Healthy Cookie Dough

Cookie dough that's actually good for you! Slightly modified the recipe from PopSugar. 

So easy to make, and a great way to get a good source of fiber, protein, and manganese.

Healthy Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and pat dry
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon honey
Optional: Add 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder  

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Figgy Vanilla Protein Pancakes

I love figs. It's very rare for my local grocery store to have  FRESH figs, so I make sure I grab them when I see them! These pancakes came out amazingly delicious. The figs - like banana, applesauce, etc. - replace the fat in this recipe, keeping them moist. Figs are a good source of potassium, a mineral that plays a crucial role in muscle contraction. Potassium also works with sodium helps to maintain fluid balance and cell integrity, and has been shown to improve blood pressure. Figs are also a source of fiber, which adds bulk to your stool (aka helps you go to the bathroom), provides a feeling of satiety (fullness), decreases serum cholesterol, and delays glucose absorption. Just 37 calories for one medium-size  fig! Ok, so here's the recipe:

Figgy Vanilla Protein Pancakes

Ingredients for Pancakes:

2 tablespoons oatmeal
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk
3 tablespoons vanilla whey
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Stevia to taste
1/4 cup egg whites
1 medium fig, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

3 tablespoons greek yogurt
Vanilla liquid stevia drops, to taste (or regular stevia)

Directions:

1. Blend oats into flour using a blender/food processor. Add all dry ingredients (through stevia) and blend again.
2. Add egg whites, fig chunks, and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
3. Heat a non-stick pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Drop your batter onto the pan (about 3-4 pancakes). Reduce heat slightly and cover. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until edges set. Flip your pancakes, cover, and cook an additional 2 minutes or until done.
4. Combine filling ingredients and layer between your pancakes.
5. DEVOUR!

Nutrition facts: 230 calories, 3 g Fat, 26.3 CHO, 7.8 g Fiber, 27.8 Protein

*Nutrition facts may vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use*

Cinnamon Oatcakes and Cheesy Eggs

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. for absolutely no reason this morning. Just sat there wide awake for about 30 minutes. At that point, I decided I just wasn't going to fall back to sleep and suddenly got really excited to start my day. There was so much I could get done before work- workout, study for the RD exam, go to Whole Foods, work on my field work essay . . . maybe I'd even have some time to lay by my pool ; ). I got dressed and did P90X Back and Biceps followed by some planks, weighted exercise ball crunches, and leg lifts. Done by 7:20 a.m.

I couldn't decide whether I wanted eggs or pancakes for breakfast, sooo I had both! Since I was getting protein from my eggs, I decided to go protein powder free for the pancakes (WHAT?!). Yea.  Hearty, plump, cute, mini oatcakes. They were perfectly delicious.

Cinnamon Oatcakes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon oats

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 teaspoon psyllium husk

2 tablespoons egg whites

3 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Drop of butter extract (optional)

Stevia to taste

Cinnamon to taste

Directions:

1. Add your oats to a food processor (I used my Ninja) and grind into oat flour. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until mixed well. Batter will be thick!

3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. 

4. Add the batter by the spoonful and press down slightly with the back of your spoon to flatten a little. 

5. Cook until the edges set then flip!

Nutrition Facts: 88 Calories, 2.4 g Fat, 15.1 g CHO, 7.2 g Fiber, 6.4 g Protein

Roasted Chickpeas: The Perfect Crunchy Meal Addition

Looking for a way to dress-up your everyday meals? Roasted chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) lend a savory, delicious crunch and flavor to any of your favorite dishes. Through it in salads, soups, stir-fries . . . anything! You can even snack on them on their own - who needs chips?

One half cup of chickpeas contains approximately:
         - 100 Calories
         - 20 g CHO
         - 7 g Fiber
         - 6 g Protein
         - 1 g Fat

*Note: I always choose the lowest sodium option available when buying canned beans, and I rinse them before using. The nutrition information varies slightly depending on which brand you use*

Chickpeas are a great source of fiber. Approximately two thirds of the fiber content found in chickpeas is from insoluble fiber. This means insoluble fiber DOES NOT dissolve in water. It adds bulk to your stool, and increases the passage of food through your stomach and intestines. Long story short: it keeps you regular ;) . Fiber helps you to stay full longer since it slows down digestion. In addition, fiber has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, and may decrease the risk of colon and rectal cancers. EAT YOUR BEANS : )

Basic Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 can Chickpeas (preferably no-salt-added), rinse, drained, patted dry
Sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
3. Spray chickpeas with a non-stick spray or olive oil mister. Sprinkle with sea salt.
4. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and crispy!

Make it sweet:

Same as above, but omit the salt and add cinnamon and stevia!

Make it spicy:

Same as above, but add paprika, chili powder, cumin, etc., anything goes!

Black Bean Protein Brownie

I was in the mood to try something new, so I modified a recipe posted on proteinpow.com and made a delish new protein snack! The black bean part? Don't let it scare you! It created a dense, fudge-y texture.

This recipe needs only five ingredients and it's super easy to make! I made a batch and froze half (it freezes well!). I just nuke it in the micro for 20 seconds and its just as delicious as when I first baked it!

                                           


Black Bean Protein Brownies

Ingredients:

1 can low-sodium black beans (I used a can that had 3 servings at 100 calories each)
1/2 cup chocolate protein powder
3 tablespoons coconut flour
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut/almond milk
Truvia to taste (optional)

Directions:

Just blend all of the ingredients together, place in a sprayed bread tin, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (knife should come out clean). Let cool on a cooling rack then cut into 6 bars.

Per one bar: 104 calories, 2.0 g Fat, 12 g CHO, 6 g Fiber, 11 g Protein


I brought one bar with me to my internship yesterday along with two tofu mini-meals I made. I buy the Light Firm Tofu, so one whole block is only 210 calories. Therefore, I eat the whole thing. I decided to make two totally different mini-meals instead of making a larger batch of the same recipe (just to keep it exciting). So, I came up with my Italian Baked Tofu:

AND my Tofu and Green Bean Stir-fry with Sichuan Sauce: