athlete’s food – The Hungry Athlete

A Healthy Three Course New Year’s Breakfast

January 11, 2016January 11, 2016thehungryathlete

Cheers to a Happy and Healthy New Year, Hungry Athlete Style!

Wishing everyone good fortune in health, family and love. While some of us celebrated the end of 2015 with joy and cheer, some of us experienced tragic personal loss. While some of us look forward to new challenges in 2016, others must bravely face daunting uncertainties. My wish to everyone is to have the strength, wisdom and support to deal with whatever 2016 brings.

“The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably deal with.” ~ Tony Robbins

And may we have gratitude, every day in 2016, for the things and people we are fortunate to have in our lives.

I will begin with gratitude for you, whomever you are, for taking the time to read this! I hope my blog and recipes bring a little joy to your world. I am, of course, very grateful for my family and friends.

I am also grateful and honored to be a part of Team Betty 2016! This is my second year as an ambassador for Betty Designs, a pretty rad line of stylish, functional and high quality cycling, swimming, running and athletic wear for women designed by a pretty cool athlete, mom, graphic artist and entrepreneur named Kristin Mayer who’s mottos are “Badass is Beautiful” and “Do Epic Shit”. I was fortunate to be invited by Kristen to join a team of 200+ inspiring female athletes, mostly triathletes and ultra runners, from all over the world.

Last year I had the pleasure of meeting teammate Katherine in Arizona. Katherine happens to be the inspiration for my first post in 2016! Katherine asked me for advice on a healthy three-course breakfast she wanted to prepare for her husband on New Year’s Day. I suggested starting the first course with a Greek yogurt parfait, followed by an egg & vegetable casserole and a chocolate avocado mousse for the final course.

Here’s what Katherine made:

“We began with an acai bowl-style gluten-free Greek yogurt fruit dish, followed with an egg bake of vegetables, Gruyere and mozzarella, and sausage. Finally, a dessert of Ghirardelli avocado mousse.”

Looks and sounds amazing Katherine! Katherine is well versed in healthy eating and shared her story about how good nutrition helped her increase speed and move up in her age group, podium and qualify for USAT Nationals. Katherine’s inspiring story can be found here.

As for the Hungry Athlete, for my very first meal on New Year’s day, I prepared my Simple Granola to accompany Greek yogurt, then poached eggs served over smoked salmon and asparagus sautéed in olive oil. A clementine and mimosa were the sweet notes in this orchestra of flavors.

A couple days later, after my first group trail run of the year, I invited the gang over for a brunch and served my Egg, Vegetable and Croissant Breakfast Casserole, my Simple Granola and Alton Brown’s overnight cinnamon rolls. No, the cinnamon rolls are not healthy nor do I want to try to attempt a healthy version. I believe in indulging when the time is right and after a wet, cold and hard trail run, my friends earned cinnamon buns for running that extra mile.

Want to host a healthy 3-course breakfast, most of which you can prepare, stress-free by prepping the day in advance? Here’s The Hungry Athlete’s Three-Course Healthy Breakfast:

First Course: Greek Yogurt Fruit Parfait with Homemade Simple Granola, Raspberries, Blueberries and Pomegranate Seeds

Second Course: Egg, Vegetable and Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Third Course: Chocolate Cinnamon Avocado Mousse

granola parfait — First Course: Greek Yogurt Parfait with Homemade Granola, Raspberries, Blueberries and Pomegranate Seeds

HGJAN2016-17 — Egg, Vegetable and Croissant Breakfast Casserole (here with vegetarian sausage, caramelized onion, mushroom, broccoli and Manchego cheese)

Briley’s Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli, Peas, Mushrooms, and Sun-dried Tomatoes

October 27, 2015October 30, 2015thehungryathlete

What do you do when a 15 year old requests Fettuccine Alfredo for his birthday dinner? First you cringe a little because this pasta with cream and butter has virtually no nutritional value and is truly bland in flavor. Then you remember that even the Hungry Athlete loved Alfredo sauce when she was a kid. With Halloween around the corner, looks like the Hungry Athlete had to use a little witch craft to create a healthier version of a teen’s favorite meal. To ensure Briley’s birthday dinner would be a big treat, I had a couple tricks up my sleeve.

The first trick was to sneak in vegetables (muhahahaha). I loaded the pasta with four vegetables which have some of the best sources of vegetable protein: peas, broccoli, sundried tomatoes and mushrooms. In the version I made on Briley’s birthday, I confess to using a sleight of hand to hide the vegetables. I simply diced the vegetables into the size of peas. Now that my secret is out, the final recipe calls for larger bits of broccoli, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. This makes the pasta more pleasing, both visually and texturally.

The final trick is to turn the heavy cream into a disappearing act. Typical American Fettuccine Alfredo is made with 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, along with a pinch of nutmeg. I understand that the original and authentic Italian Alfredo sauce is made of only three ingredients: fettuccine, 2 sticks of butter (wow) and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Either way, that’s a lot of cream or butter. So instead of all the heavy cream, I threw into the cauldron some magic: Neufchatel. No I didn’t sneeze and my cauldron was actually a large All-Clad saute pan.

Named after a town in Normandy, Neufchatel is one of the oldest of French cheeses and typically produced in the shape of a heart. According to cheese folklore, American cream cheese was created when an American dairyman added cream to the recipe for Neufchatel. Real French Neufchatel is made with raw cow’s milk. American Neufchatel is made with pasteurized cow’s milk and cream. American Neufchatel has about 33% less fat than cream cheese and is sometimes called farmer’s cheese. Creamy and slightly tangy, it tastes a lot like cream cheese and a lot better than heavy cream. It is found next to the cream cheese in the grocery store.

Neufchatel and Parmigiano-Reggiano combine with milk into a creamy Alfredo sauce.

Here’s how Neufchatel compares:

2 tablespoons Neufchatel is about 70 calories and 6 g of fat
2 tablespoons butter is about 240 calories and 24 g of fat
2 tablespoons heavy cream is about 200 calories and 10 g of fat of which 7 g is unsaturated fat

I was afraid of disappointing a teenager on his birthday and tested a version with a couple tablespoons of cream, a version with whole milk and a third version with low-fat milk. I found the milk versions to be creamy, rich and delicious. Happy birthday Briley! This sauce was created just for you, to keep you healthy and to fuel your workouts. May you continue to run those trails fast and strong for years to come.

If you prefer a non-vegetarian version, chicken, poached in a pan, adds more protein and accompanies the pasta nicely. Check out this website for a foolproof, easy and fast way to prepare chicken for pasta and salads:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces of your favorite pasta* (I prefer fettuccine or penne)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup chopped white mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, minced (or grated)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons Neufchatel* cheese
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup whole or low-fat milk (I prefer organic whole milk**)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or ¼ teaspoon white pepper
pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped defrosted frozen broccoli
¾ cup frozen peas
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes***
salt (You probably won’t need this. Any additional salt due to the saltiness of pasta water, the sundried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.)

*Note: 8 ounces of uncooked long pasta shapes = 1 1/2-inch diameter bunch = 4 cups cooked pasta

**Note: Non-fat or reduced fat milk requires additional processing to remove the fat and then to put the 1% or 2% fat back. I prefer less processed foods. Your taste buds can easily be adjusted from non or low fat to whole milk.

***Note: Sun-dried tomatoes in oil can be used however I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes not in oil. These has a longer shelf life however need to be soaked in water for about 30 minutes before chopping and cooking.

Directions:

Timing is everything in this dish. As soon as the pasta is cooked it should be transferred directly to the pan with the Alfredo sauce. The ensure good timing, prepare all of the ingredients in advance then start cooking the pasta.

If you are using dry pasta, allow 5 minutes to prepare the Alfredo sauce. If you are using fresh pasta, have a pot of water boiling and ready for the pasta and toss in the pasta just before you finish making the Alfredo sauce.

To make the sauce, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms for a couple minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Stir for 1 minute.

Lower the heat and whisk in the Neufchatel, Parmigiano-Regiano and lemon juice until cheese is melted and smooth. Whisk in milk for 1 minute. Whisk in fresh nutmeg for another minute.

As soon as the pasta is cooked al dente, place it into the pan and coat the pasta with the Alfredo sauce over medium heat.

alfredo1 — Fettuccine is the traditional pasta used with Alfredo sauce. Here I used penne pasta.

Toss in mushrooms, broccoli, peas, sun dried tomatoes and half the parsley.

Serve immediately with remaining parsley garnished on top.

Colcannon with Poached Egg and Smoked Salmon

March 17, 2015March 19, 2015thehungryathlete

What’s as good as Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes) for dinner? Colcannon for breakfast of course! I prepared this breakfast on a weekday morning in 5 minutes using colcannon left over from last night’s dinner.

The hardest part of this recipe is poaching the egg. A fried egg works well too. I have tried several methods of poaching eggs over the years. The way my mother taught me to poach eggs works the best. Mom and I tried using vinegar. While vinegar helps to keep the egg whites pretty, I’m not a fan of vinegar flavored eggs so I don’t use it. I also have an egg poaching pan and silicon egg poaching cups. These gadgets work well when poaching several eggs at the same time but if you are just making a couple eggs, don’t bother using them. The article below does an excellent job demonstrating how it’s done. I often use a slotted spoon to lift the egg up and keep it from sinking.

How to Poach Eggs

This breakfast contains nutrient rich vegetables (potatoes, kale, cabbage and leeks) and protein (egg and smoked salmon). I can’t wait to have it again tomorrow morning after my workout. The recipe for colcannon is found here: Crispy Salmon and Colcannon

Serving size: 1 Ingredients:

3/4 cup of colcannon
1 egg
wild smoked salmon
salt and pepper
chives for garnish

Directions:

Poach the egg as instructed above for 2 minutes for a runny yolk and up to 4 minutes for a firmer yolk. Timing will also depend upon the size of your egg and how cold it is. I have an ultra runner pal who likes to poach his eggs for 6 minutes. To figure out how long you like to poach your eggs, gently lift the egg out with a slotted spoon. If after inspecting the egg it needs more time, you can always drop it back in the water for another minute or two.

While the egg is poaching, warm the colcannon in the microwave. Place the smoked salmon on the colcannon, then place the poached egg on top. Make sure the egg is not wet. Garnish with finely chopped chives and season with salt and pepper.

Crispy Salmon and Colcannon (Irish Potatoes with Cabbage, Kale and Leeks)

March 17, 2015March 19, 2015thehungryathlete

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Hungry Athlete style! Irish comfort food, colcannon, is mashed potatoes made with kale or cabbage. On Halloween, charms are hidden inside the colcannon. If you find a ring, it means you will someday marry; if you find a thimble, you are doomed to be a spinster. Who knew mashed potatoes could be so exciting? There’s even a song about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCQbksGz67U Colcannon is traditionally served with Irish bacon or boiled ham, however, since my coach is evaluating my diet this week, I decided to pair it with salmon. I omitted the butter (and the ring and thimble) from the colcannon and saved it to prepare a sauce for the salmon. And instead of using just kale or cabbage, I combined both and added leeks to pack a variety of nutrient rich vegetables into the colcannon. The vegetables are typically chopped finely, blanched to soften, then combined with the potatoes. To create a smoother colcannon, I lightly pulsed the vegetables in a food processor after blanching. (A blender can be used as well.) This saved me some chopping time and I liked the texture. If you prefer a more rustic colcannon, just chop the vegetables up more finely at the beginning and skip the food processor. Colcannon is great for breakfast too! Try using leftover colcannon for Colcannon with Poached Eggs and Smoked Salmon. Serving size: 4 Crispy Skin Salmon Ingredients:

12 ounces of wild salmon, skin on (3 ounces per person)
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
4 tablespoons butter

Colcannon Ingredients:

2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut in large even chunks
1 leek, rinsed well and chopped
3 scallions stalks or 2 spring onion stalks, finely chopped
1/3 cabbage, rough chopped (about 4 cups)
4 curly kale leaves, stem removed and rough chopped (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup of milk or 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons sour cream
Kosher salt and pepper

Directions: Colcannon Place the potatoes in a large pot of water with a little salt. Bring the water to a boil for 5 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water from the pot.

If you prefer a more rustic colcannon, chop the vegetables up more finely than this and skip using the food processor or blender.

Bring another large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the vegetables. First, add the leeks and cabbage to the boiling water. After 5 minutes, add the kale and continue blanching for another 4 minutes until all the vegetables are bright in color and tender. Then add 2/3 of the scallions or spring onions for 1 more minute. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the hot greenish water from the pot. The water contains nutrients and can be used to add moisture to the potatoes. Then strain or remove the vegetables from the water and place in a food processor or blender. Season with salt and pepper and pulse until all of the vegetables are combined.

Pulse it gently for a more rustic texture but definitely do not puree it. Some texture is good.

Add sour cream and milk or Greek yogurt to the potatoes. Mash the potatoes. If it appears dry, add a splash of the reserved vegetable water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the vegetable mixture until just combined. It’s a rustic dish so I prefer chunks of white mashed potato with the green vegetables speckled throughout. Place a lid on the pot to keep the colcannon warm.

Traditionally, a well is created in the middle and a Irish butter is added. By adding sour cream or Greek yogurt, I didn’t miss the butter. In addition, that allowed me to allocate the butter to creating a lemon butter sauce for the salmon.

Salmon Rinse the salmon and remove any bones. Pat dry with paper towels then slice the salmon into 4 pieces. Score the skin of the salmon by making a few shallow, diagonal cuts on the skin. This will help the skin crisp up but not curl up when cooked. Coat each piece with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then season well with salt and pepper. Allow the salmon to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before cooking. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully drop the salmon on the pan, skin side down. Depending on the thickness of the salmon, cook for about 5 – 6 minutes watching the color change on the cut side of the flesh. When the color changes for 3/4 of the salmon, flip the salmon over and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes. This is called unilateral (uneven) cooking and ensures a crispy skin. I usually flake off a piece of the salmon with a fork to inspect for doneness. A meat thermometer can also be used. The salmon is done when the tiniest sliver of flesh is almost cooked or the temperature is 125F – 130F. Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. The salmon will continue to cook through. After the salmon is removed, heat the pan back up on medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot and a pinch of salt. Stir and simmer until the lemon reduces almost in half, then slowly add slices of cold butter, swirling the pan around to incorporate the butter. Place the salmon on a bed of colcannon. Spoon over the lemon butter sauce. Sprinkle some reserved green or spring onion on top for garnish.

Mango Salsa

March 10, 2015March 10, 2015thehungryathlete

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. I’ve been patiently waiting for mangoes to be in season. There are six different types of mangoes and each are in season during different months during the year:

Ataulfo
Francis
Haden
Keitt
Kent
Tommy Atkins

Right now, the Kent mangos are in season (January through March) and the season has just started for Ataulfo mangoes (March through July).

Mangoes are rich in vitamins C and A, potassium and fiber, and also contain a small amount of vitamin B-6, magnesium, iron and calcium. Mangoes contain the nutrient, beta-carotene and the antioxidant zeaxanthin, which filters out harmful blue light rays and is thought to protect against macular degeneration of the eye.

This sweet fruit is versatile; it can be enjoyed in desserts and in savory dishes. The key to enjoying a mango is knowing when it’s ripe. Those who are patient and allow the mango to sit on the counter at room temperature for 2 – 4 days to ripen are rewarded with tender, juicy and sweet flesh. Those who prematurely bite into an unripe mango may find it unpleasantly stringy and sour.

Here are some tips on how to pick a good mango: http://www.wikihow.com/Pick-a-Good-Mango

Now that you’ve picked a good mango, here’s how to cut it: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_a_mango/

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup English cucumber, diced
1 small Jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely copped
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Kosher salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a bowl, combine only half of the Jalapeno pepper with all of the ingredients. Taste and add more of the Jalapeno pepper based on taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Serve with chips or as a condiment over Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa or Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa.

Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa

March 10, 2015March 20, 2015thehungryathlete

Crispy, full of flavor and a fun meal to eat, you will not miss the fish in this Vegetarian Tofu Tacos with Mango Salsa.

Coating the tofu with panko bread crumbs then pan frying them in oil yields a crunchy exterior and a tender interior. Layer the tofu with Mango Salsa and Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw which can be prepared in advance.

Serving size: 4 (2-3 tacos per person)

Ingredients:

Pan Fried Tofu

1 package firm or extra firm tofu
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup corn starch
1 egg
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil
Flour or corn tortilla

Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw

2 cups of finely shredded purple or red cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Prepare the Mango Salsa. This can be prepared the day before.

Prepare the Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw by whisking together the lime juice, vegetable oil, salt and sugar. Toss in the cabbage and shredded carrots. Set aside.

Place the tofu in a sieve and pour boiling hot water over it. This will help draw out moisture. Dry out tofu by placing them in between paper towels and sandwiched in between two plates. Weigh the plate down with a 28 ounce can or something of similar weight for at least 15 minutes.

In a shallow dish, combine the panko bread crumbs with cayenne pepper. Place the corn starch and lightly beaten egg, each in its own separate shallow dish.

After the moisture is drawn out of the tofu, cut the tofu into 4 x 1 inch pieces then season with salt and pepper.

Coat the tofu with the corn starch, then dip it in the egg and then coat it with the panko bread crumbs.

Over medium high heat, heat enough vegetable oil to coat a non-stick frying pan. Test the oil temperature by dropping in a piece of the panko bread crumbs. The oil should bubble around the bread crumbs and start turning it brown. If the oil smokes, the pan is too hot.

Fry the tofu until golden brown on each side. Drain on a paper towel.

Warm the tortilla in a hot pan for a couple minutes on each side until warm. Assemble the taco by placing some slaw in the middle of the tortilla. Next add a couple pieces of the tofu and top with the Mango Salsa. Serve with a couple extra slices of lime, hot sauce and a side of my Sweet Potato, Bean and Corn Hash.

Vegetable Quinoa Egg Bites

March 4, 2015March 19, 2015thehungryathlete

Vegetable Quinoa Egg Bites are one of my favorite fast and healthy recipes for breakfast. Make them the night before then pop them in the microwave or toast them in the oven in the morning for a nutritious breakfast on the go. Throw a few in a plastic bag and you’ll have a yummy post morning workout snack on the way to work. Merry Brandybuck and Hungry Athletes alike might also enjoy this as a second breakfast.

Resembling a mini quiche, they can be filled with your favorite vegetables. I like to fill mine with a combination of either spinach and red peppers or broccoli and red peppers. Cayenne pepper and nutmeg adds a nice flavor but be careful, a little of both goes a long way. I also recommend using freshly grated nutmeg. Nutmeg seeds last up to four years longer than powdered nutmeg.

Did you know that nutmeg and mace come from the same tree? Nutmeg is the seed while mace is the covering or aril of the seed. Here’s some more interesting tidbits about nutmeg: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03474/Cooking-With-Spices-Nutmeg.html

Serving size: 16 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa
2 eggs + 1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup of chopped broccoli or 1/2 cup of frozen spinach, defrosted
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
canola or vegetable oil to brush muffin pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cook quinoa according to the package instructions. Make sure you rinse the quinoa thoroughly if the package indicates it has not been previously rinsed. Rinsing will remove the quinoa’s natural coating called saponin, which can have a bitter or soapy flavor.

Whisk together the eggs, salt, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Then mix in the quinoa, vegetables and cheddar cheese.

Brush the inside and top of a mini muffin pan liberally with oil. Fill the muffin pan all the way to the top will the quinoa and egg mixture. Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Pumpkin Oatmeal in a Slow Cooker

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015thehungryathlete

It’s just another early morning workout and I’m starving for a fast and warm breakfast. I happen to have a extra unopened can of pumpkin puree left over from Thanksgiving. Pumpkin is a nutrient dense fruit so I decided to add it to my slow cooker oatmeal routine. Unfortunately, the first attempt resulted in some unsavory burned pumpkin oatmeal on the edges of the slow cooker. In my second attempt, I turned my slow cooker into a double boiler. This yielded perfectly cooked, unburned oatmeal. Before I share this recipe, allow me to entertain you with a little Hungry Athlete story.

I’ve been ramping up for another 50K but I cannot get on the trails early enough in the afternoons to complete my scheduled midweek 8 mile runs while it’s still daylight. I got caught in the dark twice. On one occasion I talked the park ranger out of giving me a $200 ticket for being on the trails after sunset. The other time I was almost kidnapped by Thelma and Louise. I had exited a trail I had been running on and ran a quick out and back on a paved road. By the time I arrived back at that trail head, the gate was chained up. Since I could not run on the highway (the only other way back to where my car was parked) I was given a ride by two ladies who I will refer to as Thelma and Louis. It was dark. I was getting cold. The only thing I had on me was the key to my car. While I’m sitting in the back of Thelma’s car and headed down the highway, I hear the following:

T: “You know those runners … they never have any money on them.”

L: “Hahahaha.”

T: “Yeh, who accepts rides from strangers? What would you do to protect yourself?”

L: “I’d poke them in the eyeballs. They say you should go for the eyes”

T: “She’s a runner. She’d outrun us.”

T: “Hahaha. Oh, we should stop. Look at her. She’s all quiet back there.”

Clearly the ladies were having fun with me and I lived to write this recipe, however the moral to the story is to plan your trail runs better. Don’t get caught on the trails before they close. Carry ID and your cell phone so you don’t have to accept rides from strangers and live to enjoy Pumpkin Oatmeal in the morning.

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup steel cut oatmeal (also called Irish oatmeal)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened Almond milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar*
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I prefer freshly grated)

Optional toppings:

Unsalted roasted chopped almonds or walnuts
Diced apple or sliced banana
Honey or maple syrup

* Note: Ideally, if you can do without the dark brown sugar, that is the healthiest option, but I personally prefer to have a small amount of it in my oatmeal. Since this recipe is a serving size for 4, one tablespoon isn’t so bad. I sometimes enjoy my pumpkin oatmeal with a diced raw apple or a sliced banana, which adds a natural sweetness to the oatmeal. I found that by weening myself off of sugar, I can adapt to enjoying foods like oatmeal and coffee without sugar.

Directions:

Whisk all of the ingredients together and pour into an oven proof glass bowl that will fit inside the slow cooker. I used a 6.5 quart slow cooker but a smaller 4 quart slow cooker is all you need.

Fill the slow cooker with water covering the pumpkin oatmeal bowl at least half way. Cover and cook on a low temperature for 7 hours. Start the slow cooker before you go to bed and wake up to perfectly cooked oatmeal. Give the oatmeal a thorough stir before serving.

Fill the slow cooker insert with enough water to cover the oven proof bowl half way. This is what the oatmeal will look when it’s finished cooking. Give it a thorough stir before serving.

If you prefer, serve with chopped nuts (i.e., walnuts or almonds) and / or with fresh fruit (i.e., diced apple or sliced banana). The leftover oatmeal and be stored in individual serving size containers in the refrigerator. Add a little almond milk to loosen up the oatmeal and warm it up in the microwave when you are ready to eat it.

Pomegranate and Roasted Lemon Salad

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015thehungryathlete

Have you seen Fifty Shades of Grey yet? Well if you have the urge to smack something with the back of a spoon, may I recommend a pomegranate? You can then add the luscious pomegranate arils (seeds) to my Pomegranate and Roasted Lemon Salad.

Winter’s fruits, the pomegranates and lemon together in a salad create a burst of bright flavors with every bite. The lemon contains as much vitamin C as an orange and is one of the most nutrient dense fruits. The rind contains the most nutrition. Blanching then roasting the lemon eliminates the bitterness. The pomegranate contains anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and antioxidants. Studies suggest the pomegranate fruit may help prevent or alleviate heart disease and atherosclerosis; high cholesterol; prostate cancer; and Alzheimer’s disease.

Don’t be intimidated by the pomegranate. Here’s how to remove it’s arils quickly and easily: http://greatist.com/eat/pomegranate-deseed-trick

Serving size: 4 side salads or 2 meal size salads

Ingredients:

1/4 cup and 1 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups of mixed greens*
2 large lemons (1 sliced lemon and juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup)
1 cup small assorted tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup of pomegranate arils (seeds)
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
salt & pepper
grilled or poached chicken (optional)

* Try using roasted Brussels sprouts. My original recipe uses Brussels sprouts instead of mixed greens. The recipe is here: Roasted Brussels Sprout with Lemon and Pomegranate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F

Wash the lemons well then slice one lemon into thin rounds. Place the lemon slices into a pot of boiling water. Blanch the lemon slices for 2 minutes. This will eliminate the bitterness from the rind. Remove the lemon slices from the boiling water and lay on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Coat the lemon slices in 1 tablespoon of olive oil then roast for about 10-15 minutes until they start to caramelize a little.

Allow the lemon slices to cool slightly, then cut the slices in half.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, the juice of the remaining lemon (about 1/4 cup), balsamic vinegar, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, toss the mixed greens, tomatoes and red onion slices in the dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl. Decorate the top of the salad with the lemon slices and pomegranate arils. Add either grilled or poached chicken to make this a meal. This salad also accompanies a big bowl of soup nicely.

Swap out the Brussels sprouts with mixed greens for a salad with brightness in every bite.

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad with Lemon and Pomegranate

February 10, 2015February 19, 2015thehungryathlete

I love winter fruits and vegetables. Last week one of my ultra running pals brought me a big stalk of Brussels sprouts. I knew right away I wanted to make some sort of Brussels sprout salad and searched for a couple other winter vegetables or fruits that would brighten it up with some sweetness and acidity. I found those bright notes in a pomegranate and some lemons plucked from a tree in the back yard.

An abundance of lemons this winter. I absolutely love not having to buy lemons.

The whole lemon is used in this recipe. Blanching the lemons, then roasting them, helps to eliminate the bitterness from the rind. You may be hesitant to bite into the lemon, rind and all, but you’ll be pleased to find the rind quite tender. You will want to try this because the peel of a lemon contains more vitamins than it’s juice. Lemon peels are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, folate, beta carotene and vitamin C.

The lemons, pomegranate anvils and Brussels sprouts are tossed together with red onion and tomatoes to create a side salad that was not only visually bright but is also cheerful with each bite.

This salad was accompanied by a hearty bowl of my Minestrone Soup and served on a very rainy winter weekend. The ingredients in this salad made for the perfect light and sunny Sunday night dinner

Serving size: 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 heads or 3/4 pounds of Brussels sprouts*
2 large lemons (1 sliced lemon and juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup)
1 cup small assorted tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup of pomegranate arils (seeds)
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
salt & pepper

* Brussels sprouts can be replaced with mixed greens

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F

Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and place onto 2/3 of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Leave the other 1/3 of the baking sheet empty. Lemon slices will be added to this space later. Toss the Brussels sprouts in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then season well with salt and pepper. Roast the Brussels sprouts for about 20-25 minutes until tender and the edges are brown. Turn over the Brussels sprouts a few times while roasting to ensure even browning.

While the Brussels sprouts are roasting, wash the lemons well then slice one lemon into thin rounds. Place the lemon slices into a pot of boiling water. Blanch the lemon slices for 2 minutes. This will help to eliminate the bitterness from the rind. Remove the lemon slices from the boiling water and add it to the baking sheet with the Brussels sprouts. Coat the lemon slices in 1 tablespoon of olive oil then roast with the Brussels sprouts. Roast the lemon slices for about 10-15 minutes until they start to caramelize a little. Watch the Brussels sprouts and lemon slices carefully. The lemon slices may need to be removed from the baking sheet before the Brussels sprouts have finished roasting.

Allow the Brussels sprouts and lemon slices to cool slightly, then cut both Brussels sprouts and lemon slices in half.

In a medium bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts, tomatoes and red onion slices in the dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl. Slice the lemon rounds in half and add to the top of the Brussels sprout salad. Top with the pomegranate arils.

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