minutes.
Per serving (4): 363 calories, 8.6g fat, 64g CHO, 13.5g fiber, 12.3g protein
Enjoy!
Time for another Recipe Redux and this month’s theme is appropriately “Fresh from the Pumpkin Patch.” A delicious and versatile vegetable, pumpkin can be used in sweet dishes (like my pumpkin pancakes) or savory entrees. Fresh pumpkin is very easy to use but feel free to substitute the canned variety. I am a huge squash lover, I think I ate zucchini almost every day this summer and am starting to do the same with pumpkin. I can’t get enough. Besides eating it I recently made this body butter, a perfect way to use up leftover canned pumpkin- I highly recommend it!
These enchiladas are amazing. Homemade tortillas stuffed with black beans and pumpkin (can sub sweet potatoes) topped with a smoky chipotle-pumpkin sauce. These orange and black enchiladas would also be perfect for Halloween!
Black Bean & Pumpkin Enchiladas
Filling:
1 1/2 cups pumpkin and/or sweet potatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 zucchini or squash, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
Enchilada Sauce:
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. enchilada sauce
4 dried chipotle chilis
salt/pepper
To make sauce: Reconstitute dried chipotle chilis in hot water. Let soak for 10 minutes. Drain water off chilis and place into a blender. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and puree until smooth. If too thick, add a bit more broth. Set aside until enchiladas are prepped.
To make enchiladas: Cook onion in a medium sauce pan with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Add spices and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin/potatoes and cook for 15 minutes adding a bit of vegetable broth if potatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the squash and cook until soft. Stir into black beans.
Now you are ready to make the enchiladas. Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into a 9X13 casserole dish. Place 1 tortilla on a cutting board and add ~1/4 filling, may need more or less depending on the size of your tortilla. Roll up and place seem side down in the casserole dish. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and cover with the rest of the enchilada sauce. Top with cheese, if using, and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Enjoy!
Check out what my other Redux-ers made with pumpkin this month:
