Category Archives: Recipes

McD’s in the Athlete’s Village? Try No-Bake Chocolate Chip Protein Bars Recipe for Olympic-Sized Snacking

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Over the last couple months, I’ve developed an Olympic-sized appetite which I am attributing to my twice-a-day workout schedule. Run in the morning; CrossFit in the late afternoon.  Today, mindlessly influenced by the fact that there is a McDonald’s in the Athlete’s Village at the London Olympics, I headed on over to my local golden arches for lunch. No, I didn’t woof down a gut-busting Big Mac, fry and milkshake meal and I hope our USA athletes aren’t either! I responsibly ate the Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken which is actually quite good with a roasted corn, tomato and black bean salsa and sprinkling of cheese and tortilla chips. However, with only 290 calories (yet supplying a decent 27 gram serving of protein), I was fiercely famished a few hours later.

Today, to address the needs of my rumbling stomach, I whipped up a batch of No-Bake Chocolate Chip Protein Bars. Ready in no time, my afternoon treat was ready just in time to kick back on the couch and enjoy seeing the women’s marathon. Sadly, I realized that my favorite event isn’t until Sunday, August 5th.   Oh well, table tennis and badminton will have to do today!

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Protein Bars Recipe

  • 2 cups minute oatmeal
  • 4 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (my 4 scoops measured 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  • 1 tablespoon stevia sugar substitute
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Line loaf pan with plastic wrap. In large bowl, add oatmeal, protein powder, flaxseed and stevia; mix these dry ingredients together until well-combined. Next, add peanut butter and water; knead with clean hands until incorporated (you can try to use a spoon, but my wooden one busted right in half). Sprinkle in chocolate chips, knead a bit more. Press mixture into prepared loaf pan and firm up in freezer for 20 minutes. Pull mixture out of pan by plastic wrap; slice into 12 equal sized pieces. Store in the refrigerator.  Serves 12.

Nutritional info (per serving): calories 221, total fat 10g, sodium 99mg, potassium 94 mg, total carb 22g, dietary fiber 3g, sugars 10g,  protein 11.g 

Crustless Calabacita Quiche Recipe . . . Put Some Zing in Your Zucchini!

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Summer brings us grocery store produce aisles that are overflowing with bushels and baskets of squash including zucchini, yellow crookneck, Mexican straight-neck and sunburst squashes. I’ve heard that if you grow the stuff yourself, sometimes you can’t give it away fast enough. I think I hear my neighbor knocking now . . . yay!

Summer squash can be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, grilled and even eaten raw. It’s an awesome addition to the diet of an athlete, packed with potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and C, folate, and fiber. If you’re looking for a new way to serve up squash, try out my Crustless Calabacita Quiche Recipe. Foregoing a fat-packed crust and loaded with squash and lots of other yummy veggies, this easy recipe is a healthy option as a main or side dish or breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Don’t be confused about the word “calabacita;” in Spanish it just means little squash. You can use any summer squash with a tender rind and edible skin. South of the border, they take the term “calabacita” one step further, using it as a generalization for a popularly prepared mélange of squash, corn, green chilies and other vegetables. I hope you like my ‘quiche’ take on the traditional dish!

Crustless Calabacita Quiche Recipe

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 ½ lbs summer squash (I used zucchini), chopped into 1/3” pieces
  • ½ sweet yellow onion, finely diced
  • ¾ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • ¾ cup fire-roasted green chiles (such as Hatch), seeded, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¾  cup egg whites
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese
  • Garnish: pico de gallo

 

Briefly heat oil in large skillet; sauté chopped squash, onion and corn over medium-high heat until tender, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in roasted green chiles, minced garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and sauté for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add egg whites and cheese, stir together until combined.  Pour into a 1.5 quart casserole dish or into individual ramekins.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Bake covered for approximately 30 – 40 minutes, until eggs are set and cheese is bubbling. For a golden brown top, remove cover for last 10 minutes of baking.   Serves 8.

Nutrition information (per serving): calories 82, fat 2.9g, sodium 190mg, cholesterol 3.0mg, total carb 6.1g, dietary fiber 1g, sugars 1.2g, protein 8.3g

With Hydration and Juice For All! Nuun-ified Watermelon-Blueberry-Pomegranate Agua Fresca Recipe

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Happy 4th of July! Nothing like sitting out on the front porch, resting hamstrings fatigued from the morning’s Freedom 5000 and declaring independence from corn-syrupy sodas with a nice big glass of watermelon agua fresca in hand. Even though these “fresh waters” originated in Mexico and Central America, I am happy to pledge my allegiance to the light-bodied, fruitiness that is oh-so ultra thirst-quenching without being too sugary sweet.

Of course, I had to take my own liberties with this summery south-of-the-border sipper by adding a couple Nuun All-Day Hydration Blueberry Pomegranate tablets.  If you aren’t familiar with this new product from Nuun, you should be! Each fizzing drink tablet has less than 8 calories, zero sugar and no artificial stuff while boasting a blend of vitamins A, B, C, D and E to keep you hydrated, energized and focused throughout the day

Nuun Watermelon-Blueberry-Pomegranate Agua Fresca Recipe

  • 2 cups cold water
  • 2 tablets Nuun All-Day Hydration Blueberry Pomegranate
  • 2 cups seedless watermelon, chopped in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoons Stevia sweetener
  • Crushed ice for serving (optional)
  • Handful of frozen blueberries for garnish (optional)

Pour water in blender; drop in Nuun tablets and wait for them to completely dissolve. Add watermelon chunks and Stevia to blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture through a strainer into a pitcher, forcing a bit of the pulp through. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with or without ice cubes and a smattering of frozen blueberries. Makes two servings (only 60 calories each)!

Coming up tomorrow: A Nuun Giveaway!

‘Whey Cool’ Strawberry Sherbet Pie with Protein Powder Recipe

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Pie has a bad reputation and it’s no wonder why. A small slice of apple pie with a modest ½ cup scoop of vanilla ice cream has 571 calories, 27 grams of fat and scant protein.  Of course, a piece of decadent pie on special occasions isn’t going to ruin results earned from working out, running or whatever you do; but, it just isn’t the right fuel to keep an active person feeling well and going strong.  If you have a sweet tooth (like me) and want a little slice of heaven more frequently than on July 4th and Thanksgiving, whip up my ‘Whey Cool’ Strawberry Sherbet Pie with Protein Powder tonight. Based on a super-easy summer recipe my mom used to make during my childhood in blazing hot Arizona, this no-bake pie is modified for maximum performance with no-sugar added and fat-free products along with a couple scoops of protein powder. Yeah, that’s right, I said protein powder.


‘Whey Cool’ Strawberry Sherbet Pie with Protein Powder Recipe

  • 1 quart no-sugar added sherbet
  • 2 scoops whey protein powder, vanilla flavor
  • 1 8-oz container no-fat, dairy-free whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 pre-made chocolate cookie pie crust (Keebler Ready-Crust Chocolate)
  • ½ cup fat-free chocolate syrup
  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, cored and sliced

Scoop entire container of sherbet into large mixing bowl; let sit for a few minutes to soften a bit. Sprinkle protein powder over sherbet a little at a time (to prevent clumping); mix in by hand or with beaters. After all protein powder is incorporated, fold in whipped topping with spatula until combined. Spoon entire mixture into prepared chocolate cookie crust; freeze for 3 hours or overnight until firm. To serve, cut into 8 slices with knife run through hot water. Top each slice with 2 ounces of strawberries and 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup. Serves 8.

Nutrition information (per 1/8 of pie with toppings): calories 275, total fat 6g, saturated fat 1g, trans fat 2g, total carbs 48g, sugars 9g, protein 9g.

Note: If you want to clean this recipe up even more, skip the pie crust and just spoon the sherbet mixture into the pie pan.  This removes about 100 calories, 4g of total fat (2 of which are trans fat), 14g carbs and 6g sugars.

Eat Your Fresh Veggies Day this Saturday – Corn, Edamame, Grape Tomato Trifecta Recipe

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This Saturday, June 16th, has been declared Eat Your Fresh Veggies Day. Not sure who made this official proclamation of nutritious noshing, but I’m supporting it all the way for every day because I’m really into colorful stuff to eat that doesn’t come from a box.  As a carrot-crunching, mushroom-munching, lettuce-loving, zealot of zucchini, broccolini and celery, I usually have no problems getting my 3 to 5 servings of vegetables per day as recommended by the USDA  — check out their Fruits and Veggies Matter campaign that lists out more specific measurements for age groups and activity levels.

One of the best things about the spring and summer seasons is the bounty of fresh vegetable choices available to us city-dwellers and suburbanites. Say “no” to the canned food aisle and check out the produce section of your favorite grocery story or, better yet, head to the nearest farmer’s market for inspiration. Eat your picks fresh in a salad or grill, roast, steam or sauté them up lightly in a skillet to retain optimal levels of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – for these same reasons, experts say that microwaving and boiling in water should be avoided.

Here’s what I’m having as the side to my beef fajitas on Eat Your Fresh Veggies Day, a 1-cup serving of Corn, Edamame, Grape Tomato Trifecta.  Simple to make, delicious to eat and inspired by a recipe from a favorite Mexican Food restaurant. This delish veggie dish is also yummy as the filling in vegetarian tacos, as a topping on chicken or fish or in an omelet.

Corn, Edamame, Grape Tomato Trifecta

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup fresh corn taken off the cob
  • 1 cup shelled edamame beans (use frozen if you have to)
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce.

In large skillet over medium-high, heat oil and sauté corn and edamame for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and sauté for another minute. Reduce heat to medium and stir in garlic and soy sauce until well-combined. Makes 4 (1-cup) servings.

Nutritional details: calories 118, total fat 1.7 g, saturated fat 0.1 g, cholesterol 0.0 mg, sodium 115 mg, potassium 119 mg, total carbohydrate 20.2g, dietary fiber 1.6g, sugars 6.3g, protein 6.4g. Daily recommended values: vitamin A  17.3%, vitamin B-12 0.0%, vitamin B-6 1.6%, vitamin C 58.1%, vitamin D 0.0%, vitamin E 0.2%, calcium 4.6%, copper 1.2%, folate 4.5%, iron 8.0%, magnesium 3.7%, manganese 4.0%, niacin 3.4%, pantothenic acid 3.0%, phosphorus 3.7%, riboflavin 1.5%, selenium 0.5%, thiamin 5.3%, zinc 1.3%