Superbowl Pant Survival

Of course YOU will survive the Superbowl, but what about your pants? Will they have to take a temporary hiatus in the back of the closet after tonight? To the snackinizer! Here are consumptionaries that will keep your lower half in it’s post-holiday / pre-Superbowl position:

1. Polenta Stuffed Mini Peppers (gluten-free)

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2. Guacamame (gluten-free)

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3. Fiery Cashew Dip  (gluten-free)

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4. Veggie Pupusas (gluten-free)

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5. Any of these Meatless Meats, given high marks by meat lovers

6. No Fant Pants Nachos (gluten-free)

7. Hot Pants Cornbread

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8. Vegan Hot Wings

9. Quick & Easy Veggie Chili

10. Creamy Spinach Dip (video)

Happy chowing!

Happy Nacho Day!

Football fans and health heroes! Here’s a last-minute recycled video on preparing my famous No Fat Pants Nachos for today’s big game.

Plus, be sure to check out Forks Over Knives Superbowl Recipes for Hearty Nachos, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Tapenade, BBQ Tofu “Wings,” Lentil Chili, and Whole Grain Corn Muffins. Not to mention the Lunchbox Bunch’s Avocado Quesadillas and Meatless Buffalo Bites–perfect for the eat-fest that is the Superbowl.

Happy cheering and chowing!

Pumpkin Spice Latte in Your Own Bitchin’ Kitchen

I could be Charles. I’ve already had and thoroughly enjoyed several Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes this year (decaf, soy, no whip, SO good). Especially as a past Starbucks barista who got free drinks “for taste-testing” ’round the clock, it’s hard to justify spending too much cashola on a coffee drink–even the Pumpkin Spice Latte. So, I’ve created my own version–much cheaper, and highly more convenient if you have a craving while at home. And no espresso machine needed!

Pumpkin Spice Latte
Makes 1 12-ounce drink

6 ounces brewed double-strength coffee (leaded or unleaded, your choice)*
6 ounces vanilla non-dairy milk (I used soymilk)
1 Tbsp pumpkin butter or apple butter (or 1 Tbsp pumpkin purée plus 2 tsp sugar)
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a dash of cinnamon plus a dash of nutmeg) 

Brew coffee. While coffee is brewing, heat milk, pumpkin butter or apple butter (or pumpkin purée plus sugar), and spice(s) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir vigorously with a whisk until ingredients are evenly mixed and it starts to bubble. Pour coffee and milk mixture into a large mug. Pull out your laptop, turn on some jazz, sip the latte, and enjoy the moment. A true coffee shop experience!

Nutrition info per latte: 107 calories, 2.5 grams fat, 5 grams protein, 13 grams sugar, 225 mg calcium.

*1 cup in most coffee makers makes 4 ounces of coffee. Therefore, for 1 latte, brew 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) using 3 scoops of ground coffee

Who’s ready for a homemade version of the Gingerbread Latte or the Peppermint Mocha? Stay tuned!

Thanksgiving Countdown: Hearty Lentil Loaf & Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes

It’s thrilling to see all the healthy and even more delicious versions of traditional Thanksgiving fare floating around this year, especially those in the New York Times: Chloe Coscarelli’s hearty Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew, Country ‘Meatloaf’ with Golden Gravy, and Pumpkin Tiramisù, and Kris Carr’s own “Crazy Sexy Thanksgiving” including Pumpkin Bisque, Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pistachios and Cipollini Onions, Shaved Fennel and Apples With Wine-Pickled Onions, Toasted Pecans and Mandarin Vinaigrette, Seitan Piccata, and Make Juice Not War Green Drink.

To add to the list, here are a couple more of my favorites straight out of Skinny Dish!:

Loafin' Lentils from Skinny Dish!

Loafin’ Lentils
Makes 8 servings (8 thick slices)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Hands-off cooking time 45 minutes, followed by 10 minutes to cool

This meatless meatloaf was adapted from the “Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf” by Angela Liddon, MA, of the popular OhSheGlows.com, and she was inspired by Terry Walters “Clean Food” cookbook. It fills the comfort-food category with high marks, and makes a dandy partner for Sesame Greens. The ingredient list looks a little daunting, but it’s actually simple to prepare, and is well worth any extra effort. You’ll just wish you had made 2 loaves!

3 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds), soaked in ½ cup warm filtered water for 10 minutes until a gel forms, or 3 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup warm water
¾ cup California Walnut Halves and Pieces, or other whole walnuts
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced, or 3 cubes frozen Crushed Garlic
½ onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, shredded
½ green apple, unpeeled and shredded
¼ cup raisins
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 slices whole grain bread such as Organic Soft Wheat, toasted and then processed in a blender or food processor to make crumbs, or ¾ cup breadcrumbs
1 (17.6-oz) pkg refrigerated Steamed Lentils
1 Tbsp additional flaxseed meal, or Just Almond Meal
½ cup All Natural Barbeque Sauce, or other barbeque sauce

1 Preheat oven to 350° F.

2 Roast walnuts on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 6 minutes. Set aside, but keep oven on.

3 Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and sauté onion, garlic, and carrot until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add shredded apple, raisins, salt, thyme, pepper, and walnuts crumbled by hand into the skillet, and sauté another 2 minutes. Pour mixture into the mixing bowl with flaxseed meal and water mixture.

4 Process bread into breadcrumbs, and then add to the mixing bowl.

5 Process lentils so that ¾ of them are blended smooth, leaving some whole lentils. Add to mixing bowl along with additional tablespoon of flaxseed meal. Stir together. Taste test the mixture now… aren’t you excited for the finished product?!

6 Press firmly into a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan. Top with barbeque sauce, spreading it evenly over the loaf.

7 Bake for 45 minutes, and then let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

8 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per serving: 245 calories, 10.5 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 652 mg sodium, 30.5 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 10.5 g sugar, 9.5 g protein, 20.5% vitamin A, 4.5% vitamin C, 4.5% calcium, 18.5% iron

For Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread to make breadcrumbs

Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes from Skinny Dish!

Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes
Makes 3 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 40 minutes

My husband who isn’t much of a fan of “boring” sweet potatoes, finds this version surprisingly light, tangy, and completely unboring. Forget the marshmallow and sweetness of traditional Thanksgiving sweet potatoes and go sour and spicy!

4 small sweet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into chunks
Juice of 2 limes, about 3 Tbsp
1 Tbsp agave nectar, maple syrup, or sugar
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp grapeseed oil, or other vegetable oil
¼ tsp salt

1 Preheat oven to 350° F.

2 Place sweet potatoes in a 9 x 9-inch square baking dish.

3 In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, agave, chili powder, oil, and salt.

4 Pour juice mixture over sweet potatoes and stir so all potatoes are well-coated.

5 Bake for 40 minutes, until sweet potato chunks are tender.

6 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per serving: 130. calories, 3.5 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g fiber, 12.5 g sugar, 2 g protein, 106.5% vitamin A, 33.5% vitamin C, 3.5% calcium, 6.5% iron

Perfect topped off with the dairy-free Pumpkin Pie! Cheers to Thanksgiving, autumn veggies, and health!

Thanksgiving Countdown: Sesame Greens

Sesame Greens from Skinny Dish!

Looking for a fatback-free (and back-fat free) greens dish to go with your big meal next Thursday? Here’s my FAVORITE, straight out of Skinny Dish! Stay tuned this weekend for more stellar Thanksgiving recipes your body will thank you for. (And don’t forget the incredible pumpkin pie from last month…)

SESAME GREENS
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Dark leafy greens such as mustard greens, turnip greens, and collards are incredible sources of calcium with double the absorption of dairy calcium. And with the Popeye powers associated with eating dark greens, this recipe couldn’t be an easier or tastier way to energize you. Need an extra kick? Enjoy a double serving for just 175 calories!

½ cup filtered water
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ bag (5 oz) Prewashed and Rinsed Shredded Carrots, or 2 medium carrots, shredded or cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (preferably organic)
1 (16-oz) bag Trader Joe’s Southern Greens Blend, or 1 bunch kale, collards, or other dark leafy green, ripped into pieces
1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 In a large pot, steam carrots and red bell pepper in water and sesame oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Add greens, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds and cover, continuing to steam for another 5 minutes until greens are tender. Remove from heat.

2 Mix through using a pasta grabber or tongs. Just prior to serving, add soy sauce—it will turn the greens from bright to blah if it sits on them too long.

3 Store Leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per Serving: 88 calories, 3 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 403.5 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 4 g protein, 113% vitamin A, 99% vitamin C, 18% calcium, 13% iron

*Alternate option: Reserve the sesame seeds and top each serving with ½ tsp.

Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce

Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust

What’s left, right? Just a bunch of pumpkin and spices? You got it, and the taste is out of this world!

Here’s last year’s pumpkin tribute post with recipes for Pumpkin-Apple Butter, Mexican Pumpkin Stew, Pumpkin Bread, and a Pumpkin Smoothie. This year, however, I’ve started early to find the BEST tasting pumpkin pie in the universe, while of course remaining healthy, easy, and adequately fit for a galaxy queen. It’s quite possible that I don’t need to test any further. Note that the cashews need to soak for at least 4 hours…

Oh My Stars Pumpkin Pie

Oh My Stars Pumpkin Pie
Makes 12 slices 

Gingersnap Crust
3 cups small gingersnap cookies (about 8 oz)

1/3 cup melted Earth Balance margarine 

Pie Filling
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée 
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp ginger + 1/4 tsp allspice + 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
1 tsp extra cinnamon
2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in salted water for 4 hours (or overnight)
1/2 cup canned light coconut milk

Gingersnap Crust

1 Preheat oven to 375° F. 
2 In a blender or food processor, blend cookies until they’re crumbs. Add margarine and process until evenly mixed.
3 Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round pie pan so the edges come halfway to the top.
4 Bake crust for 5 minutes, and let cool completely before adding filling and baking further. 

Pie Filling:

1 In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, and spices until well mixed.  
2 Once cashews have soaked and are a tad soft, drain the liquid and then blend them in a blender or food processor with coconut milk until soft and fluffy.
3 Fold cashew “cream” into pumpkin mixture.
4 Pour filling into cooled crust and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in the fridge for about 1 hour to solidify the filling before serving.
5 Store leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition Info Per Slice: 209 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 166 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 3 g protein, 110% vitamin A, 2.5% vitamin C, 2.5% calcium, 11% iron.

What the critics said:
Bitchin’ Dietitian: “Wow. That’s what I’m talking about.”
Bitchin’ Husband: “I’ll have some more.”
5-year-old: “It’s not good, it’s great.” (& then chose pie over a chocolate soy ice cream sandwich the next night)
3-year-old: “MMMMM!”
1-year-old: “Mo?” (although he ate the uncooked pie filling more aggressively than the cooked pie; the beauty of egg-free baking!)

So Chez Reilly, this will be our pumpkin pie. Other pumpkin pie compilations willing to enter the competition?

Crazy Carrot Sugar Cookies

Crazy Carrot Sugar Cookies

It was my turn to host my daughter’s playgroup this week, and the kids expect themselves some cookies. Good cookies. So in addition to the zucchini bread (recipe in my Skinny Dish book), hummus plate with Baked Lentil Chips, cherry tomatoes, and carrot discs, strawberry cucumber water (a pitcher of filtered water with strawberry and cucumber slices), sparkling berry lemonade, and white wine on the snack table, I invented a new sugar cookie with help from my friend Betty Crocker.

I had some sugar cookie mix in the pantry which called for 1 stick of softened butter (1/2 cup) and 1 egg. Instead, I added 1 Tbsp softened Earth Balance margarine, 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal gelled with 1/2  cup warm filtered water, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1/4 tsp pure almond extract, and sprinkles. Sure they’re still sugar cookies, but they’ve also got vision-enhancing and cancer-kicking beta-carotene, omega-3 fat- and fiber-rich flaxseed meal, and they’re much lower in fat than Betty intended them to be. And with the almond zing (without the almond allergen) and sprinkles, there’s no need for frosting.

Crazy Carrot Sugar Cookies
Makes 28 good-sized cookies

3 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal (such as Bob’s Red Mill) mixed with 1/2 cup warm filtered water for 5 minutes until a gel forms
1 pkg (17.5-oz) Sugar Cookie Mix (such as Betty Crocker’s)
1 Tbsp softened or melted Earth Balance margarine
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 tsp pure almond extract (I repeat, this does not contain almonds for the allergenics)
sprinkles (optional, black sprinkles or poppy seeds for Crazy Halloween Cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together (except sprinkles) in a bowl and drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet. Top with sprinkles, if using. Bake for 12-14 minutes until very lightly browned.  Cool and chow!

Nutrition info per cookie: 79 calories, 2 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 58 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 1 g protein, 10% vitamin A, 2% iron. 

Were they good? Were the kids fooled? Lemme just say that the plate of 28 was just crumbs after the 2-hour playgroup, and my 3 yr-old son started crying because he only got one. One 6-yr-old boy said “What are these orange things in here?” I was honest, and he responded with “Well, I can see the carrots, but I can’t taste them. They’re actually good!”

For more crazy dessert ideas try the black bean brownies and kale cake–all hits with the youngin’s.

Love Straws? Love the word Awesome? Introducing Strawesome!

If you’re looking for a fun way to down a green Popeye Smoothie, kale apple juice, or just get better hydrated, you have GOT to check out these rad straws! Strawesome was started by Michigan mom and architect Daedra Surowiec, and is a family-owned business that creates healthy, environmentally friendly, unique, reusable glass drinking straws. Just when you thought you had everything!

Other fun ways to get wholesome goodness into your bod?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Green Food #3: Shamrock Pancakes!

Photo by Bitchin' Dietitian, Eaten by Keller Shannon Reilly

Happy Green Foods Day! Today, I challenge you to eat 10 green foods (naturally green… M&M’s don’t count) in honor of St. Pat himself. Today, the Reillys started out with Shamrock Pancakes: Multigrain pancake mix made with flaxmeal & water instead of eggs plus shredded zucchini and green food coloring. Cut out with a shamrock cookie cutter and topped with pure maple syrup. DE. LISH.

The line-up for the rest of the day will include a green apple, green smoothie, arugula salad, roasted collards, cucumber slices, steamed spinach, peas, edamame beans, and lime popsicles.

How will you meet the green challenge today?

St. Patty’s Day Week: Green Food #2: Green Smoothies (of course!)


You had to see this one coming! If green smoothies mean St. Patrick’s Day, then the Reilly family celebrates most days. Check out the recipe in the picky kids post. And, feedback welcome on my new food photography hobby, which I’ve started as a result of my upcoming Trader Joe’s cookbook. Happy Green Drinking!

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