Our Mommy friend, Danielle, and her little girl, Lucca love these zucchini and corn cakes from the Whole Foods recipe and we’re sure you will too!
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or low-fat milk
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Kernels from 1 ear sweet corn (~3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil
Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Add corn, zucchini, onion, and stir until combined. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop batter by scant 1/4 cup measures into skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side; lower heat if pancakes begin to brown too deeply before middle is cooked through. Add more oil between batches if necessary. Serve the pancakes warm or room temperature with crême fraîche.
We’ve been talking a lot about watermelons this summer! And as one of the most hydrating and tasty fruits, we’re happy to have one more reason to incorporate it into our summer dishes, just in time for your Fourth of July cookout!
1. To prep salsa, combine the first 7 ingredients and set aside
2. To prep pork chops, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine oil and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. Rub oil mixture over both sides of pork chops. Coat pan with cookies spray. Add pork to pan, cook for 4 minutes on both sides or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Serve with salsa and enjoy!
The original post for this recipe can be found here.
By Deanna Ronne and Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Service Team
Nutrition Student Deanna Ronne’s favorite post run snack:
This smoothie is SO delicious and full of fuel. It leaves me satisfied and energized without feeling bloated. While your body is in a state of recovery after a long run, it is time to refuel your muscles with this easy smoothie. If mom is making this smoothie, read how to share with your child below.
Why Matcha and Maca?
Matcha Tea is a powdered form of whole green tea that provides more antioxidants, specifically Catechins, than other green teas.1
These antioxidants have many health benefits and may even boost the break down of fat2. However, I originally bought Matcha Tea because it is used in Starbuck’s green tee lattes, which I love. Now, I use Matcha Tea in smoothies and even baking.
Maca powder is a South American root vegetable originally used to give Incan warriors strength and endurance during long journeys and battles.
Studies show that many compounds found in Maca powder also protect our bodies from oxidative damage and inflammation.3
Maca is neutral in taste but a great boost of antioxidants for a smoothie.
Recipe:
1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1 tbs. Loose Matcha Tea powder.
½ cup milk (Use dairy, almond, soy, and or coconut milk.)
1 small banana
1 small apple (keep the skin to keep the fiber!)
1 cup spinach
1tsp Maca Powder
3-4 ice cubes
1tsp cinnamon
Blend all the ingredients up with whatever blender you have and enjoy!
If you are not using this as a post workout meal and don’t feel that you need an entire scoop (typically about 20g) of protein, you can just use ½ a scoop, or get rid of it all together! If you are making this smoothie for a child, see below.
How Much Protein for a Child?
If you are looking for a way to sneak some protein into your child’s diet, smoothies are a great idea. However, children (ages 4-8) only need about 19 grams of protein a day, compared to the 46 grams an average adult female needs.4 One scoop of whey protein is about 20 grams of protein, exceeding what a child needs for the entire day! The serving size of most protein powders is 25-30 grams per scoop (about 1.5-2 tbs.).* So, for children, ages 4-8, it might make more sense to only use ½ tbs. of protein powder, only providing about 5 grams of protein. For children, ages 9-13, the protein requirement increases to 36 grams a day.
(*estimated.)
D.,& Anderton, C. (n.d). Determination of catechins in matcha green tea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography A, 173-180.
Dulloo, A. G., Duret, C., Rohrer, D., Girardier, L., Mensi, N., Fathi, M., … & Vandermander, J. (1999). Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 70(6), 1040-1045.
Wang, Y., Wang, Y., McNeil, B., & Harvey, L. M. (2007). Maca: An Andean crop with multi-pharmacological functions. Food Research International, 40(7), 783-792.
National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate. Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (2002/2005).
There’s nothing much better for breakfast than a hot fluffy muffin right out of the oven. The only thing that can make it better, is baking them with your children! With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, we wanted to help you get the day off to a fun start with family time in the kitchen. For a twist, top each muffin with a dried banana chip for that extra special touch. We’re sure that everyone will love these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins.
Preheat oven to 375°F; mist a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper or foil liners. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour with baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix bananas with eggs, sugar, milk, butter and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Fold banana mixture into flour mixture just until combined and batter forms; do not overmix.
Spoon batter into muffin cups; place a banana chip on top of each one, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
*The original post for this recipe can be found here.
We attended the Editor’s Showcase in February where we were able to sample different foods and learn the latest that’s going on in the food industry. The National Onion Association and US Apple Association shared with us some of their recipes featuring both apples and onions. Here is one we think you’ll enjoy!
BOLD AND FRUITY CHICKEN TAGINE
Credit: Executive Chef Rachel Reuben, Food Fix Kitchen
We wanted to share a recipe with you that was made at the Dishing with the Media Harvest Celebrations Event. They featured some delicious recipes including Carrot Curry Kale Chips and Lemon Seed and Pepper Crusted Grilled Pork. With summer right around the corner, we thought it would be great to share this Bold and Fruity Chicken Tangine recipe to get your mouths’ watering for the tasty food summer has to offer!
8 chicken thighs with bones and skin
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed whole
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 strips fresh lemon peel
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Pinch saffron threads
1/8 cup rosewater
¾ cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup pitted green olives
¼ cup dried pitted dates*
¼ cup dried apricots*
¼ cup dried figs*
1 whole wheat pita or other Middle Eastern flatbread, cut into thirds, warmed but not toasted
1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios, optional for finishing
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional, for finishing
*Fruit Bliss’s apricots, prunes and figs are recommended
Remove skin from thighs and reserve. Trim fat and reserve with skin. Partially debone for easy removal after cooking, (make cuts around bone but keep bone in place for cooking; bones will impart more flavor but we don’t want to serve with bones).
Combine the cumin, coriander, ginger, paprika and cinnamon and season the spice blend with pepper and salt (keeping in mind that the olives will be adding an element of salt). Using a large bowl, sheet tray or zip bag, sprinkle the spice and seasoning mixture over the chicken and toss to coat evenly on all sides. Set aside in the refrigerator to infuse for 1 hour.
Set a large Dutch oven or pressure cooker over medium-high heat and add a thin coating of vegetable oil. Add the chicken skins and fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until several tablespoons of liquid chicken fat have rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove skin and any solids from the pan, once browned and rendered, and discard.
Using the rendered chicken fat, brown (2-3 minutes per side) the spice/seasoned chicken on both sides in batches, careful not to crowd the pan, and then transfer to a platter and hold aside. Add a little more oil to the pot, if needed, and sauté onions until soft and translucent, but not browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for a minute until aromatic but not browned. Deglaze pan by adding rosewater and wine, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook at a boil for 1 minute. Add chicken stock. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the lemon peel, thyme, bay leaf, and saffron, if using. Bring to a boil.
FOR CONVENTIONAL STOVETOP OR OVEN COOKING: Cover and reduce heat to a simmer, cook until the chicken is very tender, 30 minutes longer on stovetop, or in a 400 oven for 45 minutes. Add fruit and olives to mixture, and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes. FOR PRESSURE COOKER COOKING: seal pressure cooker and bring to full pressure over medium-high heat. Once pressure is attained, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure, open cooker and add olives and fruit. Cover and bring to pressure once again, then remove from heat and allow pressure to release. Remove the thyme and bay leaf before serving. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and cilantro and serve.
We know how hard it can sometimes be to please the palates of your kids. Sometimes thinking of a new recipe to make for your kids can be put on the back burner because of other things that might come up. Luckily, we have asked our friends at Cooking Light for some inspiration. Their Chewy Coconut Granola Bars are a fantastic recipe. It’s a new and refreshing recipe and you can even get your little chefs baking with you in the kitchen!
Coat a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour.
Weigh or lightly spoon 3 ounces all-purpose flour and 1.6 ounces whole-wheat flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine sugar, oil, milk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in granola and fruit. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with coconut.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Tacos are a great and fun dinner to make especially when you are low on time. Instead of using taco meat, try fish as your protein! We love this Chipotle Shrimp Taco recipe from Cooking Light. This recipe gives you a flavorful blast of chipotle chile powdered shrimp tacos in 15 minutes!
Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light
Ingredients
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
32 peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 (6-inch) white corn tortillas
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 16 slices
3/4 cup salsa verde
Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add shrimp, tossing to coat.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from heat.
Heat tortillas in microwave according to package directions. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; arrange 4 shrimp on each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 avocado slices, and 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa.
The recipe and photo featured in this post were provided by Cooking Light. To read the original recipe please click here.
Easter is only 10 days a way! Besides your traditional Easter egg hunt and dying of Easter eggs, what do you have planned? Have you ever thought about starting a new tradition with your family in the kitchen? Don’t just create Easter eggs with your family this Easter, establish the new custom of designing your own Easter egg cookies! Let your imagine go wild with the unique designs and vibrant colors of spring. Share your creations with us on Facebook or Twitter!
Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light
Ingredients:
Cookie:
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (about 6 ½ ounces)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Food Coloring Optional
Preparation:
1. To prepare cookies, spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
2. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
3. Place dough between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Chill 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F.
5. Cut dough with a 2 ¼ inch egg-shaped cutter. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are browned. Cool cookies 1 minute on pan. Remove cookies from parchment; cool completely on a wire rack.
6. To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla; stir until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired. Stir well. Spread or pipe icing onto cookies.
The recipe and photo used in this post were courtesy of Cooking Light. To see the originally posted recipe please click here.
