Tag Archives: natural recipes

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Power Balls

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Happy National Peanut Butter Day! It’s true, there is officially a day for everything it seems. I prefer to honor peanut butter and all of its creamy, delicious glory everyday. Not only is it the perfect punch of protein, but it is temperature safe which makes it handy for an on the go snack- perfect to complement fruit, veggies and whole grain crackers!  Peanut butter is full of the heart healthy “good fats” and can be part of a healthy meal plan.  It is best to keep peanut butter servings in moderation (about 1 tbsp)  to avoid racking up the calories. I  recommend low-cal versions like PB2 by Bell Plantation or Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter to avoid any hydrogenated oils (yuck).  Try the following no-bake peanut butter oatmeal power balls from caloriecount.about.com for a filling afternoon snack or pair with a piece of fruit for an easy breakfast.

 

What you will need (makes 18):

-4 tbsp peanut butter

-2 tbps honey

- 1 tbsp skim milk

- 2 cups oats

 

Get Started:

Mix peanut butter and honey together in medium bowl. Add oats until combined, adding milk if necessary to moisten (should be crumbly). Roll into tight balls and store in refrigerator
 
The Nutritional Breakdown (1 ball): 
64 calories, 2.4 grams of fat, 8.7grams of carbohydrates and 2.3 grams of protein.

 

Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I would like to share the following Mexican inspired dish.  It’s spicy, fun and low-carb…..so  feel free to pair it with a guilt-free skinny margarita.

Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps

  • 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil…..or save some fat cals and use your misto
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 16 Boston (or Bibb) lettuce leaves
  • 4 oz tortilla chips, broken up
  • 3 scallions, sliced

Per serving (serves 4-5):  400 Calories; Total Fat; 18 g; Sat Fat 2.5 g; Protein 32 g; Carbs 27 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 80 mg; Sodium 460 mg.

In a large non-stick pan, saute the chicken in the oil until browned on both sides, about three minutes per side.  The chicken will not be fully cooked, so remove it to a dedicated cutting board.  Add the garlic and chipotle to the pan and saute for 30 seconds, then stir in the orange juice and salt.  Simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Cut the chicken across the width into 1/2″ slices and return them to the pan.  Toss to coat with the sauce and cook through, 2-3 minutes.

Stack the lettuce leaves on a plate.  Serve the chicken, scallions, and chips in bowls.  To assemble, spoon a small amount of the chicken, scallions, and chips into a leaf of the lettuce wrap.

Enjoy!

Date Night Dinner at Home

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Looking for a healthy, romantic dinner date with your mans or lady-friend?  Stay in, uncork a bottle of red wine and put that pizza stone to work.  I no longer accept the stigma that pizza is a forbidden food.  This Friday night classic can serve as the foundation of a balanced meal packed with tons of natural nutrition.  I like to use the following whole-wheat pizza dough recipe as my base.  I typically add in a few tablespoons of wheat germ and flax seed for good measure.  Keep the light cheese to a sprinkling and load-er-up with veggies.  My go to topping lately has been tossed arugula with lemon zest, pepper and shallots. Need a protein punch? Layer on some  turkey sausage or cannellini beans. With all that fiber and satiating flavor it should be easy to keep the serving size in check.