Showing posts with label Almonds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Almonds. Show all posts

Monday, May 23, 2011

Clean Energy Bars

Clean Energy Bar


my fellow crossfitter, Katie, found this on www.snack-girl.com
(makes 12 or 24)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup nut butter
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup whole nuts (choose your favorite)
1 ½ cup total of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, coconut, etc.)
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
Pinch cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, coarsely chop nuts and dried fruits. Mix nut butter and bananas until a paste forms. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes. Can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days.

For one granola bite (12 in recipe) = 190 calories, 8.4 g fat, 26.7 g carbohydrates, 5.4 g protein, 3.1 g fiber


Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

Monday, November 22, 2010

Crossfit Des Moines Chili Cook Off

Crossfit Des Moines held a chili cook-off at fellow crossfitters Susan's beautiful home Saturday.
The competition and the chili was hot hot hot!
Chili galore...white, red, vegetarian, bison, beef.....
here are a few of the wonderful recipes
Blue Ribbon Chili
by Kelly Heffron
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. sausage
¾ C. chopped onion
½ C. chopped green bell peppers
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 – 14 ½ ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 – 15 ½ ounce cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons pepper
1 – 15 ounce can chili beans, undrained
Instructions:
Brown hamburger. Add onions, green peppers, and garlic; continue cooking until the meat is well-browned. Remove skillet from heat. When the skillet cools, slightly, add the stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce; stir until the skillet is deglazed. Add the chili powder, cumin, parsley, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Cover and simmer the mixture slowly for 1 hour. Add the chili beans; simmer, uncovered, an additional ½ hour.

CHECKERBOARD CHILI
From: Sherry Ellingson
Ingredients:
8 skinless, boneless chicken, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces. (I pre-cooked in chicken in crock pot and then shred it)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, crushed
1 can beer
1 (10 oz.) bag of shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Saute chicken, red pepper, onion, and garlic in oil in a soup pot about 5 minutes or until chicken is just cooked. Add chili powder, salt, cumin, and coriander; cook 3 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes with juice and beer. Bring to a boil. Simmer 45 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Stir in cheese. Serve when cheese is thoroughly melted. Serves 10 - 12.

all the fixins to make a mean chili dish
Katie Claeys Chili was quite the contender
from the kitchen of her dad, Roger Fiscus
Ingredients:
2 lbs burger
2 cans of kidney beans (I usually do one light and one dark; low sodium)
1 qt. of tomatoes (my parents always froze tomatoes growing up, so that's what he uses. I usually buy two cans of no-salt added diced tomatoes)
onion
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 c. ketchup
1 c. water
2 T. cumin
1/2 c. celery
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. Worcestershire
1 t. Accent
1/2 t. vinegar
1/2 t. dry mustard
2 T. chili powder
crushed red pepper (I'm pretty liberal with this and the chili powder)
Instructions:
Brown burger with diced up onion, red pepper, green pepper, and celery. Drain fat/juices. Add everything but beans. Let simmer; stir often. Add beans last hour. I've done it on the stove top and in a crock pot- both are fine. It freezes well!
White Chickin Chili
although I made this recipe, props go to my pal Robin
Ingredients:
1 pound Northern beans (canned - rinse until foam is gone)
1 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
dash cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch ground cloves
5 cups of chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1/2 cup lime juice
3 cups cooked chicken, diced (I use HyVee Rotisserie chicken - usually makes 4 cups - but go ahead and add it all)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Briefly saute onions and garlic on stove until fragrant and onions are translucent. Add to beans along with oregano, jalapeno pepper, cayenne, cumin, cloves and chicken broth. Add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add Rotel, lime juice and chicken. Cook 30 minutes, simmering. (Add more water if soup is too thick) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh cilantro to serve.
of course there were yummy desserts to share
picture from Paula Dean's site...thanks Paula!
Beverly enlightened our taste buds with this Paula Dean recipe:
enjoy this dessert while keeping in mind, "all things in moderation" :)
these almonds were so incredibly good....great way to add a little spice to your life
Black Peppered-Sugared Almonds
By Jill Oxberger
Ingredients:
1 lb raw almonds
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp course ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg white
1 tsp water
Instructions:
Mix sugar and spices in a bowl large enough to hold the almonds and mixture. Whisk the egg white in a separate bowl large enough for the almonds too, then add the water to the whipped egg white then whip again until it's frothy. Coat the almonds in the egg white mixture then drain the excess if necessary. Dump the almonds into the sugar/spices mixture and stir them to coat evenly.
Line a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with foil, then spray the foil with a non stick Pam type coating. Spread the almonds on the pan in a single layer. Bake at 250 degrees for an hour and you can stir them during that time, but I usually don't. Once out of the oven scrap them off the foil a bit to keep from sticking and let them cool.

Good times with good people!
Thanks for sharing your recipes everyone!
Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving!
Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good

Monday, August 9, 2010

Chilled Oatmeal with Vanilla Yogurt

J had a business trip in Atlanta a couple weeks ago. Every morning he'd call to express that he was in love with his breakfast. A coffee shop near his hotel served up this chilled oatmeal that has become a "J and I favorite" in our household.

Chilled Oatmeal with Vanilla Yogurt
a PERFECT way to eat oatmeal during those hot summer days


Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats (because you don't cook them we find quick to work well)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I use homemade yogurt flavored with Watkins vanilla and honey, you can use plain or Greek yogurt with vanilla flavoring and honey)
1/2 green apple, diced
1/4 c dried cranberries
splash of skim milk
almonds
and any berries you have (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)
1 T of ground flaxseed (optional)
Instructions:

Mix oatmeal, yogurt, diced apple, cranberries ,and a splash of milk together. When thoroughly combined, top with almonds and berries.
Enjoy!

a balanced breakfast: whole grain carbs from the oats, protein from the yogurt and milk, and heart healthy fats from the almonds and flaxseed.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Almond Butter Bars


Almond Butter Bars
Recipe is from my Almond Mania blog post
I made some small changes to this round....I used Land o Lakes all natural whipped butter (fewer ingredients than most tub butters)
and if you do not have Almond Butter try Peanut Butter!

Nutrition for 1 bar: 419 calories, prot 8g, carbs 29g, fat 33g, sat fat 2g, trans fat 0g
Slice into individual serving sizes, wrap servings in plastic wrap and freeze till you are ready for a nutty, awakening treat.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Almond Pancakes

J made a request for pancakes the other day (weird) so I thought to myself...how can I jazz this up a bit. I took a look in my fridge and found the PERFECT secret ingredients:

these cakes were the cat's meow....I'm not kidding you...they tasted like almond cookies!
Almond Pancakes
Ingredients/Instructions:
1 C almond milk
1 egg

1 T canola oil
1/2t Watkins vanilla
BEAT together
Stir in:
1/2 C almond meal
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 t Stevia or sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
bake away on your pancake griddle!

YUM YUM!

I always make a fruit sauce for pancakes so we can use less actual syrup. Boil down some frozen fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) and add a couple tablespoons of pure maple syrup. Now you have a flavorful fruit syrup with more health benefits!
mmmmm...almond cookies, I mean pancakes! J's huge masterpiece of a breakfast....remember, he is training for an Ironman :)
Good luck to my Solon track girls at Districts this Friday!
(pic taken at Drake after the 4x100 took 5th)
Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Two of my favorite things...almonds and cookies so needless to say these cookie really hit the spot!

After seeing this delicious looking picture in my latest Clean Eating Magazine I knew I had to make them.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1 C unsalted almond butter (I grind my own at New Pioneer Coop)
3/4 C sugar source (stevia, honey, agave nectar, brown sugar) I used honey and they turned out a little flat
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 oz dark chocolate chips (or break apart a dark chocolate bar...70% or greater)
I found dark chips at the Coop bulk bins
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. In medium bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets. Remove to wire rack and cool. Enjoy!
Nutrients: 110 cals, fat 8g, carb 10g, suagrs 3g, protien 2g
Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Almond Mania: Almond Milk and Almond Butter Bars

Yesterday was a great day! I managed to get all 3 of my resolutions in! I read from my Women on the Bible book, I attended hot house yoga, AND I made a clean recipe!
Remember how I said I was going to attempt to make almond milk....well I DID IT!
Almond milk
is a good alternative to those that can't tolerate the lactose in regular diary milk.

Almond Breeze is a brand you can purchase....but seriously this was a breeze to make and tastes just as good.
Here's the very breezy process:
first you need one of these....

nut milk sack....I purchased mine online after googling them
soak 1 cup almonds over night (8-12hours) in about 2 cups water

rinse almonds and place in blender with 4 cups fresh water, blend away!
my almonds were almonds pieces so they blended easily.

when almonds are well blended and you have a nice white liquid, place milk sack in a glass jar and pour liquid through (may take an extra set of hand...J helped).
gently pull the sack out of the milk and squeeze out any excess milk.
(don't throw out the ground up almonds leftover in the sack...see use for it below!)

flavor you milk with a little Stevia, Agave Nectar, honey, and/or vanilla
YUM YUM! Santa's in for a treat next year with his cookies!


Almond Meal...that leftover stuff in the sack.
there are lots of things you can bake/cook with it, but the easiest is spreading it on a baking sheet, sprinkling it with cinnamon and brown sugar and baking at 350F for about 10-15 minutes.
J and I like is a top our steal cut oats in the morning

Almond Butter Bars
these are soooo incredibly good....it's almost ridiculous
my friend Abby came over to help me whip these up. With both of us being active we thought these would be a tasty treat to keep us fueled throughout the day.
Ingredients:
1/2 C raw, unsalted almonds
1/2 C walnuts or pecans
1T butter mixed with 1 T olive oil (I used Smart Balance tub butter)
1/2 C natural almond butter (you could use peanut butter as well...I suggest natural still)
2 T maple syrup
1 tsp honey
pinch sea salt
1 tsp Watkins vanilla
1 T instant coffee granules (now we're talking)
1-2 T sesame seeds
1/2 C craisins
1/2 C dried apple slices or other dried fruit
Instructions:
preheat oven to 400F, line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with Pam. arrange nuts on baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes.

transfer nuts to food processor and process until coarsely chopped. set aside.
in large mixing bowl combine butter and oil, almond butter, syrup, honey, and sea salt. Mix well. add vanilla, coffee, nuts, and sesame seeds. Combine well.
add berries and fruit. press into 8x4 in. pan. let set in fridge or freezer for 1 hour. cut into bars once hardened. For an easy take with you snack...wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in freezer.
Nutrition for 1 bar: 419 calories, prot 8g, carbs 29g, fat 33g, sat fat 2g, trans fat 0g
Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good