Apple & Oat Cobler

 

It might only be August but fall, my favorite time of year, is just around the corner and I can't wait for apple and pumpkin everything! Apple dumplings and cobbler are one of absolute favorite fall desserts; however, we all know that aren't exactly our favorite when it come to our waist line. This recipe is low in added sugar and packed with some great nutrition  from the oats, apples, and walnuts! 

I created this recipe because Adam, my boyfriend, was craving an apple dumpling from Cracker Barrel. He is pretty careful about what he eats and is always interested in what I have to say about nutrition. His health is just as important to me as my own health; therefore, I decided to make healthy version with minimal added sugar and oats to satisfy his craving. You're probably thinking what makes this one healthier than the Cracker Barrel version? For starters it has minimal added sugar and is sweetened with pure cane sugar, apples, and apple sauce. The oat flour is packed with fiber, protein, manganese, iron, and B vitamins. The high fiber content is not only friendly for digestion but oats are ranked low on the glycemic index scale meaning it has minimal affect your blood glucose levels. So what does that mean? When you eat meals that contains processed carbohydrates like white flour and white rice, all the fiber and nutrients are removed and your body digests them rapidly and easily. This results in an increase in glucose and your body dumping insulin to lower your glucose. Fiber's main function is to slow down digestion because insoluble fiber is not digested. This is why when paired with sugar, glucose is slowly released into the blood stream eliminating that insulin dump. So who cares about a rise in glucose? Well this is where heart disease and diabetes come into play and there is a clear association between processed foods and these diseases for that reason. When you have a rapid increase in insulin this means fat storage! So when ingesting meals high in carbohydrates its best to make sure they are high in fiber. This is where the term "good carbs" come from. Good carbs are just carbohydrates that are naturally accompanied by fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

So lets just say Adam appreciated the fact that this was much healthier than the 3, 229 calories, 155 g of fat, and 263 grams of sugar found in the apple dumpling from Cracker Barrel. He liked the cobbler so much that he had me make an additional pan for him to take home to his roommate JJ! Together they demolished the pan which was still fewer calories than the Cracker Barrel version! 

Adam's happy roommate "JJ"

To keep the recipe healthy, we topped it off with some frozen greek yogurt which has more protein and less fat than regular ice cream:) So with the ice cream you are still looking at less than 1/6 the calories compared to the Cracker Barrel version.

  

Ingredients

7-8 medium apples ( I used Fuji apples because they are naturally sweeter apples)

2 T honey

1 1/2 C water

2 C oat flour

1 C rolled oats plus some for topping

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup raw cane sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup of almond milk

2 1/2 tsp butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Peel and dice apples. You can leave the skin on if you prefer for more fiber and nutrients!
• Place apples in a sauce pan with honey, 3 tsp cinnamon, and water and allow to cook on medium heat for about 30-40 minutes until apples are tender and saucy.
• When apples are cooked, remove from heat and mash them up a bit more with a whisk.
• While apples cool, combine the oat flour, 1 C oats, remaining cinnamon, baking powder, sugar, eggs, oil or butter, vanilla, milk, apple sauce, and salt in blender until incorporated. 
• In a shallow baking dish, I used a 9x13 inch pan pour in apple mixture. Pour batter over top and spread out evenly. Top with approximately 1/4 cup of oats and 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. 
• Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until center is set
• Makes 8 servings. Serve warm with frozen yogurt! Yum :)

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Hummus

Ingredients

15 oz can of chick peas drained and reserved liquid

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes

2 T oil from sun dried tomato jar

3 T fresh lemon juice

2 T Tahini

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp salt

6-8 leaves of fresh basil

Instructions

To get a nice smooth hummus and you have time remove the skin from the peas. Place the chick peas, tomatoes, oil, tahini, garlic, and salt in the food processor and pulse until smooth. Add in the chick pea liquid until desired consistency. Add in basil and pulse until combined. Top with additional sun dried tomato and basil to serve. Enjoy!

Corn and Beet Salad

This past Saturday started off with coffee at a local cafe. I love to go there and get an iced coffee with a shot of espresso :) There is honestly nothing better than sitting outside at a cafe with coffee and a good book! After reading my book, " Foods That Heal and Foods That Harm" I felt motivated to go to the local farmers market that is on Saturday mornings. I'm sure the coffee aided my desire to get creative!

Cold Brew with espresso and soy

While shopping at the market there was a guy there handing out samples of foods. One sample was  sweet corn and beet salad which was really great! Lucky me.. I just got beets from the one stand. Because the recipe was so tasty, I decided to mimic it and make it 21 day fix approved :) I was able to get all of my ingredients from the farmers market which amplified my excitement about this! I would always go to the market and find all of these cool vegetables I wanted to cook with but never knew what to make. For the recipe I used fresh sweet corn, beets with beet greens, candy onions, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Yup! Thats it:) Simple, delish, and full of vitamins and minerals. You could eat this as a side or even dip whole grain chips in it for a healthy snack! 

Ingredients

4 Medium beets and beet greens

2 cups of corn

1 T olive oil

1/2 large candy onion 

1/4 cup onion stems

2 T Balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Throrughly wash beets. Remove the beets from the greens. Save the leaf part and chop into medium size pieces.   

Wrap beets in foil and roast in oven for about an hour or until tender.

Remove beets from the oven and allow to cool. Peel skins off of the beet; they should pull right off.

Heat oil in a skillet

Cut slices of the candy onion and sauté in oil until slightly brown

Add in fresh cut corn straight from cob ( no need to pre cook). Cook corn until golden brown.

Cube beets and add to mixture once corn is nice and golden. Toss in chopped beet greens and onion stems and sauté for another 3-5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and toss in balsamic vinegar. Serve hot or cold.

Nutrition: 3/4 cup serving

21 Day fix: 1 yellow, 1/2 green, 3/4 tsp

Calories: 117

Fat: 4.5g 

Carbs: 18g

Protein: 3g

Sugar: 8.5g

Fiber: 2g

Vitamin C: 18%

Vitamin A: 15 %

Sweet Potato Vegan & Gluten Free Pizza

Recently I have been developing a pain in my upper right abdomen after each meal. Not certain if its from whey protein, dairy, or if its my gallbladder. SOOoo.. This is an excuse for me to do another food challenge by going vegan for an entire week...so far I am loving it! Doing this for a week is really introducing me to some different items like tempeh and tofu; two things I didn't eat often. I love exploring new tastes and trying new foods. The vegan diet isn't something I would do for a long duration because I truly believe our bodies shouldn't consume high amounts of soy due to the high content of phytoestrogens and their effects on the endocrine system; however, a week of a plant based diet can be a good thing for the belly.

While browsing the internet for vegan recipes I ran across this gem pizza crust recipe which is fantastic. The crust is made from oats, sweet potatoes, and almond meal making it %100 gluten free! Boo yeah! Sweet potatoes paired with oat flour are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber making them a great for regulating insulin levels. This is so much better for you than bleached all-purpose flour that is in a typical pizza crust! The crust had a sweet taste to it with a light garlic flavor. Sounds like a weird combination but I loved it! I went out on a whim with my own toppings and used vegan pizza sauce, cherry tomatoes, spinach, basil from my herb garden, red onion, mushrooms, vegan cheese, and sautéed garlic in oil :) The garlic and the fresh basil from my herb garden is what made this pizza along with the crust! If you're not feeling the margherita style toppings, I think a BBQ style chicken pizza would be fantastic as well. If you're vegan you could use tempeh instead of the chicken done in a sweet BBQ sauce! Im drooling over this idea! Or even the traditional toppings would work!

INGREDIENTS

2 C sweet potato puree ( two large baked sweet potatoes)

1 1/4 cup of Oat flour + 2 T for rolling

1/4 cup Almond meal

1 T Chia seeds ( or an egg if you're not vegan)

3 T water

1 T olive oil

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 bulb of garlic

tsp basil

tsp oregano

Olive oil for roasting of garlic

1/2 tsp sea or himalayan salt

Toppings of choice 

I started off by preheating my oven to 400 degrees. The recipe will make one large 8 cut pizza or two medium personal pan pizzas. Luckily when I made this I already had two roasted sweet potatoes which worked in my favor because I was hangry and did not want to have to wait to bake some! Start off by poking your sweet potatoes with a fork and wrapping in foil. Then place in the oven and let bake for at least an hour. I like to let mine roast until they are quite mushy. Next, prepare your garlic by cutting off the top to expose the cloves. Drizzle the top with olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake until the cloves are tender. If you don't like garlic you can omit the garlic from the recipe. Once the potatoes and garlic are done remove them from the oven and allow to cool. If you are using a pizza stone, now would be a good time to allow it to heat in the oven.

Now for the preparation of the crust, I used my Ninja. This allowed me to incorporate the skin of the sweet potatoes in the crust for more nutrition. If you don't  have a high speed food processor you can use a regular bowl and mix with your hands. Just scoop the sweet potato out of the skin.

First you will want to combine the chia seed and the water to create a chia egg. This will bind your crust. If you aren't vegan you could substitute a regular egg here.

For the crust: combine the sweet potato, 1 1/2 cups of oat flour, and almond meal. Add in 3 cloves of the roasted garlic, apple cider vinegar, oil,  salt, oregano, and basil. Blend until all incorporated. The dough will be quite sticky so this is why its important to have some extra oat flour for dusting and to cover your hands. Also, Make sure you have a good non stick pizza pan or pizza stone. Next scoop the dough onto a well greased pizza pan. The dough will be sticky! I sprayed my pan with coconut oil. If you are using a pizza stone, allow it to heat and get warm in the oven and shape your curst on parchment paper. Now because the dough is sticky dust it with the remains 2 T of oat flour so you can work with it. You can also dust your hands in it as well! Believe it or not it actually looks like a crust!

Once your crust is formed like in the picture below place it in the oven to bake for about 30-40 minutes. Until the edges are slightly brown.

Next is the fun part! Pick your toppings! I decided to do mushrooms, basil, spinach, vegan cheese, red onion, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and roasted garlic! I think a BBQ sauce with chicken, onion, and pineapple would go fantastic on this beauty! If you would like to do the same toppings, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and throw in some sliced garlic until slightly brown. Don't over cook the garlic or it will get really bitter and nasty! Just cook it until golden. Drizzle over your pizza toppings :)  

SO at this point I took a couple minutes to send a few snapchats to my friends. Everyone snapped back with jealousy which they should have been! Next, bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly! When done, allow to rest and cool for 10 minutes. This will be difficult because your kitchen is going to smell like sweet garlic! While waiting I took a few selfies with the pizza and snap chatted it to everyone. The responses I got were " that looks like real pizza", " Coming over for a pizza date". Once cooled cut into 8 slices. One serving is 2 slices. Enjoy this nutrient packed  beast of pizza!

 

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~ INSTRUCTIONS ~

1.  Prepare baked sweet potatoes and roasted garlic. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap in foil. For the roasted garlic chop the top off of the bulb to expose the cloves. Drizzle with some olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake the potatoes ( ~ an hour) until very soft and the garlic ( ~40 minutes)  until tender. Remove and allow to cool.  If using a pizza stone allow it to preheat. 
2. Place the chia seeds in water for about 10 minutes to create a gelatin " chia egg" . If dairy is in your diet you can use an egg instead
3. Combine the sweet potato, 1 1/2 cups of oat flour, and almond meal in a food processor. You can use a mixing bowl just don't use the skin of the potato.
4. Once the flour and potato are combined, add in the garlic, oil, chia egg, salt, oregano, and basil and blend until all incorporated.
5. Spray down a good non stick pizza pan with olive oil or coconut oil spray. Scoop dough onto pan. This will be sticky so dust the dough and your hands with the remaining 2 T of oat flour. 
6. Shape the dough into a crust and bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until the edges are golden and the crust is set. 
7. Top with desired toppings 
8. Place back in oven until cheese is golden. About 10-15 more minutes. 
9. Remove and allow to cool. Once cool cut into 8 slices. YUMM!! 
10. Take pictures and share with the world! Enjoy:) 

Serves: 4
Serving size: 2 slices
Prep time: 1 hour to roast potatoes and garlic + 15 minutes to prepare crust
Cook time: 50 minutes to an hour
Nutrition ( crust only): 390 calories, 11g  fat, 58g  carbs, 13g  protein, 8g fiber
Vitamins: 372% vitamin A, 22 % iron, 10% calcium,  10 % vitamin C

Fixate

On July 14th Autumn Calabrese will be releasing her new cookbook Fixate. Her cookbook will have 101 recipes that are 21 day fix approved! How amazing is that? Many of my challengers struggle figuring out container numbers for recipes so this is a BIG BIG BIG aid for success with the 21 day fix programs! Autumns recipes will provide a variety for those with diet restrictions like gluten free, vegan, paleo, and  kid-friendly. There will also be a variety of recipes such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, cocktails, Shakeolgy, and sweet treats like strawberry banana ice cream! YUM!! Check out the video below. 

                                             

For my next challenge group the winner will be receiving a free copy of this cookbook! Interested in joining and winning this cookbook? Click Here to sign up to be a member of my next challenge group! 

Greek Yogurt Broccoli Salad 

Ingredients

1 package of turkey bacon

8 cups of chopped broccoli florets

1 chopped medium red onion

1/2 cup of fresh shredded cheddar cheese ( skim if you can find it)

1/4 cup of raisins

4 tablespoons of raw sugar ( or more to liking) 

1 cup of 2% or fat free greek yogurt ( I use Fage, I think its the best!)

1 tablespoon of cider vinegar

* add in walnuts for an extra crunch!

Preparation

Cook turkey bacon as shown on package and chop

Combine broccoli, onion, cheddar cheese, and raisins in bowl

For dressing: Add sugar to cider vinegar and dissolve. Mix cider mixture into the greek yogurt.

Add yogurt dressing to broccoli mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving :)

NUTRITION- based on using fat free yogurt

Serves 8 

Calories: 140

Fat: 2.9

Carbs: 20.1 

Protein: 10.8

Every morning I usually eat oatmeal or eggs for breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite meal of they day so I always like to make something interesting and delish! I wanted something that was tasty but had complex carbs to keep me full and energized for my workout but had a decent amount of protein in it. Whey protein doesn't exactly agree with my stomach so adding it to my oatmeal isn't always an option. While meandering around my kitchen I came across a bag of garbanzo bean flour and oat flour. I have used regular oats to make waffles and pancakes before so I decided to experiment! The pancakes were so good I ate them 4 days in a row! Honestly, they are basically just as good for you as eating a bowl of oatmeal too!  Although these pancakes taste guilty, they are 100 percent healthy and have no sugar added! The oats are whole grain and when paired with the garbanzo bean flour they make a fiber rich breakfast that is gluten free! Your family will love them and they will make a great weekend breakfast. Try serving them with a side of turkey bacon or sausage! 

INGREDIENTS:  Makes one large pancake or two medium pancakes

1/4 cup of oat flour 

1/8 cup of garbanzo bean flour ( use additional oat flour if you don't have garbanzo bean flour)

1/4 cup of egg whites

1/4 cup of fat free plain greek yogurt or cottage cheese

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp of cinnamon 

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 packet of stevia ( optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or blender ( I always use my ninja when possible)

2. Spray a pan with coconut oil spray and allow to get warm on medium heat

3. Pour batter and cook like a normal pancake. Flip when the underside is slightly brown

4. Top with some fruit and a tsp of honey, pure maple syrup, agave.

5. I throw a dollop of greek yogurt on top to make me feel fancy ;)

* If you batter is too thick add a bit more egg whites and if its too thin let it sit for a couple seconds to thicken up .

* If you don't or can't find oat flour I suggest popping 1/2 cup of oats in a blender or food processor and blending it up fine. It wont get as powdery as the stuff you buy but it should work!

Topping suggestions

• Peanut butter/ Almond butter and banana
• Walnuts
• Chocolate chips--for the kiddos or maybe you ;)
• Fruit- I used peaches which were amazing paired with the cinnamon

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Calories: 245,  Fat: 3.5 g, Protein: 20 g, Carbs: 31.4

21 DAY FIX: 1 YELLOW, 1 RED, 1/2 PURPLE ( if you top with fruit)