Yogurt Ranch

You’re trying to watch your fat, but you just really want to dip those carrot sticks you have as a snack into a huge creamy bowl of ranch. Does this sound like you? Sounds like me! Here is an alternative to when you just can’t take it anymore and need to have that creamy tangy dipping sauce or salad dressing. I had originally made a plant-based version using a plant-based mayo, but it was still using a whole lot of oils and was fattening. This can still be made plant-based and is low in fat, or if you don’t have a problem with dairy, using low-fat yogurt and skim milk will do the trick just the same.  Feel free to use this to indulge in something that isn’t really that bad.

The Comparison:

Regular Ranch Dressing:

1 tbsp serving | 73 calories | 7.7 g fat | 1.0 g carbs | 0.4 g sugar | 0.2 g protein

Yogurt Ranch Dressing:

1 tbsp serving | 10 calories | 0.1 g fat | 1.5 g carbs | 1.1 g sugar | 0.9 g protein

• Servings: 1 tbsp serving, about 20 servings, makes 1 1/3 cup
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Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened low fat plain Greek Style yogurt (I used Kite Hill’s unsweetened plain almond milk yogurt)
• 1/3 cup low fat milk or unsweetened plant based milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Directions

1. Mix together the yogurt and milk until creamy.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk together.
3. Ready to serve. Store in an air tight container for 1 week.

Nutritional Information:

10 calories | 0.1 g fat unsaturated | 1 mg cholesterol (0 mg if using plant-based ingredients) | 73 mg sodium | 1.5 g carbohydrates | 1.1 g sugar | 0.9 g protein

*Note that Greek Style dairy based yogurt will have less fat than the almond milk version. However, most of the fat from the almond milk version is from almonds, which is your healthy omega fatty acids, so it’s the healthy unsaturated fat instead of saturated.

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Frozen Avocado Key Lime Pie

I’ve always enjoyed key lime pie, but with the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs and so on, it was hard to make it dairy free and plant based. I posted about trying to use the coconut sweetened condensed milk by Nature’s Charm and trying to find the right science to make it firm. It wasn’t the coconut sweetened condense milk, it was me. Here’s the post if you want to see my Key Lime Pie Fail.

At the end I do post my recipe that finally worked! So if you still want a good fattening creamy key lime pie that is dairy and egg free, it’s on that link. And it was delicious.

Dairy Free and Egg Free Key Lime Pie

HOWEVER – I wanted to share a healthier recipe that I’ve made. The original recipe is from The Salty Tomato. Lauren has some great flexitarian recipes! When it gets hot outside, I start thinking of this pie and it’s so simple. I also decided to make cupcake size portions for it so you can just get out one serving from the freezer. It’s basically avocados, key lime juice, agave, and a little bit of coconut oil to help keep it firm. The crust is originally graham cracker crust – which is my favorite – but this is a nutrition blog, so less of the graham crackers and butter, and more of the dates and pecans/walnuts.

Keep in mind – this is pretty much all fat. Healthy fats. But still fat. That’s why I like making the cupcake-size portions so that I don’t go overboard and I can stay “on track” with my goals.

• Healthy fats
• No processed sugar
• Delicious
• Easily Gluten-Free

 

Good Fats

Let’s talk about healthy fats for a minute while we’re on the subject. Good fats usually come from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. They are unsaturated fats. There are two types of unsaturated fats – polyunsaturated (think omega 3 & 6) and monounsaturated (think olive oil). So when you see those on the bottom of my recipes, those are good fats.

• Easily digested and used for energy
• Build cell membranes
• Creates the covering over our nerves
• Needed for muscle movement
• Breaks down inflammation
• Helps with blot clotting
• Reduces harmful cholesterol and triglycerides

On top of that, the good thing about this recipe – you are getting those fats along with keeping the original fruit or nut that it came from so the fiber and other nutrients are there as well. Just remember although it’s healthy for you, it doesn’t mean you can indulge and eat the whole recipe. Trust me I’ve tried. I don’t think it’s even possible with how rich these things are. Then if you add my Dairy Free Whipped Cream on top… you’re done!

Raw Avocado Key Lime Pie

• Servings: 12 small cupcake size servings
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Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1/4 cup agave or honey
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup dates
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Prepare a medium size muffin tin, either lining it with parchment paper or taking a small amount of coconut oil and rubbing the insides.
2. Take the pecans or walnuts, dates, vanilla, and small amount of salt. Blend in a food processor until slightly chunky but combined and you can press together. ***If you are like me and don’t want to drag another piece of equipment out: Take a gallon size bag and with a heavy rolling pin (I have a marble one) crush the nuts as finely as you can. Take the dates and chop into the smallest pieces you can. Add those to the bag with the vanilla and salt. Smash and roll the rolling pin over it until all is combined. It should look crumbly, but will stick together if you mold it.
3. Take about a large tablespoon of the nut and date mixture and add to the bottoms of the cupcake molds. Press down hard. Spread evenly until all of the mixture is used.
4. In a blender, blend the avocados, key lime juice, agave or honey, coconut oil and lime zest until smooth.
5. Take about 1 1/2-2 large spoonfuls of the avocado mixture and place on top of the nut mixture in the cupcake tin. Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.

Nutritional Information

Per 1 Cupcake Size Serving

182 calories | 15 g total fat | 3 g polyunsaturated fat | 8 g monounsaturated fat | 2.5 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats| 0 mg cholesterol | 3 mg sodium | 2 g protein | 13 g carbohydrates | 4 g fiber | 8 g sugar

Honey Dijon Chicken with Red Potatoes & Carrots (with Chickpea Version)

I love dinner recipes when everything goes in one dish! Easy to make, easy to clean, and delicious to eat! This is one of the recipes I make on a regular basis. Partly because my husband loves mustard. A little too much. And partly, because it’s a balanced meal and easy to make vegetarian/vegan. I usually make a pan for my parents and him, and then half the recipe to make a small version of it with chickpeas or garbanzo beans for me. I will be hopefully making more dishes like this for easy dinners with not a lot of clean up for weekday meals. You could also get this prepared the night before so that when you get home all you need to do is throw it in the oven.

Let’s talk nutrition for a moment. Not only is this recipe low in fat and high in fiber, there are specific things that potatoes and carrots are good for.

Red Potatoes

• Good Source of Iron – Oxygenation of Cells
• Good Source of Vitamin C & Zinc – For Immune Health
• Good Source of Potassium – Heart and Muscle Health

Carrots

• Good Source of Beta-Carotene – helps slow down the aging of cells, including cells in the eye
  • Beta-Carotene is converted into Vitamin A in the liver
  • Vitamin A is converted in the retina to rhodopsin – used for night vision
• Good Source of Vitamin A – protects the skin from sun damage

• Servings: 4 Servings
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Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on size)
OR 2 cans of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/4 + 1/8 cup honey or agave (plus more for extra sauce to dip)
• 1/4 + 1/8 cup Dijon mustard (plus more for extra sauce to dip)
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 lb. bag of red potatoes, chopped
• 12-16 oz. bag of baby carrots
• Salt and pepper, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Make your sauce. Combine 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mustard, rosemary, and olive oil. Whisk together.
3. In a gallon size bag, add potatoes and carrots enough to almost fill the bag. If you are using the chickpeas, you can pour those in too. Pour sauce over top. Close the bag and toss for about 3 minutes to make sure the sauce is covering the vegetables.
4. Pour vegetables in a prepared 9×11 baking dish. Add your chicken breasts on top. Make a smaller batch of the sauce – 1/8 cup honey + 1/8 cup Dijon mustard, and cover the top of the chicken breasts. If using the chickpeas, if you need to add a little extra sauce, drizzle some on top.
5. Put the dish, uncovered, in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown on sides and chicken juice is running clear.
6. Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve! While it’s resting, if you need to whisk together extra sauce to dip or drizzle on top, do it now before serving.

Nutritional Information

With Chicken

555 calories | 8.5 g fat | 1.9 g polyunsaturated fat | 3.7 g monounsaturated fat | 2.2 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 204 mg cholesterol | 459 mg sodium | 59 g carbohydrates | 6.9 g fiber | 32 g total sugar | 64 g protein | 673% Vitamin A | 22% Vitamin C | 8% Calcium | 40% Magnesium | 38% Potassium | 33% Zinc

With Chickpeas

435 calories | 5.7 g fat | 1.7 g polyunsaturated fat | 1.9 g monounsaturated fat | 0.5 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 87.5 g carbohydrates | 15 g fiber | 37 g total sugar | 13.4 g protein | 673% Vitamin A | 22% Vitamin C | 13% Calcium | 29% Magnesium | 25% Potassium | 21% Zinc

Baby Kale & Quinoa Salad

This is one of my favorite lunch recipes! It’s simple and easy to prep.  It’s packed with flavor and easily digestible energy sources to keep you going without the slump of the mid-afternoon. Plus every bite is a mouthful of nutrient dense, high fiber foods. Let’s look at a few nutritious components of this salad.

Quinoa

Per 1 Cup

• 8 grams of Protein
• 5 grams Fiber
• 15% RDA of Iron
• 13% RDA of Zinc
• Contains a small amount of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Baby Kale

I enjoy baby kale since it’s easier to chew and can have a sweeter, milder taste than regular curly kale, but pretty much has the same nutritious benefits. So if you want raw kale in your salad, use baby kale next time to see how you like it.

Per 1 Cup

• 3 grams of Protein
• 2 grams of Fiber
• 134% DV of Vitamin C
• 206% DV of Vitamin K
• Loaded with powerful Antioxidants

So dig in and enjoy!

• Servings: 4 Servings
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Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey or agave
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 15oz can (1 1/2 c) garbanzo beans
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 5 oz pkg of baby kale

Directions

1. In a small pot, add quinoa and broth and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Turn off heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and mustard. Pour into medium size mixing bowl.
3. Add the cranberries, shallot, parsley, and garbanzo beans to the medium bowl and mix with the dressing.
4. Once quinoa is cooled, add to the dressing mixture and combine together.
5. To serve, take a handful of baby kale and top it with about 1 cup of the quinoa mixture and eat immediately!
6. To store, keep the quinoa mixture separate from the baby kale until ready to eat.

Nutritional Information

449 Calories | 9.6 g Fat | 1.1 g saturated fat | 0 g Trans Fats | 0 mg Cholesterol | 315 mg Sodium | 72 g Carbohydrates | 13.6 g Fiber | 9.6 g Total Sugar | 18.2 g Protein

Macro Sources

65% Carbohydrates | 19% Fat | 16% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

• 0.4 Fruit
• 2.1 Grain
• 0.6 Meat Alternative
• 2.5 Vegetables

Meal Prep

If you are wanting to have this salad for lunches throughout the week, here is how I pack mine. Keep the baby kale separate from the quinoa mixture since it will wilt the leaves, and store in the fridge! As you can see, I have sophisticated meal prep skills. : )

 

Black Bean & Yogurt Dip

The hummus craze is still going strong I know, but why not change it up and give other beans a chance to be a delicious dip too? I’ll be honest, I’m picky about my hummus. There are some that leave a weird aftertaste, and other that are loaded up excess oil. That’s when I started to “dip” into different beans that are healthy, delicious, and low fat that are a good change of pace. Here’s a dip featuring one of my favorite beans, black beans!

Black Beans

1 Cup Cooked Black Beans

• 14.5 g Protein
• 0.7 g Fat
• 40 g Carbohydrates
• 16.6 g Fiber | Weight Management & Intestinal Health + Healthy Cholesterol Levels
• 28% Daily Value (DV) Iron | Healthier Blood
• 27% DV Magnesium | Healthy Bones
• 16% DV Potassium | Healthy Blood Pressure
• 16% DV Zinc | Healthy Immune System
• 36% DV Folate | Healthy Reproduction of Cells

Don’t you love it when you find out a favorite food can be considered a super food?!

The Dip

For this dip I decided to keep with a Mexican flavoring and to make it creamy, instead of adding oil or anything that is high in fat, I use unsweetened low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Any kind will do whether it’s made with animal milk or plant-based milks, as long as it’s low fat/fat free and unsweetened, it will work just fine!

Eat with your favorite raw veggies, chips, crackers, or use as a spread on a sandwich or wrap, or keep it as a taco filling. I’m sure you’ll find a way to finish off this bowl of dip. Now on to the recipe!

• Servings: 2 Servings
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Ingredients

• 1 15oz can black beans, drained
OR 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans, drained
• 1/4 cup unsweetened low fat or fat free yogurt, I use Kite Hill’s plain almond milk yogurt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• Salt and Pepper, if desired

Directions

1. In a blender add all ingredients and blend until smooth.
2. Serve cold or warmed in a bowl with your favorite veggies, crackers, corn chips, pretzels, etc for dipping. Or save as a taco filling, inside quesadillas, spread for sandwiches or wraps.

Nutritional Information

113 calories | 0.5 g total fat | 0.1 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 0.6 mg cholesterol | 430 mg sodium | 19.1 g carbohydrates | 7.4 g fiber | 0.6 g sugar | 8.1 g protein

Macro Sources

68% Carbohydrates | 3% Fat | 29% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

• 0.6 Meat Alternative
• 1.1 Vegetables

Garbanzo Flour Eggs

Since February is “Heart Health Month”, I thought I’d share with you an egg alternative that is truly heart healthy, and not just because it’s cholesterol-free. There has been studies that show it’s more the saturated fat than the dietary cholesterol that raises bad cholesterol. And although that might be true, eggs are one of the most dietary-cholesterol dense foods out there. So although there might be worse things for you to eat, especially when watching your cholesterol, limiting your intake of dietary cholesterol will help too.

Eggs are one of the things I craved when making the switch to being plant based. I have them here and there but it makes my stomach feel heavy and sometimes I’ll feel like I’m going to get sick about an hour after eating them. So I’ve looked for other options and here is an easy recipe to make at home for those staying away from eggs. Whether that’s because of an allergy, you’re watching your cholesterol, or are plant-based.

This recipe uses garbanzo flour. Since garbanzo beans have a sulfuric taste and smell, they do great for making an egg substitute. There is also a black salt called “kala namak”, usually found in Indian grocery stores, that has a sulfuric taste and smell too that you can use instead of regular salt. Note that it isn’t just “black salt” that you can find some places, but you will have to find something titled “kala namak”.

So let’s still talk about garbazo bean flour for a second and learn why this isn’t just an alternative egg recipe, but also a nutritious one.

Garbanzo Flour

• High in Fiber to help with Weight Management, Heart Health, Stabilize Blood Sugar
• Beans like Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), help to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
• Lowers Inflammation
• Improves Immune Fuction
• Easily Digestible & Gluten-Free

Basic Recipe & What I Use

Before I show you the base recipe I use at home, I wanted to give you the equation I use for making garbanzo eggs.

1/4 garbanzo flour to 1/4 liquid = 1 large egg

The Liquid I Use

I use to use water but found that it came out dry. I used almond milk and it helped a little, but then I started using the liquid from a can of chickpeas known as “aquafaba” or bean water. It has proteins in it from the beans. Because of that, when whipped it can even be used in place of egg whites in some recipes. Since I use a can of chickpeas at least once a week, I just put the chickpeas in a container and store it in the fridge and use the liquid from the can. Easy as that!

It still comes out a little dry compared to normal eggs, but when you use it with other veggies and add a sauce it’s great! It does better as being an omelet since scrambling it can be a little bit of a hassle, but can still work!

Cholesterol-Free Garbanzo Flour Eggs

• Servings: Makes 2-3 eggs worth, 1-2 servings
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Ingredients

• 1/2 c garbanzo flour
• 1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from 1 can chickpeas)
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp onion
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• turmeric, for color
• Salt and Pepper, to taste (or kala namak salt)

Directions

1. Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Once it is combined, pour into skillet. If you are using a non-stick skillet you will not need to add any oil. If you do not have a non-stick skillet, use a small amount of oil before pouring. Heat the skillet on medium heat.
2. Once the batter starts to bubble in the middle like a pancake would you can either flip it if you are going to use it as an omelet or start to scramble it with the spatula. You might have to cut it after it’s done to scramble it more once it’s out of the pan.
3. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes for it to cook.

If you are wanting to make a scramble with veggies, the scrambling becomes easier since it won’t stick to itself as easily. I’m sure I’ll be adding some omelet or veggie scramble recipes soon using garbanzo flour.

Nutritional Information for Whole Recipe

107 calories | 1.8 g total fat | 0.2 g saturated fat | 0.7 g polyunsaturated fat | 0.4 g monounsaturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 0 mg cholesterol | 181 mg sodium | 16.9 g carbohydrates | 2.9 g fiber | 2.6 g sugar | 6.0 g protein

Macro Sources

63% Carbohydrates | 15% Fat | 22% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

• 1.1 Meat Alternative
• 0.5 Vegetables

Chloe Coscarelli’s Golden Gravy

I had to share with you one of my favorite gravy recipes from Chloe Coscarelli. She is a vegan chef and I have used her first recipe book, Chloe’s Kitchen, front to back. This is her Golden Gravy recipe and I wanted to share it with you for a few reasons. Yes, this is a plant-based recipe for gravy but that’s not why I’m sharing it. Compared to your average beef/turkey broth version with flour and butter, this version gives some nutritional value without sacrificing any flavor.

Benefits

• Less sodium
• Less fat
• High in B Vitamins
• High in Fiber
• Gives us 30% of the daily Omega 3s

Something I’ve learned – taking pictures of gravy is not as easy as it looks!

• Servings: 1/2 cup, about 6 servings
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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion until soft. Add nutritional yeast and flour, and stir for about 1 minute. Add water, soy sauce, thyme and garlic powder. Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until mixture is very thick. Transfer gravy to a blender and purée until smooth. Adjust seasonings, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information

117 calories | 5 g fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat | 3 g monounsaturated fat | <0.5 g saturated fat | 0 trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 614 mg sodium | 13.5 g carbohydrates | 1.6 g fiber | 1.3 g sugar | 5 g protein | >100% folate, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), and niacin (B3)

Soy Free Version

Because of my allergy to soy, instead of soy sauce I’ve substituted Worcestershire sauce instead. Chef Chloe also has a Soy-Free Soy Sauce that I’ve made before to use in this recipe.

Chloe Coscarelli's Soy-Free Soy Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp molasses
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Pinch garlic powder
• Pinch ground ginger

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat to medium and allow to lightly boil for 5 minutes. Allow to cool then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

The chipotle chili in adobo sauce is something you don’t want to miss out on. It adds a smokey flavor and the smell while it’s cooking is one of those things you want to permeate the house. It’s something I keep in mind for busy days or weeks. Freezer and slow-cooker options are below as well as some of the health benefits.

 

Black Beans

• High in Fiber
• Good Source of Magnesium
• Good Source of Iron
• High in Flavonoids – which has antioxidant abilities
• Helps Lower Cholesterol
• Aids Digestion
• Controls Blood Sugar

My Favorite Bean:

Like other beans, black beans have a sugar that our body has a hard time breaking down. Hence the bloating and musical notes which are the unpleasant side effects beans are known for. However, black beans have less of this sugar than other beans. It shouldn’t put you in as much discomfort (or embarrassment) as other beans will. It’s a win win for everyone at the table.

Quinoa

• High in Fiber
• Low in Fat
• High in Minerals
• Complete Plant Based Protein

Although you do not need to consume complete proteins to get the amount of protein you need throughout the day, it is good to know the sources of them. Being plant-based and soy-free, quinoa is something I regularly have in my kitchen.

Lean Ground Meat Option

You can add a lean meat like ground turkey or a lean ground beef if you feel that you need it. By using lean meats it has less unhealthy fats, less cholesterol and overall better for your heart health when compared to average ground meats. Whatever option you decide, just make sure it’s lean. The only advantage that ground turkey has is that it does have a fat-free version you can find and beef does not.

However, my family members eat this without meat and is completely full and satisfied. This would be a great “Meatless Monday” meal if you are just starting to dive into vegetarian meals and plant proteins. It won’t disappoint.

Meal Prep & Slow Cooker Options

• Meal Prep | Freeze all uncooked ingredients before putting it in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours.
• Slow Cooker | Set on low for 6-8 hours. Add an extra cup of water or broth.
• For families of 2-4 people, this will make more than one dinner. You can freeze 1/2 of it or when prepping, make 2 separate meals. 1 to have one week and another for the next week.

• Servings: 10 Servings, 1 1/2 cup per serving
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Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked black quinoa, rinsed OR 2 lbs. ground turkey, uncooked
• 2 cups vegetable broth, if using quinoa
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes with juice
• 2 (19 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 large chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup frozen corn
• salt and pepper, if desired
• cilantro & limes for serving

Directions

1. Bring vegetable broth to boil and add quinoa. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, turn off heat and set aside. If using turkey, cook the turkey and crumble it. Once it’s cooked, turn off heat and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with juice, drained black beans, green and red bell pepper, zucchini, chipotle chili, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the quinoa and corn and cook for about 5 minutes more.
4. You can let it simmer on low for a few hours. Adding water or broth if needed. Or you can serve with cilantro and limes.

Crock Pot Directions Add all ingredients to the crock pot, stir and set on low for 6-8 hours. If you can, you might want to stir the chili about 1/2 way and add vegetable broth if needed. I usually will add an extra cup of broth or water to the recipe when it’s going to be in the crock pot, especially for 8 hours.

Nutritional Information

Chipotle Black Bean Chili with Quinoa: 

205 calories | 3.4 g total fat | 1 g saturated fat | 2.0 g polyunsaturated fat | 3.6 g monounsaturated fat | 0 mg cholesterol | 363 mg sodium | 35 g carbohydrates | 8.4 g fiber | 3.2 g sugar | 8.6 g protein

Macro Sources

68% Carbohydrates | 15% Fat | 17% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

• 0.8 Grain
• 0.3 Meat Alternative
• 2.5 Vegetables

 

Super Greens with Clementines & Roasted Pecans

One of my favorite salad recipes! Usually dinner is the heaviest meal for me, so I like putting salads with dinner to keep it lighter. This recipe is what I usually put with spicy foods. Anytime I make something with Cajun seasoning, this is what I like to have on the side to cool it off. Not to mention it’s delicious and healthy.

Clementines

• High in Vitamin C which boosts the immune system and promotes healthy skin
• Aids in Digestion
• High in Minerals
• High in Antioxidants

Roasted Pecans

• Healthy Fats
• Helps Lower Bad Cholesterol
• High Fiber
• Energy Maintenance
• Improves Brain Function

 

• Servings: 4-6 servings, about 1 cup per serving
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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp orange zest, or clementine zest
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• salt & pepper
• 4 clementines, peeled and in slices
• 8-10 oz. Super Greens (I used swiss chard, spinach, and arugula)
• 1 cup toasted chopped pecans

Directions

1. Make the dressing. Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, olive oil, and dijon mustard. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
2. If your pecans are not already toasted, heat a small skillet on low without anything but the pecans and let it slowly toast while you constantly move them around so that they don’t burn. Once you start to small the pecans, turn off the heat and throw the toasted pecans in a small bowl to cool off.
3. Take your greens, clementines, and cooled toasted pecans, and toss with the dressing. Serve immediately!

Nutritional Information

234 calories | 20 g fat | 5 g polyunsaturated <1 g omega 3, 4.5 g omega 6 | 12 g monounsaturated | 2 g saturated | 0 g trans | 0 mg cholesterol | 63 mg sodium | 14 g carbohydrates | 4 g fiber | 8 g total sugar | 4 g protein | 68% vitamin C | 206% vitamin A | 278% vitamin K | 11% iron | 24% magnesium

Green Chili Enchiladas

This recipe is something I make whenever we need a special meal: officially being moved in to a new place, an anniversary, my hormones deciding I need something gooey and fattening… Whatever calls for something to be deceptively nutritious and comforting. I make this with hearts of palm and plain low fat yogurt for a vegetarian/plant-based version, but you can easily make it with chicken and a plain low fat yogurt. (If you want a little more fat, use sour cream or coconut cream from the can, only using the cream and not the water that is at the bottom of the can.) I have the nutrition information for both versions below.

High Fiber

• Aids in Digestion
• Aids in Detoxing
• Normalizes Blood Sugar Levels
• Helps Lower Cholesterol
• Aids in Weight Maintenance

Low-Fat

If you are watching the amount of fat you intake or just want a lighter dish than your regular creamy enchilada recipe, using the plain low-fat yogurt is a great swap!

• Dairy-free yogurt: I’ve used the Kite Hill unsweetened almond yogurt
• Nut-free and Dairy-free: A plain unsweetened soy yogurt should work

Easily Adaptable

• Already Soy-Free
• Already Dairy-Free
• Already Plant Based
• More Plant Based Protein: Use soy or seitan products instead of hearts of palm
• Gluten Free: Use corn tortillas instead of whole wheat

 

 

• Servings: 12-14 Large Enchiladas | 6+ Servings | 2 Enchiladas per Serving
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Ingredients

Enchiladas
• 1-2 tbsp oil, optional if using a non-stick skillet
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 can hearts of palm, pulled into shreds OR 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup water
• 1 “chicken” bouillon cube OR use veggie broth instead of water
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 can low fat vegetarian re-fried beans
• salt to taste
• 12+ whole wheat OR corn tortillas
Low Fat Green Chili Sauce
• 1/2 cup plain unsweetened low-fat yogurt
• 1 15 oz can green chili sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, if using the coconut cream
Toppings
• Green Onions
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Limes

If using the coconut cream, the best way is to buy a can of full-fat coconut milk. Do not shake the can, and if you have the time, put it in the fridge for a few hours. The coconut water will separate from the coconut cream. Most of the time it does this on its own if it’s not shaken. Use only the cream. It does not have much of a coconut taste.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-by-13 pan.
2. Heat oil in skillet, if using. Add onion and sautee until translucent. Add pulled hearts of palm or shredded cooked chicken and sautee for a few minutes more until the onions and hearts of palm/chicken start to brown.
3. Add water, “chicken” bouillon or 1 cup vegetable broth, chili powder, and garlic powder and simmer with the hearts of palm/chicken mixture. Simmer 20-25 minutes making sure most of the liquid is gone and the bouillon cube is dissolved.
4. Add the re-fried beans and mix together. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Sauce
5. Add all sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Assembly
6. Add a few tbsp of the hearts of palm/re-fried bean mixture on one tortilla and a small bit of the sauce. If using corn tortillas, you will need to make sure they are not cold and that they are dipped into the sauce, otherwise they might crack. Repeat until your 9-by-13 pan is full. You want to make sure it’s tight and completely full if possible so the enchiladas don’t dry out in the oven.
7. Cover the enchiladas with the rest of the sauce, making sure all corners are covered.
8. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before eating.

Nutritional Information

With Hearts of Palm Per Serving: 

387 calories | 12.6 g fat | 1.5 g polyunsaturated | 5.2 g monounsaturated | 4.8 g saturated | 0 g trans fats | 0 g cholesterol | 784 mg sodium | 56 g carbohydrates | 13 g fiber | 6 g total sugar | 14 g protein | 71% vitamin C | 31% calcium | 38% magnesium | 26% iron

With Chicken Per Serving: 

445 calories | 14 g fat | 1.8 g polyunsaturated | 5.9 g monounsaturated | 5.2 g saturated | 0 g trans fats | 36 mg cholesterol | 601 mg sodium | 54 g carbohydrates | 12 g fiber | 6 g total sugar | 25.8 g protein | 66% vitamin C | 29% calcium | 35% magnesium | 21% iron