Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Bake


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In the efforts to eat healthy, it's easy to get to a point where the healthy staples, such as oatmeal, get pretty boring, and going off your healthy lifestyle becomes very tempting. Oatmeal bakes are a great way to add some variety without going off course with an unhealthy choice.  Here is my recipe for an oatmeal bake with apples and cinnamon:
Ingredients - Makes 6 servings:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup no-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp. of melted coconut oil
2 egg whites
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. of truvia or preferred sugar/ sugar substitute
1 medium apple, cored and sliced
sugar-free or preferred maple syrup (optional topping)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following dry ingredients: oats, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the following wet ingredients: milk, yogurt, oil, egg whites and vanilla.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together, and pour into prepared baking dish.
  5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until oatmeal bake begins to thicken.
  6.  Remove from the oven, place apple slices in rows (see picture).
  7. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and truvia/ sugar substitute and return to oven.
  8. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until oatmeal is golden brown and apples soften.
  9. Drizzle a serving with optional, preferred syrup...Enjoy!


Friday, April 8, 2016

Berry-licious Smoothie

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I've made a decision to start gearing my food and supplements towards better skin care, so as such this smoothie is antioxidants, antioxidants, antioxidants! Great for clearing free radicals from your body and skin and still serving my needs for protein, and a quick, easy breakfast.

Includes Nuts & Dairy

Primary Nutrition Info (less whey protein option):

Calories-213| Protein-16g| Carbs-26g| Fiber-6g| Total Fat-5.5g| Sugar-7g| Sodium-255mg

Secondary Nutrition Info:
Saturated Fats-0g| Polyunsaturated Fats-.5g| Monounsaturated Fats-2g

(Since whey protein powders vary, please add your nutrition label information to the above if you choose to include a scoop.) 


Ingredients:

1 /4 cup raspberries
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup blackberries
5 almonds
1 pkg of whipped blueberry Greek fat free yogurt
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1-2 cubes of ice
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (optional)

Mix all ingredients with a hand blender or in a traditional blender and enjoy!



Monday, April 4, 2016

Bourbon & Bison Dish

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Bourbon & Bison Dish Spread, For Your Man
Men like their meat, and a lot of them have an exceptional appreciation for bourbon, hence Bourbon and Bison dishes were created as a creative and gourmet man dish.  This is my version of what to serve your significant other when they crave frontier cowboy meat and smooth bourbon from the mid-south.  Be careful not to confuse your meal with Buffalo meat because there is a distinction to be made. Bison meat is also a nice choice if your man is into *fitness and weightlifting, because bison is usually leaner than beef (as compared to 80/20%), it's less calories and is higher in nutrients such as iron and vitamin B-12.  There can also be higher protein depending on the comparison of choice and select options. 
Bourbon & Bison Dish Serves 2:
1st Course: Starters - Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad with Cheddar Bay Biscuits
2nd Course: Appetizer - Bison Hatch Green Chili Quesadillas
3rd Course: Main Dish - Bison Strip Steak with Caramelized Onion Bourbon Sauce
4th Course: Side Dishes - Sweet Potato with Bourbon Butter and Brown Sugar & Parmesan Garlic Spinach

Starters: Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad with Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Salad Ingredients:
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1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
2-3 strips of bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
4 tbsp. preferred blue cheese dressing or other kind
salt & pepper to taste

Biscuit Ingredients:
I simply used a box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix, which calls for 1/4 cup of water, and 1/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and the box mix.  You can also add shredded cheese to any other biscuit mix and it will be comparable.
  1. Cut the 1/2 head of lettuce in half, making two triangular wedge pieces and arrange on your serving salad plates.
  2. Pour 2 tbsp. of dressing over each wedge.
  3. Sprinkle bacon crumbs and diced tomatoes over the wedge and dressing.
  4. Add salt and pepper if desired.
  5. Follow instructions of biscuit mix according to the box.
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Appetizer: Bison Hatch Green Chili Quesadillas
Ingredients:
3-4 fresh roasted Anaheim peppers (I buy these from a food truck vendor that does it fresh every day but you can buy fresh peppers, coat them with olive oil and grill them until they are charred on all sides, wrap in plastic and let sit for 30 minutes))
1-2 jalapeno peppers
8 oz Bison ground chuck
2 strips bacon
1 qrt of low-sodium chicken broth
*2 cans of diced tomatoes and habanero chilies (such as a brand like Ro-Tel) 
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbsp butter
2 1/2 tbsp flour (I use soy or whole wheat flour but all-purpose flour also works)
4 tortillas 
1/2 cup shredded Monterey pepper jack cheese
  1. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat and stir in the flour.
  2. Cook for about a minute and stir until mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Prepare Anaheim peppers (roast if needed, instructions above) Cut off the stems and split the peppers open.
  4. Remove the charred skin and seeds under a running faucet and dice the remainder of the chilies.
  5. Put bison in a large pan and brown.  Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  6. Cook bacon in the pan.  Remove bacon from pan and dice, but reserve the bacon grease in the pan.
  7. Cook the onions and garlic for about 2-3 minutes.
  8. Deglaze with the chicken stock.
  9. Add the cans of tomatoes and habanero chilies, the bison meat and the bacon.
  10. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  Cover and let simmer on low heat for about an hour.
  11.  Add the butter, flour mixture to thicken the mixture and stir.
  12. Heat a separate pan, Take the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and butter one side of each tortilla.
  13. Put one tortilla on the hot pan, butter side down.
  14. Add bison green chili mix almost to the edges of the tortilla.
  15. Sprinkle monterey jack cheese over bison green chili mixture and over to the edge of the tortilla.
  16. Cover with another tortilla, butter side up.
  17. Cook until tortilla browns and crisps, and flip to other side to brown and crisp.
  18. Repeat with other two tortillas.
  19. Cut quesadillas into fourths.


Main Dish: Bison Strip Steak with Caramelized Onion Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients:
2 cuts of bison steaks
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup bourbon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  1. Heat up your grill
  2. Season bison steaks with desired salt & pepper
  3. Grill on each side to preferred rareness
  4. In a sauce pan, heat oil and onions over a medium-high heat until onions brown and begin to caramelize.
  5. Reduce heat to low, slowly add in bourbon
  6. Cook until liquid is reduced by a third, about 10-15 minutes.
  7. Add brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire and stir until thick and bubbly.
  8. Spoon sauce over bison steaks and serve.
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Side Dishes: Sweet Potato with Bourbon Butter and Brown Sugar & Parmesan Garlic Spinach
Potato Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, thoroughly washed
2 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of bourbon
2 tsp of brown sugar

Spinach Ingredients:
4 handfuls of fresh spinach
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  1. Poke holes in both sweet potatoes and place on a microwave safe plate.
  2. Cook on high for about 3-5 minutes, or until potatoes soften
  3. Carefully remove from microwave (the potatoes will be hot) and slice potatoes down the center to open up (you may want to use a hot pad to hold in place to protect your fingers)
  4. Squeeze potatoes to "bloom" out the insides.
  5. In a microwave safe mug, melt butter completely in microwave, about 30-60 seconds. 
  6. Add in bourbon and mix well.  Pour over sweet potatoes evenly.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  7. Take a pan and add 3/4 cup of water, over a medium heat.
  8. Cover, and cook until spinach becomes a brighter green and begins to wilt.  About 8-10 minutes.
  9. Drain excess liquid from pan.
  10. Toss spinach with olive oil, garlic powder and grated Parmesan cheese (less 2 tbsp. of grated cheese)  
  11. Dish out on serving dish and sprinkle top with remainder of Parmesan cheese. 
*There are many ways to make this dish more healthy but still decadent: 1) Skip the biscuits, remove bacon or substitute with turkey bacon on wedge salad, and use yogurt-based blue cheese salad dressing. 2) Use low-carb tortillas. 3) Don't use bourbon and brown sugar in steak sauce and potato, use sugar free maple syrup instead to flavor potatoes. 4) just keep spinach steamed rather than adding oil and omit cheese.

Bourbon Chocolate Hazelnut Mini-Pies

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This is a fun and tasty alternative to traditional pecan pie.  You can still enjoy the sweet, nut flavors but the addition of chocolate and bourbon adds a southern decadence.  A sweet dessert to any dinner and especially complimentary to my Bourbon & Bison Dish for your man.
Ingredients - makes 6 mini-pies:  
1 pkg. frozen pie crust dough (comes with 2 pieces, but you may only need to use one depending on muffin tin size)
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I use agave nectar)
1/4 cup sugar (I use Truvia)
1 eggs
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup hazelnuts, peeled and chopped small
Spray olive oil
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spray 6 of the cups in your muffin pan with spray oil, making sure bottom and walls are well coated.
  3. Unroll 1 piece of pie crust dough.
  4. Cut smaller circles out of the dough (I used a glass with the diameter of about 3.75") and shape into the greased muffin tin cups.
  5. In a large bowl, mix corn syrup, egg, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, hazelnuts and bourbon thoroughly.
  6. Fill each cup with the filling mixture about 3/4 of the way; pies will bubble up.  Ensure that each cup is an even mixture of chocolate and nuts, you may need to re-stir each time you spoon a cup.
  7. Lay leftover pieces of pie dough over as a lattice (optional).
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pie filling becomes solid.  If the tops begin to burn, cover with a piece of tin foil.
  9. Remove from oven, and let cool.  You may need to use a knife to loosen the edges to remove from muffin tin to serving dish.
  10. Recommend to serve with vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream...Enjoy!
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Friday, April 1, 2016

The Ballerini-tini

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The Ballerini-tini
As some people might know, ballet is a huge part of my life, and my fitness program. However, I have had a few times in the past when I had to take a year or more away from it. 
I developed this recipe after taking my first break and coming back into the studio for the first time.  I was not feeling my best, it was painful to come back into the studio and I needed something beyond just the bananas and bubble bath to soothe my sore muscles...and my bruised ego. 
Ingredients:
2 parts preferred vodka
1 part Razzmatazz (raspberry schnapps)
1 part unsweetened almond milk
ice

Mix ingredients in a martini shaker...Enjoy!

Please drink responsibly..!

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