Category: Energy

Eggless Eggs Still on the Menu

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Even with news of chicken eggs back on the cool list, Eggless Eggs are still a family favorite, a hometown staple, and a great way to enter into tofu addiction — no matter if they’re stuffed into a burrito, alongside toast, or eaten solo by the Paleos. Make a big batch on the weekend and choose your method of delivery on the day of. To breakfast! (Or dinner!)

Eggless Eggs with Whole Grain Toast, Orange Wedges, and Fruit Juice

Eggless Eggs with Whole Grain Toast, Orange Wedges, and Fruit Juice

Eggless Eggs
Makes 4 servings
Prep and cooking time 20 minutes

Searching for scrambled eggs without all the fat and cholesterol? Take this creation out for a spin, and you’ll find yourself singing its praises from the hilltops. Serve with fresh fruit and toasted 100% Whole Grain Fiber Bread. Compared to a 2-egg omelet, a serving of Eggless Eggs has 150 fewer calories, 11 fewer grams of fat, 450 fewer milligrams of cholesterol, and 2 more grams of fiber. Eggs never tasted so good.

1 (15-oz) block extra firm tofu
2 tsp olive oil
1 green onion, or 1 Tbsp diced onion
½ red bell pepper, diced (preferably organic)
½ green bell pepper, diced (preferably organic)
1 medium carrot, diced
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp turmeric (optional, makes the “eggs” yellow)
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper (optional)
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

1 Press Tofu: Place 6 paper towels on the counter. Drain tofu from package. Place block of tofu on the paper towels. Place a cutting board or baking sheet on top of tofu. Place 2 or 3 cans of beans or similar weight on top of the cutting board, and let sit for at least 15 minutes. This process gets excess water out of the tofu, allowing it space to soak in other incredible flavors.

2 Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté veggies, spices, and salt until tender, about 5 minutes.

3 Crumble tofu into the skillet; continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4 Serve warm topped with black pepper and hot sauce if desired.

5 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per serving: 161 calories, 8.5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 298 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 15.5 g protein, 3% vitamin A, 54% vitamin C, 19.5% calcium, 13.5% iron

Strawberry Lemon Tart Reunion

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Strawberry Lemon Tart from "Skinny Dish!"

Strawberry Lemon Tart from “Skinny Dish!”

Now that you successfully decluttered your closet and possibly enjoyed the world’s tastiest latte on Day 8, it’s ok to add a little dessert back in without needing to detox again. When I wrote my Trader Joe’s Skinny Dish! cookbook, I really really wanted to master a cheeseless cheesecake eventhough I never understood the draw, and frankly never understood the point of dessert that wasn’t chocolate. Well, I failed! But, out of the laboratory, this tart was born. Free of chocolate and so totally good (huh?!?) that your engine might just start on its own. Embrace your success and celebrate! And call me crazy, but it totally rocks with green juice :>) xo

Strawberry Lemon Tart
Makes 12 slices
Prep time: 20 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 35 minutes plus 1 hour for chilling

This far-out dessert started as a cheese-less cheesecake and morphed into a ridiculously delicious tart. It will wow you again and again.

Cinnamon Graham Crust
3 cups (about 90) Cinnamon Schoolbook Cookies, or about 8 oz graham crackers
1/3 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, or other non-hydrogenated margarine

1 Preheat oven to 350° F.

2 In a blender or food processor, blend cookies until they’re crumbs. Add margarine and process until evenly mixed.

3 Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round pie pan so the edges come nearly to the top. The filling will only reach halfway up the pie pan, so the crust doesn’t need to come precisely to the top.

4 Bake crust for 5 minutes, and let cool completely before adding filling and baking further.

Lemony Filling and Strawberry Topping
1 (8-oz) container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, or other non-dairy cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp cornstarch
10 medium strawberries, stems removed and sliced lengthwise (preferably organic)

1 Blend together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch until smooth.

2 Pour filling into cooled crust and bake for 35 minutes, until the filling puffs up completely and has a golden glimmer. Let cool in the fridge for about 1 hour to solidify the filling. (If you can’t wait, at least let it cool to room temperature, and then top with strawberries. It will be a bit gooey, but still incredibly delicious.)

3 Arrange sliced strawberries on top and enjoy right away.

4 Store leftover slices (if there are any) in the fridge for up to 5 days.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per slice: 208 calories, 10 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 169 mg sodium, 27.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 2 g protein, 0% vitamin A, 11% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 2.5% iron

High & Mighty Brownie Cookies

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IMG_1152.JPG

Ever thought to put veggies and beans into brownie mix and then turn them into cookies? Wait, that’s not what you think about as you lie in bed at night? Oh. Well, I’ve taken on the age-old question and attempted an answer: How do we make brownies a complete meal? Announcing the High & Mighty Brownie Cookie. High in nutrients, mighty in taste and energy. And while I still serve them for dessert, they can certainly pass for a side dish or maybe even a main squeeze…

High & Mighty Brownie Cookies
Makes 48

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
Large handful kale, about 2 cups chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (the canned type)
1 box brownie mix
1/2 cup coconut flour, almond meal, or cashew meal

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Blend or food process beans, kale, and pumpkin into a smooth, olive green glop (probably not wise to taste-test this…).

Stir glop together with brownie mix and coconut flour (or almond or cashew meal).

With slightly wet hands, form into 1 1/2-inch round balls (slightly smaller than golf balls) and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Press down gently with a fork in a criss-cross fashion.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and chow down!

Nutrition Information Per Cookie: 74 calories, 1 g fat, 36 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 1 g protein, 21% vitamin A, 3% iron.

Now you (or at least I) can rest soundly. Cheers to chocolate! xo

Anytime Apple Crisp

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applecrisp

When the Reilly kids go apple-picking, they take it to the extreme. I kid you not, they picked 100 pounds of Fuji apples in less than 15 minutes! Of course, they had to taste-test an apple before deciding Fuji was the one they wanted, and I *have* read that an apple can energize you more than caffeine….

kellerapples

So other than eating them, handing them out to everyone we see, and making a lifetime stash of addiction-worthy Pumpkin Apple Butter, what will we do with all these apples? First on the list, an apple crisp so tasty and balanced, that it qualifies as a complete meal. My oldest mini chef played a key role in the super simple prep…

Anytime Apple Crisp
Makes 8 generous servings

FILLING
8 apples, unpeeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon, or about 2 Tbsp lemon juice

TOPPING
1 cup oats (I use gluten-free rolled oats)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)
1/4 cup almond flour, cashew flour, or coconut flour
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or agave
1/4 cup melted non-hydrogenated margarine, or coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss to combine all FILLING ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased 9 X 13-inch baking dish.

In the same bowl (no need to rinse), stir together the TOPPING ingredients. Pour evenly over apple combo, cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes to let the topping brown.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (including walnuts and chia seeds): 292 calories, 14 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 41 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 21 g sugar (mostly apples!!), 5 g protein, 10% iron.

How do YOU apple up? xoxo

DIY Protein Bars (Allergy-Free!)

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Nut or Allergy-Free Seedy Energy Bars in Skinny Dish!

Nut or Allergy-Free Seedy Energy Bars in Skinny Dish!

Ever thought about making your own bars? Eventhough Larabars and the like come pretty close to home cookin’, this recipe will energize your soul, and help you achieve your lifelong goal of turning your kitchen into a food factory. This is an upgraded version of the one in Skinny Dish with hot-off-the-press chia seeds and hemp hearts for superfood power. Use gluten-free oats and sunflower seed butter to impress even your most allergic friends, and enjoy one while you reread why the world is being taken over by food allergies.

Energy Bars

Makes 12 bars
Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 15 minutes plus 45 minutes to chill
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

1 Tbsp ground flax seed meal or chia seeds, soaked in 3 Tbsp warm filtered water for 10 minutes until a gel forms
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free rolled oats)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup hemp hearts, pepitas, or other seeds or crushed nuts
¼ cup packed raisins
1 ripe banana
½ cup sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, or other seed or nut butter
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut (if using), hemp hearts, and raisins.

3. In a separate small microwave-safe bowl, microwave sunflower seed butter, agave, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir together until well-mixed. Add ripe banana and crush with a fork to combine. Stir in gelatinized flax or chia mixture.

4. Press firmly into a lightly greased 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes before slicing.

5. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in individually wrapped bags in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT with HEMP HEARTS & SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER
Per bar: 210 calories, 12 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 42 mg sodium, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 8 g protein, 18.5% iron

Watermelon Protein Cooler

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Well hello! I fell of the earth for a bit and finally founnd my way back. Phew! And when I say “fell off the earth,” I really mean I’ve been tackling an enormous pre-baby-#4 to-do list (baby due in 3 weeks). Thankfully, I finally reached item #47: Post something new on BitchinDietitian.com! And here it is. A standby since watermelons have appeared at CostCo, and a creative way to get more watermelons in your life if you’re tackling high blood pressure (new research here).

watermelon smoothie

Watermelon Protein Cooler
Serves 3 (or 1 very thirsty pregnant lady!)

4 cups watermelon chunks (about 430 grams)
12 frozen strawberries (or 12 fresh strawberries, stems removed, plus 1 cup ice)
2 tsp lime juice (fresh is best!)
8 ounces almond milk, hemp milk, or other non-dairy milk
1 scoop protein powder of choice (I like Plant Fusion vanilla)

Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Each serving has 121 calories, 18 g carbs, and 9 g protein.

See you sooner than later. Cheers! xoxo

The Cheapest, Ugliest, and Most Delicious Green Juice

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Hello drinkers! Just had to share my new favorite beverage. Its ingredients are inexpensive (juicing CAN be cheap!), the final concoction is a brilliant brown (close your eyes while you drink), and it is SO tasty that you should probably make it right now.

Army Green Beauty

Army Green Beauty

The Army Green Beauty
Serves 1 (Makes about 14 ounces)

3 stalks organic kale
3 organic carrots
4 stalks organic celery
1/2 lemon, with peel

Juice the ingredients. Serve over ice, and fall in love! Oh, and don’t make the mistake I did and try to make a double batch and drink half the next day. Something about this juice just doesn’t stand the test of time (even 8 hours). Make it fresh, clean your juicer right away, and repeat the next day. You’re welcome! xoxo

Detox Day 7: Top 13 Detox Foods

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Can you believe it’s the last day? What a super journey this has been! Now that you’re accustomed to inhaling so many of nature’s powerfoods (raw nuts, berries, quinoa, broccoli, kale, spinach, beans, lentils…), I thought a quick list of my top favorite 13 detoxing foods along with their top reasons why they’re so awesome would be a cool graduation gift. Try to incorporate at least FIVE of these every day from now on, and you’ll continue to feel like you have wings.

Wheatgrass Juice from mekonfarm.com

Wheatgrass Juice from mekonfarm.com

1. ALMONDS: Help remove impurities from your intestinal tract. Almond milk is a great dairy alternative to cow’s milk.

2. APPLES: Contain glucaric acid which helps your body get rid of estrogen-like chemicals and heavy metals.

3. AVOCADOS: Rich in healthy monounsaturated fat which doesn’t upset the proper balance of Omega-3’s to Omega-6’s. Contain glutathione which blocks 30 different carcinogens and helps the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

4. BEETS: Contain the compound betaine which lowers levels of several inflammatory markers and protects against liver damage. Also contain antioxidant betacyanin, which helps liver detoxify chemicals.

5. BLUEBERRIES: Super-rich in antioxidants including anthocyanins which stop free radical damage (free radical damage can lead to wrinkles and cancer tumor growth). Enhance glutathione production (see AVOCADOS).

6. CABBAGE:  Cleanses the digestive tract and contains powerful cancer-purging isothiocyanates. Eat raw in juices or salads as heat destroys isothiocyanates. Fermented cabbage (kim chi) is rich in natural probiotics.

7. GARLIC: Contains allicin which fights off harmful bacteria. Increases production of glutathione (see AVOCADOS). Garlic also cleanses the arteries, lowers high blood pressure, and cleanses mucous buildup in the lungs and sinuses.

8. GINGER: Eases nausea and digestion, but also promotes detoxification by speeding the movement of food through the intestines.

9. KALE: Rich in tons of anti-cancer compounds and flavonoids which reduce chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, but also contains a compound that jumpstarts the liver’s production of cleansing enzymes.

10. LEMONS: Super liver detoxifier and very alkalinizing: help restore the alkaline-acid balance of the body. Add 1/4 lemon to a glass of water every morning.

11. PARSLEY: Rich source of chlorophyll, a natural detoxifier. Raises glutathione levels (see AVOCADOS). Contains the volatile oil eugenol which is a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic agent.

12. SEAWEED: Binds to heavy metals and radioactive waste (from medical tests and food grown in contaminated soil) for elimination. Rich source of iodine which is essential for thyroid hormone production and your body’s metabolism.

13. WHEATGRASS: Potent detoxifier, and richest edible source of chlorophyll which rebuilds bloodstream, nourishes tissues, and purifies the liver. High in oxygen which helps brain and body function at optimal levels (a pregnancy must!). Grow and grind your own, or buy as frozen cubes or powder, and add to juices or smoothies.

Good thing you’re going grocery shopping today! Thank you thank you for joining all of us on this better-you health trip. You are all shining green stars! xoxo

Detox Day 3: 8-Minute Chili

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Breezin’ into Day 3, are we? You should already be feeling lighter, smarter, and more energized. If not, it’s right around the corner!

While tonight’s Veggie Pupusas are surprisingly awesome, here is another superfast dinner or lunch to try this week if you’re in a cold climate. It’s actually one of our household staples, and just happens to be detox-worthy. While it adds another minute of prep, I usually toss in a generous amount of kale, torn into small pieces. Give it a quick spin, and see you tomorrow! xoxo

Chili Cook-Off from Skinny Dish!

Chili Cook-Off from Skinny Dish!

Chili Cook-Off

Makes 7 (1-cup) servings
Prep and cooking time: 8 minutes

Everyone’s got a favorite chili recipe, but this one is soon to become your favorite and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, and better yet, it’s detox-friendly! Serve alongside a gigantic green salad for the total package. 

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cubes frozen crushed garlic, or 2 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces (preferably organic)
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn or other frozen corn kernels
Juice of 1 lime (optional)
Hot sauce, chopped fresh cilantro, or avocado chunks for garnish (optional)

1 In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin in oil until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

2 Turn heat to high and add tomatoes, pepper, beans, and corn; continue to cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 more minutes.

3 Squeeze lime over chili and top with hot sauce, fresh cilantro, or avocado chunks if desired.

4 Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or as individual servings in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Per cup: 205 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 438 mg sodium, 38.5 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 7.5 g sugar, 9.5 g protein, 28% vitamin A, 65.5% vitamin C, 6% calcium, 34.5% iron

Recipe reprinted w/ permission from Cooking with Trader Joe’s Cookbook – Skinny Dish!, by Jennifer K. Reilly, RD,
(c) 2011, Brown Bag Publishers http://www.cookTJ.com

Gone Bananas! Peeling the Love with Spirulina

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Spirulina Colada

I spent a good part of my childhood hating bananas simply because my brother loved them. Sibling rivalry at its strangest. In reality, I liked the taste, but the strings (technically called phloem, pronounced “FLOM”) scared me. All that chatter about peeling the banana upside down and not getting any strings is a bunch of banana bologna!

Fast-forward to today and I cheerlead for what bananas do for creamy smoothies, how they turn so nicely from frozen chunks into ice cream, and how important they are for banana bread. Ever made banana bread without bananas? It’s REALLY hard. Plus, who doesn’t love a fruit that has its own online museum?

So, when DOLE asked me to host a “Peel the Love” banana fest, I was psyched for an excuse to get a little bananas with bananas. They gave me banana recipes on a banana-shaped flash drive (dude!). But, the dietitian and direction diverter in me had to put a green spin on the yellow. Enter, the green Pina Colada….

Spirulina Colada
Makes 3

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
2 medium bananas
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (the kind in the fridge section of the grocery store)
2 teaspoons spirulina powder (I like this one, and I get it at Whole Foods Market)

Blend and drink. Freeze leftovers in popsicle molds.

Nutrition info per serving: 188 calories, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 431 mg potassium, 33 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 6.5 g protein, 470% vitamin A, 300% vitamin B12, 85% vitamin C, 40% calcium, 87% iron

Why Spirulina? It takes any smoothie from zero to hero. Check out the nutrition info again! Look at all that iron! Sorry Colada, but that is from the Spirulina alone. Spirulina is a TASTELESS blue-green algae that does everything from cleaning your house (well, your body’s house), boosting your immune system, getting your sex hormone situation in order, to lowering high blood pressure. It even helps prevent cancer. Did I mention it’s tasteless? So you can add it to pretty much anything. Annnnd, it has *more* complete protein than meat! Spirulina is 65-71% protein. Red meat is 22%. Just 2 tablespoons of spirulina per meal gives you all the protein you need. I know, I know. Green powder on your dinner plate is even a little too extreme for a dietitian. But, throw it in a smoothie, stir it into a fresh juice, add it to pancakes on St. Patrick’s Day, or mix it into your brownie batter. You *could* take it in pill form, but where’s the fun in that? 🙂

Next up… Brownies made with bananas, pecans, and black beans. And you thought eating algae was weird! XOXO