Almond, Coconut, Chocolate Popsicles and Homemade Peanut Butter Cups (Flashback Friday)

Today's post is a flashback to last summer. Can you believe that last summer I made things other than just ice cream and fro yo? It's true (if you missed two of my favorite creations from this summer, here you go; Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Basil and Coconut Ice Cream). I was looking through my recipes and photos from last year and rather than letting them go to waste, I thought I'd share two of my favorites with you today.  Starting with, Clean Eating Popsicles (after all, it's been hot hear in Columbus lately.  Since I now work on a campus where I am walking outside a lot of the day, I have been craving popsicles, and really anything that is cold!).

Almond, Chocolate, Coconut Popsicles

Makes 4 popsicles

Modified from a Clean Eating Magazine recipe

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 packet non-calorie sweetener of your choice

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.

2.  Add to prepared popsicle molds.

3.  Freeze according to the popsicle mold directions.

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1 popsicle

Next up we have homemade Reece's Peanut Butter cups.  Since college football season is right around the corner (literally) and I'm a huge OSU Buckeye fan (huge) I thought I'd get in the spirit by sharing this recipe that combines two of the best ingredients; chocolate and peanut butter (you know, like a Buckeye candy).  I made these last year for the first time, but have experimented with them more over the past couple weeks.   I found the recipe on Averie's blog, and made just a couple tiny modifications, and ended up with these pieces of heaven.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Makes: 4
Source

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free)

2 Tablespoons crunchy Peanut Butter (or almond butter!)

1.5  Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast

Directions

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate and spoon a thin chocolate layer of the chocolate into either a) small muffin/cupcake liners, or b) a small plastic cup, such as one you might get from a restaurant, filled with dressing to-go.

2.  Allow chocolate to cool in the liners. While  cooling, prepare the peanut butter and nutritional yeast mixture by stirring them together in a small bowl (you may have to zap the peanut butter in the microwave to get it soft, if you leave your peanut butter in the fridge like we do!).  

3.  Spoon ~1/6th of the mixture on top of each cooled chocolate base layer. Add the top layer of melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter/nutritional yeast.  Tap the cups on the counter to get the chocolate evenly spread out on the cups.

**  Add less chocolate to each layer if you want to make them lighter, and/or if you want to make more with each batch **

3.  Allow cups to set up fully before eating, at least 30 minutes in the freezer.

I tapped my cups on the counter to get them to set. 

**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPS diet you will be happy to know that both of these recipes are low FODMAPs!  Coconut does contain some FODMAPs, but the small amount in this recipe shouldn't pose any problems.

Sometimes I want more chocolate.....

Other times I want more peanut butter!

Estimated nutrition facts for 1/4th of recipe
Source: CalorieCount.com

I never said they were light or anything...  :)  But hey, they beat paying $5 a bag for the real things, and they are made with dark chocolate, so how bad can they be?!  haha.  Oh yeah, and 3 grams of protein?  That's thanks to the nutritional yeast.  yum yum.

Be careful, it's difficult to eat just one.  My advice? Just take out one at a time, then hide the rest.  Make sure to savor every delicious bite so you are left satisfied and happy.

QUESTION:  What's your favorite candy of all time?  For me, it's Reece's. Hands down (followed by Snickers).  Can you tell I'm already getting into the Halloween spirit?!

Happy Friday everyone. Any fun plans for the weekend?  I'm actually planning on sitting around and doing nothing, because this is my first two days off in eight days.  So actually, that's not true, I will be doing a lot because I'm behind on my never-ending "to-do" list, but I'll be doing plenty of relaxing and kicking-back in between.  Make sense? Good.

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

Clean Eating's Smoked Salmon Burgers

Last year I thought I had found my favorite salmon burger recipe.  I posted these gingery salmon burgers and truthfully stated they were so good that even salmon haters would love them (Nick, a salmon hater, actually ate and enjoyed the gingery salmon burgers).  Despite the fact that today's salmon burger is not salmon-hater-approved (Nick refused to eat one), I still feel fine stripping the award from the previous burger, and handing it over to this one; The Smoked Salmon Burger.  Oh wow. That's all I have to say.

Clean Eating's Smoked Salmon Burgers

Serves: 4

Modified from a recipe in the June 2013 edition of Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients

10 oz. boneless, skinless wild salmon fillets, cut into chunks

3 oz. wild smoked salmon, cut into chunks

1 small yellow onion, grated **

3 cloves garlic, minced, divided **

1/2 cup whole-wheat panko bread crumbs **

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, divided

4 tsp. Dijon mustard, divided

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper, divided

Dash hot sauce **

1/2 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt

2 tsp. capers, drained

Cooking oil (canola, grapeseed, olive, etc.)

4 whole grain buns, split **

2 cups spinach

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced

Directions

1.  In a food processor, pulse together salmon, onion, 2 cloves garlic, panko, 1 Tbsp. dill, 2 tsp. Dijon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. pepper and hot sauce until finely chopped; do not over-mix.  Shape mixture into 4 1/2-inch-thick patties.  Transfer to a large, parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2.  Meanwhile, prepare aioli; In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, capers, remaining 1 clove garlic, 2 Tbsp. dill, 2 tsp. Dijon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Cover and refrigerate.  

3.  Heat an outdoor grill (or a grill pan) to medium-high and lightly oil grate with cooking oil.  Mist patties on both sides with cooking spray and grill for about 10 minutes, turning halfway, until a thermometer reads 145 degrees F when inserted into the center.  Just before the burgers are finished, grill the buns if you desire.

4.  Divide spinach, patties, aioli, and tomatoes evenly between buns. Enjoy!

**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPS diet omit the garlic and onion and use a Tuscan or garlic-infused oil to cook your burgers.  Also, keep in mind wheat contains FODMAPs, but the 1/2 cup of whole wheat panko shouldn't be enough to cause issues.  The bun, however, should be gluten free (Udis has a low FODMAPs hamburger bun).  Lastly, the hot sauce will contain FODMAPs. You can omit this, or use it (like I did) because a dash shouldn't be enough to cause problems.

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1 burger and bun
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Good source of fiber, excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium.  Also, this provides ~1100 mg EPA/DHA (long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids).

I attempted to get Nick to try one, but the pink coloring really threw him off. Darn it, he knew it was salmon!  Ok, he's no fool, they smelled like salmon (in the best way possible). I just froze these babies and enjoyed them for a couple weeks on my own. His loss.

Don't lie, my grill marks are perfection. Right? And I used a grill pan (actually I think that's why my grill marks look so perfect.  The grill pan is a must-have kitchen gadget).

QUESTION:  Do you have a favorite recipe for salmon burgers? If you do, please share it!

In other news, my new job is off to a great start.  It's definitely a huge change from being in the supermarket, but I still get to be around great people all day, and do what I love; educate people on how to enjoy healthy and delicious food.

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

Clean Eating's Egg 'n' Baked Potatoes (Almost Meatless Monday)

I'm cheating today, "Meatless Monday", I used bacon.  But hey, if you want to go meatless, omit the bacon (although I'll tell you what, the bacon really added something special to the flavor of these potatoes!  Perhaps you could use the tofu bacon....yeah?).  I did use turkey bacon, so technically these were "meatless", just not...animal free.  You know.




When I made these last week I realized it had really been a while since I had enjoyed a good potato. I really think the last time I actually ate a potato (other than french fries, every so often) was last year on a road trip when we stopped at Wendy's (I always get the potato and chili).  No, no, I'm wrong, the last time I had a potato was when Nick made me a delicious fish dinner on my 30th birthday.  Yes, he made petite potatoes with olive oil and rosemary.  How could I forget?!  Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I always forget about potatoes. They get such a bad rap, but they can really be a great addition to, or main part of a meal (and they are cheap).  We tend to forget that while they may have a lot of carbs (oh no, carbs!) they also have a good source of vitamin C, iron, fiber and calcium.

Clean Eating's Egg 'n' Baked Potatoes

Serves 4

Modified slightly from a June 2013 Clean Eating Magazine recipe

Ingredients

Olive Oil cooking spray

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

4 slices all-natural turkey bacon (no nitrates or nitrates added)

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion **

2 cloves garlic **

6 lightly packed cups baby spinach

1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground pepper

4 large eggs

1/4 cup grated reduced-fat cheddar cheese **

1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt **

2 Tbsp. chopped chives

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.  Prick potatoes with a form and transfer to tray.  Bake for 50 minutes, turning once, until tender.  Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2.  Meanwhile, mist a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-low.  Add bacon and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  When cool enough to handle, chop into small pieces.

3.  To skillet on medium-low, add onion and garlic (if using) and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.  Add spinach and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until wilted.  Remove from heat.

4.  If needed, cut a thin slice from long side of each potato so they sit flat on sheet.  Cut an oval into the top of each potato and scoop out flesh using a spoon or a melon baller, leaving a ~1/4-inch thick shell.  Reserve potato flesh for future use (see my recipe on Thursday!)

5.  Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper.  Divide spinach mixture and bacon evenly among potatoes. Carefully crack 1 egg into each potato and top with cheese, dividing evenly.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, to desired doneness of egg (I kept mine a bit runny).  In a small bowl mix the yogurt and chives and serve with potatoes.

**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPs diet omit the garlic and onion (I made mine without these ingredients and they were still spectacular.  The chives added a slight oniony flavor, which was nice).

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1 potato
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Under 350 calories, excellent source of protein, iron, vitamin C and vitamin A.  Good source of calcium.  And of course, not listed, potatoes are a good source of blood pressure-lowering potassium.

As you can see my eggs almost escaped the potato.  But alas, they stayed in!

And I kept my egg nice and runny.  With the chives and yogurt sauce, this was absolutely perfect.  Oh yeah, and the bacon.  I loved that part too, of course.

So, what do you do with the leftover potato filling?  You'll have to wait until Thursday to find out.  I may have made something sweet.....

QUESTION:  When was the last time you ate a potato??

And I'll leave you with this to drool over......homemade graham crackers served with a chocolate mouse and toasted marshmallows.  This was our dessert when we went out to dinner this weekend with my uncle and his friend Larry.  To die for.

I hope everyone has a great Monday!  

The Candid Rd

Clean Eating's Chicken Pizza with Mushrooms and Arugula

I'm reading a book called Taste What You're Missing; The Passionate Eater's Guide to Why Food Tastes So Good.  The book is long, and I'm probably only 1/4th of the way into it, but I've already learned so much.  I'll dedicate an entire post on it one of these days, because it's that good, and fascinating.  I've come to the conclusion that I am slightly addicted to one taste; umami, or "savory" (if you love mushrooms and nutritional yeast, you may be too).  Here I thought it might be sweet or even bitter tastes I loved most (I enjoy bitter pale ales, very much, and I could literally eat buttercream frosting all day long) but no, it's umami.  This pizza recipe called for two sources umami; parmesan and crimini mushrooms.  I sometimes find Clean Eating Magazine's recipes to be too "clean" for my liking, so I jazz them up a bit (yes, it's true, sometimes they are too bland for me, what can I say?!). In this case I added more umami taste to enhance the flavor, in the form of extra mushrooms (that's clean....right?) and parmesan (ok, more cheese probably isn't the most healthy idea, but to be fair this recipe called for 1 Tablespoon, ONE TBSP!!! Yes, you read that right. That's absurd. Who wouldn't add more?!)

Chicken Pizza with Mushrooms and Arugula

Source: Clean Eating Magazine

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray

2 bone-in skinless chicken breasts

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced **

2 cloves garlic, chopped **

12 oz. frozen (or fresh) whole wheat pizza dough, thawed **

2 cups arugula

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. dried oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mist a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place chicken on sheet and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Bake until cooked through, 25-30 minutes; set aside to cool.

2.  Keep oven at 400 degrees.  In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium high heat.  Add mushrooms, and garlic cloves and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are softened and start releasing liquid; set aside.

3.  With a rolling pin, pizza dough into 1/2-inch thick circle or rectangle.  Coat a separate large baking sheet with cooking spray and transfer dough to sheet. With a fork, shred shicken meat from bone into 2-inch pieces.  Top dough with 2 cups arugula, chicken, mushroom-garlic mixture and parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle with oregano and season with fresh ground pepper, to taste.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

**NOTE:  If you are following a low FODMAPs diet you may want to omit the mushrooms and replace them with another lower FODMAPs vegetable, such as green or red pepper.  Also, use a gluten free pizza crust (although some people may be able to tolerate 1 small piece of whole wheat crust).

Still not very cheesy, but yet this pizza was fantastic.

Full of umami, savory, goodness.

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1/4th of pizza
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Under 350 calories, good source of calcium and fiber, excellent source of protein.

QUESTION:  Tell me, what's your favorite pizza topping?  Other than mushrooms (which I can't eat in endless amounts, sadly) I would say green and black olives are my favorite pizza toppings. Oh, and tomatoes. Is that weird?


What are your plans for the Fourth of July?  My parents are having a party, of sorts, so of course Nick and I are going to be crashing it.  Why not, right?  They live really close to the local fireworks so we'll get to walk down the road and watch the beauty in the sky.  I just hope it doesn't rain all day. That would be a serious bummmmmmmmer.  Happy Birthday America!

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

Clean Eating's Turkey Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are one of my favorite things in the world.  I rarely talk about my love for sloppy joes, because let's face it.....they are not necessarily very healthy, and not something a typical "foodie" would admit to craving (and I do....often).  Last summer Clean Eating Magazine had a recipe for Chicken Sloppy Joes, which I actually made for the family for whom I was cooking on a weekly basis.  They loved them.  So did Nick and I.  This year I made them again when we had friends over for a Sunday dinner and once again they were a hit.  Of course, as a dietitian and someone who follows a low FODMAPs diet, I made my own modifications so this would be suitable for my sensitive ....well....gut, but nothing too drastic.  And if you are mad because you secretly crave sloppy joes too, but you don't eat meat, have no fear, I have the perfect tempeh sloppy joe recipe for you.  You're welcome ;)

Clean Eating's Turkey Sloppy Joes

Modified from a Clean Eating Magazine Recipe (June 2012)

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped and diced

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey

1 Tbsp. chile powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp. sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

2 cups jarred low-sodium tomato sauce **

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 cup frozen yellow corn **

4 whole grain hamburger buns **

Optional: Sliced Avocado **

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tsp. olive oil on medium-high.  Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, until soft.  Add the extra lean ground turkey and cook, stirring and breaking up with wooden spoon, for 3 minutes, until cooked through.  Add chile powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper and stir to coat.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add tomato sauce and Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until sauce reduces and thickens (you may need to cover half-way with a lid so it doesn't splatter all over the place!).  Stir in frozen corn and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.  Spoon mixture between 4 buns, dividing evenly.  Top with sliced avocado if you want.

**NOTE:  If you follow a low FODMAPs diet look for a tomato sauce that contains zero garlic or onion (there may not be a low-sodium version of this, but that's ok).  Also use a garlic-infused olive oil to make up for the lack of garlic and onion, if you'd like. In addition, use white corn instead of yellow corn (it may be tolerated better) and use a gluten-free bun.  Lastly, omit the avocado (although some people can handle 1-2 small slices, or ~1-2 Tbsp.)

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1-sandwich
Includes 2 Tbsp. fresh avocado
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Good source of iron and vitamin A, excellent source of vitamin C, protein and fiber.

You know those meals that you can't stop eating as you're cleaning up the remains, and putting them back in the fridge?  Yes, this was one of those.  It was as if I'd made a wedding cake...I kept licking the bowl and the spoon.  Just so fantastic!   And, because I couldn't find a low FODMAPs tomato sauce that was low-sodium, I omitted the sea salt.  The taste was still out of this world (the nutrition facts use sea salt and a low-sodium tomato sauce, as described in the recipe).

Question:  I admitted it, I crave sloppy joes (and extra meaty lasagna too, did I mention that?!).  What do you CRAVE?!

Thanks for reading!

The Candid Rd

Have Chicken? Clean Eating's Buffalo Chicken Salad and My Own Spicy Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Who says dinner has to be a huge production? I grew up in a househouse where "frozen meal of your choice" was the dinner plan about two days out of seven.  I didn't mind it at all, but I'd much prefer a very simple, homemade dinner, such as this one I came up with when we had leftover grilled chicken not too long ago.

The price for this entire meal was under $2.50/person (including the frozen green beans and corn.  Frozen veggies, I love them.  They are healthy and often very cheap!).  Not only was the price right on par, but the time to prepare this meal was too; including steaming the vegetables, this took about 10 minutes to get on a plate and ready for some devouring.

Spicy Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Serves 1

Ingredients

4 ounces grilled chicken, seasoned with pepper

1.5 Tbsp. olive oil mayo

2 tsp. dijon mustard

More pepper, and a dash of cayenne

1 whole wheat English Muffin (or bread of your choice)**

Directions

Cut the grilled chicken into medium sized chunks.  Add the chicken to a medium bowl and mix in the mayo and dijon.  Mix well to combine and distribute sauces evenly.  Add cayenne and pepper (as much or as little as you'd like, I added 1 tsp. of each!  I like SPICE!)

**NOTE:  If you follow a low FODMAPs diet be sure to use a gluten-free English muffin.

Estimated Nutrition Facts, with the English Muffin
Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights: Good source of calcium and iron

So this next recipe is one of those that a good food blogger would have made again, just to make sure there was a decent picture to show her readers.  I guess I'm not a good food blogger because I'm using an old picture, and I'm not turning back. Last summer I was preparing dinners for my mom, dad, and brother, along with their neighbors who had three kids, about two days a week.  Both families really enjoyed this recipe (including all of the young kids!), so while the picture doesn't do it and justice, I sitll wanted to provide you with the recipe. While it may not quality as food porn, and least you get an idea of what it's supposed to look like (I've gotten better at making food look really tasty since last summer, right?!  Please say yes).

The total price per family (family of 4) for this meal was fifteen dollars.  That's not bad considering I used organic chicken breasts and whole wheat tortillas to make the salad into a wrap!  Who said eating healthier has to be expensive?!  The total time to prepare and clean-up this meal was an hour. You can't beat that.

Buffalo Chicken Salad Wraps

Source: Clean Eating Magazine, June 2012 Issue

(Serves 4)

Directions

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Olive oil cooking spray

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. chile powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 sweet onion, chopped **

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt **

5 Tbsp. low-fat buttermilk **

1-1.5 Tbsp. hot sauce **

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

1 head red leaf lettuce, chopped

1 yellow or green bell pepper, sliced thinly

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup peeled and shredded carrots

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

4 whole wheat tortillas **

Directions

1.  Preheat broiler to high. Place chickenon a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Lightly mist chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle evenly on both sides with paprika, chile powder, and salt. Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until center of chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minute sper side.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before cutting into small chunks (~1/4 inches).

2.  In a blender, puree onion, buttermilk, greek yogurt,  and hot sauce.  Taste and add more hot sauce if you want.

3.  Heat tortillas in oven if you want them hot.  Place a hot tortilla on each plate and divide romaine and red leaf lettuces among 4 tortillas and top with bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots and chicken, dividing each evenly.  Serve yogurt mixture on the side and drizzle on top of wraps.  Sprinkle each with blue cheese and serve immediately!

**NOTE:  If you follow a low FODMAPs diet this is not the best recipe for you.  Two integral parts of the sauce are onion, hot sauce, and milk.  It's hard to modify and still keep that buffalo flavor!

Note:  If you want to reduce the sodium, you can always reduce the amount of hot sauce or omit the added sea salt. Most of the sodium from this estimate came from the tortilla, the hot sauce, the obvious sea salt, and the blue cheese.  You do have control over all of these, so modify to your needs.

Nutrition Highlights: Excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, good source of iron.

I remember getting a call from the family for whom I made this recipe, the day after I had prepared it for them, and they said it was their favorite meal so far.  So, you know, considering it was a "Clean Eating" recipe, I was pretty happy about that.  

I hope everyone has a lovely Tuesday.  I've got a big demo at work today and we're making two different burgers (one turkey and one cod), plus grilled vegetables and a grilled peach and apricot dish with ricotta cheese.  Sound good???  Yeah, I know!  :)

Thanks for reading.

The Candid Rd