Cinnamon-Honey Almond Butter

What is better than almond butter?  Almond butter enriched with a touch of honey and cinnamon!

Cinnammon-Honey Almond Butter

10 oz raw almonds,

1-2 T Canola oil

1 T honey

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Toast almonds for 15 minutes or until they become shiny. (This means the natural oils are seeping out).

Next, if you prefer no skins in your almond butter, remove them.  (This can be done easily after roasting and cooling.  Just rub them between your fingers!)  If you like the skins (they add a nice smoky flavor), keep them.

In a food processor, combine almonds with other ingredients.  Process until it reaches the consistency you like...smooth? chunky? a mixture?  If you want a smoother, runnier consistency, add 1 more T of Canola oil.  (But note, this adds more calories!)

Use on crackers, bread, etc! Yummmmm

National RD Day

Today is Nation Registered Dietitian Day.

The importance of this?  To celebrate an educated and trusted profession!  Registered Dietitians are the experts in Nutrition.  If someone gives you nutritional advice but does not have RD after their name, take their advice with a grain of salt.  There are many phonies out there who call themselves "nutritionists", but unless they are Registered Dietitians...that title means nothing!

What is an RD, specifically?  Click here for the answer 

How can I find an RD? Click here to find an RD in your area

Lemon Ricotta Gelato

Ricotta in ice cream?  Really?  Well, not exactly.  This is gelato. The difference: gelato is made with whole milk, while ice cream is made with heavy cream!  Therefore, gelato = less fat and calories!  I do want to preface this recipe with a disclaimer...just because it uses part-skim ricotta and milk rather than cream does not mean you should eat the entire batch....

Lemon Ricotta Gelato

2 1/2 c part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

zest and juice of 1 lemon (Zest it first, juice it second!)

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup whole milk

Place all ingredients together in a bowl and beat until well combined.  Transfer to an ice cream maker and process until thick, creamy, and frozen!  Serve immediately (best) or place in freezer to eat later.
 
Note:  If you freeze before serving, make sure to remove from freezer and let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.  Gelato is supposed to be served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream (whole milk freezes harder than cream because the fat content is lower) so that you get the best flavor and consistency.

Serving suggestions:

Garnish with candied lemon peel (shown).  

Top with fresh fruit or blueberry compote (click here for compote recipe)

Serve with ginger snaps (complementary flavors!)

Roasted Balsamic-Rosemary Medley

(served over bulgur wheat)

Roasted Balsamic-Rosemary Medley 

2 anjou pears, sliced

5 oz baby carrots

5 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 T balsamic vinegar

4 T EVOO

fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Toss all ingredients together and transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Serve immediately over brown rice, bulgur wheat, or whole wheat pasta.

Cilantro Dip for Naan Bread

Whether you like Indian food or not, you probably like naan bread.  The same is for Greek food...if you don`t like it you at least would eat the pita bread!  One of the best dips for naan bread is "the green one".  This commonly consists of cilantro, oil. chiles, lemon juice, and garlic.  I love the chipotle/adobe flavor that is in southwestern cuisine, so I decided to throw that in to replace the chiles.  I am a vinegar-lover, so I used that as my acidic ingredient.  Lastly, I am currently snowed in and have no naan bread!  Nor do I have the ingredients for it.  Instead, I used whole wheat tortillas and made my own chips...

Cilantro Dip

1 1/2 c fresh cilantro (leaves, no stems)

2 T canola oil (don`t use olive oil...will make a funky flavor!)

2 tsp adobe sauce

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until consistent sauce is formed.  Serve immediately.

Baked Whole Wheat Chips

4 whole wheat tortillas (cut into 6 triangles each)

cumin

salt

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prepare a baking sheet by greasing with cooking spray.  Distribute tortilla triangles evenly on the baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.  Spring with cumin and salt.  Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes.

Cinnamon Tortilla Snacks

Cinnamon Tortilla Snacks

4 whole-wheat tortillas (fajita-size)

6 T Chocolate PB2 (Not sure what this is? Click here )

4 T water

Cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and grease with cooking spray.

Add water to Chocolate PB2 and stir until smooth.  Spread a thin layer of this mixture evenly over a tortilla.  Roll tortilla up and cut in half.  Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas and Chocolate PB2 mixture.  

Place tortilla rolls on baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 5-7 minutes.  Serve warm or room temp.

Eggless Whole Wheat Pancakes

Eggless Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

 1/2 tsp salt

1 T flax seed mill in 3 T water

2 T butter, melted

1/2 c skim milk

Heat a skillet over medium and grease with cooking spray. 

Mix first 4 ingredients together and set aside.

Combine flax in water, melted butter, and milk.  Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 

Pour a small amount of batter into the heated skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Top pancakes with fresh berries, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey!

Polenta and Butternut Squash Lasagna

Never tried polenta?  You have been missing out then!  Don`t know what polenta is?  Click here.

Polenta & Butternut Squash Lasagna

2- 18 oz. pkgs pre-cooked polenta (comes in cylinder shape)

10 oz. fresh butternut squash

1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth

2 c part-skim ricotta cheese OR low-fat cottage cheese

2 c shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

2 T Italian seasoning

Rosemary for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add squash, reduce to simmer, and cover.  Cook until squash is tender (about 25 min).  Puree with a hand blender or food processor until a smooth, sauce-like consistency.  Set aside.

Add Italian seasoning to ricotta or cottage cheese.  Stir to combine and set aside.

Cut both cylinders of polenta into round slices each about 1/2 cm thick.  Line the bottom of the baking dish with one layer of polenta rounds.  Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese mixture.  Next, spoon pureed squash sauce evenly over the cheese.  Top with a layer of mozzarella.  Repeat until you are out of ingredients!  

Note: Make sure the last layer you add is mozzarella.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, until top layer of cheese is bubbly.  Remove and let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.  Garnish each plate with fresh rosemary.

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos with Turkey Bacon & Black Beans & Avocado-Adobe Cream

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos with Turkey Bacon and Black Beans and Avocado-Adobe Cream

For the tacos:

 10 oz. fresh butternut squash, cubed

1 T canola oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 yellow onion, diced

6 slices low-sodium turkey bacon, chopped

1 tsp canola oil

1 cup of cooked black beans, (if canned, then drain and rinse)

1/2 c pepper jack cheese, shredded

cilantro

4 whole wheat tortillas 

For the Avocado-Adobe Cream:

1/2 of a ripe Hass avocado

1 T adobe sauce (The sauce that chipotle peppers are canned in.)

1/3 c nonfat plain Greek yogurt

skim milk

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a bowl, toss squash with oil and dry spices. Arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven 25-30 minutes.

While the squash is baking, heat 1 tsp oil in a skillet over medium.  Add onions to hot pan.  Saute for 2 minutes, then add bacon.  Cook until bacon is crispy and onions translucent.  Remove from pan and drain.  Pat with a paper towel to remove excess grease.

Prepare cream by blending avocado, adobe sauce, and yogurt in a food processor. Add milk 1 T at a time until cream has reached a pourable consistency.  (Runny, but not watery.)  Set aside.

Remove squash from oven.  Divide evenly among 4 tortillas.  Add 1/4 cup beans to each tortilla.  Next, add bacon and onions to each.  Drizzle a small amount of cheese over each.  Dollap or drizzle a T of prepared cream over each taco and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!