Mango Coconut Lassi with Chia Seeds and Cardamom

We've had some cooler weather in DC, and with autumn being my favorite season, I'm all for it! I love watching the leaves change color, I love pumpkin/pumpkin-flavored anything, I love cute fall clothes, and I'm getting married this fall (woohoo!) I spent this past weekend in Savannah, GA, and the weather there quickly reminded me that it is, in fact, still August (hmmph!) The hot weather got me thinking about lassis, and a recent lunch date with my mom to an Afghan restaurant had me determined to use cardamom in my next blog recipe. The result? A mango coconut lassi with chia seeds and cardamom! What's a lassi, you ask? It's a smoothie-type drink from India, combining yogurt, fruit, and spices, and it is soooo delicious and refreshing. I decided to add chia seeds for a little extra flavor and nutrition. Here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (vanilla or plain works)
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (again, vanilla or plain)
2 Tbsp unsweetened, reduced-fat coconut (the brand I used is called Let's Do Organic)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
cardamom, to taste

Combine all ingredients except for the chia seeds and cardamom in a blender. Pour into a cup and stir in chia seeds and as much cardamom as you like. Enjoy and cool off in these last few weeks of summer!

Nutrition Information (makes one serving):

Calories: 265 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 6g

Copycat Korean Salad

Korean BBQ is one of the most delicious discoveries I've ever made. I tried it for the first time shortly after moving to the DC area, and I was not disappointed! The unique blend of spices and flavors make this cuisine irresistible. My very favorite Korean BBQ restaurant has this amazing salad that they serve before they bring out the meat. It's so delicious that I fill up on it before the meat even arrives. Then I'm super disciplined and don't eat any meat or rice! Just kidding. I have zero self-control when it comes to Korean food. The bright side of my gluttony is, I ate enough of the salad to figure out how to make it on my own! Here's how I do:

Ingredients:

2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes (I used the ones pictured, which I found at an international market)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds

Toss ingredients together in a bowl. Divide between two plates and serve!

Nutrition information (serves 2):

Calories: 109 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fiber: 1g

Vanilla Berry Smoothie

When it's a bazillion degrees outside like it has been these past few days, there's nothing like a nice, cold, refreshing smoothie to cool off. Smoothies can make a great breakfast, snack, or (if you're lazy like me) a quick and easy lunch. If you haven't tried adding spinach to a smoothie before, I strongly encourage you to include it when making this. It's an easy way to get in some great nutrients, and you can't even taste it (promise!)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Muscle Milk)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 handful spinach

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 277 | Fat: 8.5g | Protein: 17g | Carbs: 10g

Easy-Peasy Italian Chicken and Veggies

Ever feel so exhausted by lunchtime that you're already dreaming of take-out for dinner, even though you know how unhealthy it can be? Yup, that was me today. I woke up crazy-early this morning to run with Back on My Feet (totally worth the dark circles!) and by lunchtime, I was already second-guessing my plans to cook tonight. Then I thought, "I'll just saute some chicken and vegetables, add some herbs and spices, and be done with it. How hard can that be?" Answer: Not that hard. Here's how it's done:

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
olive oil spray (I highly recommend the Misto)
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium bell peppers, one green, one red, cut into thin strips
1 onion, cut into thin slices
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a large pan with olive oil spray. Add chicken and cook until cooked through and golden brown. While the chicken is cooking, heat 2 tsp olive oil in a separate pan. Add the vegetables, basil, and garlic, and saute until tender. Add vegetables to the chicken, and sprinkle with oregano. Serve with pasta or farro (this will alter the nutrition content).

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 235 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 7g | Protein: 33 | Fiber: ~ 2g

Lettuce-Wrapped Blood Orange Chicken Fajitas

Blood oranges are just so delicious, and with the weather warming up, it's great to have citrusy, summertime recipes. Over the weekend, my fiance discovered a new cocktail that blended two of the things we love: bourbon and blood orange juice. It was delicious! Of course, after the weekend was over, I had a bunch of blood orange juice and no idea what to do with it. I also happened to have some peppers and onions, so I thought, why not incorporate blood orange juice into my usual fajita recipe? Feel free to play around with this recipe to your liking. These fajitas have a little heat to them from the chipotle powder, so if spicy isn't your thing, just adjust accordingly. If you're a carb-lover, use tortillas instead of lettuce to wrap your tortillas. Just keep in mind that this will change the nutritional content. Here's how it's done:

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup blood orange juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
several leaves of lettuce (I used Romaine, but just about any kind will do.)
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese

Mix the garlic, blood orange juice, cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, and lime juice in a Ziploc bag. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Add olive oil to a large skillet and cook chicken, along with marinade, for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add onion and peppers and reduce heat to medium. Cook until peppers and onion are tender. Wrap in lettuce leaves and top with cheese.

Nutrition information:

Serving size: 1/2 recipe | Serves 2

Calories: 329 | Fat: 15g | Protein: 35g | Carbs: 20g | Fiber: ~2g

Spicy Chicken and Broccoli

Ever notice that your taste buds have changed? Maybe as a kid, your parents let you try a sip of coffee. You took a sip, grimaced, and looked incredulously at your parents. How could they enjoy something so bitter and, well, gross? Fast forward to adulthood, and you can barely function without the stuff. I've noticed this with my tolerance and more frequently, enjoyment, of spicy food. My fiance and I go through a jumbo-sized bottle of sriracha sauce within just a few months.

If you're health-conscious, you already know that chicken and broccoli is a great go-to dish when you want Chinese take-out, but don't want to spend a lot of calories. Here's a recipe to make it even healthier, and add a spicy kick. Feel free to add additional veggies if you'd like. This would be great with carrots, water chestnuts, baby corn, etc.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp sriracha sauce (more or less, according to your own spiciness preferences)
1 medium head broccoli, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp sesame seeds

Whisk together lime juice, sesame oil, honey, and sriracha. Add chicken to marinade and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken, including marinade, and stir fry until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add broccoli and garlic, and stir fry until broccoli is tender. Add sesame seeds and serve over rice or quinoa. Enjoy!

Nutrition information:

Serving size: 1/2 recipe | Serves 2

Calories: 245 | Fat: 8 g | Carbs: 20 g | Protein: 28 g | Fiber: 5 g

Salmon with Grapefruit-Dill Yogurt Sauce

Dear Diary,

Jackpot. Not only did we get strawberries and rhubarb in the crop share this week; we also got one of my most favorite herbs ever: dill! I know there are some dill-haters out there, so I'll warn you: this recipe is not for you. But you know what I always say, haters gon' hate! So here's a delicious, dill-icious way to jazz up your salmon (sorry for the pun)! Thanks to Tara from Nalls Produce for the dairy-free substitution idea. :)

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet
2 slices grapefruit, + 2 tbsp grapefruit juice
2 tbsp spring onion, chopped (the ones I used in this recipe are rather large spring onions, but any size will do)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp dill
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free chicken stock
1/2 cup fat-free, plain yogurt (Tara tells me Tofutti sour cream is an excellent substitution for those with  dairy allergies/issues.)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut two thin slices of grapefruit and place on top of the salmon. Bake salmon for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add spring onions and cook until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add chicken broth and grapefruit juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add yogurt and dill. Remove grapefruit slices from salmon. Drizzle yogurt sauce over salmon and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition information:

Serving size: 1/2 fillet | Serves 2

Calories: 364 | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 13g | Protein: 42g

Strawberry Rhubarb Overnight Oatmeal

Holy crap, what happened to May?! I can't believe it's Memorial Day weekend already. I suppose I should post a spring recipe before it's too late, right? We received strawberries and rhubarb in our crop share this week, which got me thinking about strawberry rhubarb crumble. I loooove sweets, and there's nothing quite like the delicious combination of strawberry, rhubarb, and sugar. :) Sadly, if you're anything like me, you probably just gained a few pounds just by reading that. So, I've devised a healthy alternative to strawberry rhubarb crumble. It's so healthy, you can even eat it for breakfast! I've been cutting back quite a bit on sugar these days, so feel free to add a bit more sugar or sweetener to your taste. Here's how it's done:

Ingredients:

1 stalk rhubarb, sliced into 1" pieces
2 tsp sugar
1 cup sliced strawberries
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular milk, if you prefer. This will affect the nutrition content.)
2/3 cup plain, nonfat yogurt (or soy yogurt)
1 tbsp chia seeds
dash of cinnamon

To prepare rhubarb:

Place rhubarb and sugar into a saucepan and cover with just enough water to cover rhubarb. Boil on low heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender. Drain water.

To prepare the remainder of the recipe:

Mix together all ingredients and divide between two mason jars or other airtight containers. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy in the morning!

Nutrition information (using almond milk):

Serving size: 1 jar | Recipe makes 2 jars.

Calories: 227 | Carbs: 40g | Fat: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fiber: ~2g

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I gush a lot about my fiance, Matt, so I'll try to keep this as un-disgusting as possible. Seriously though, he's probably the calmest, most laid-back person I know. Maybe he gets his easygoing demeanor from growing up in California, but nothing seems to rattle him. In fact, one of the only times he ever complains is when he's bitching about the lack of good Mexican food here on the East Coast. I can't say I blame him. Now that I've had Mexican food while visiting California, I get sad just thinking about the fact that I can't just grab amazing Mexican food whenever I want to. Then again, maybe that's a good thing! I'd probably be rivaling Mama June from "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" with the amount of chins I'd have if I had access to those West Coast Mexican delicacies. When we got poblano peppers in our crop share this week, Matt suggested we try creating a dish based on one of his favorite dishes from back home: stuffed poblano peppers! Here's how it's done:

Ingredients:

4 poblano peppers

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp olive oil

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 tsp cumin

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1 mango, cubed

1/2 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, and garlic in a bowl. Combine with chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least one hour. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake chicken breasts for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice poblano peppers lengthwise and hollow out. 

Once the chicken is finished, shred it using two forks and combine it with onion and mango. Stuff poblano peppers with the chicken mixture and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until peppers are soft. 

Top with cheese and serve with quinoa, brown rice, or whatever you'd like! Enjoy!

Nutrition information (not including quinoa/rice):

Serving size: 1 whole pepper. Serves 4.
Calories: 222 | Carbs: 11g | Fat: 8g | Protein: 27 | Fiber: ~2g