I know I’m an avid yogi.  I talk about how it’s best to take your time, that we must have patience and how often times, we can learn from finding comfort in our own discomfort.  And while I still believe all those things are true, and certainly worth practicing in life, sometimes I just don’t want to wait.

Image Credit – icanhascheezburger.com

For example, I’m ready for spring.  I’m done with wearing my winter coat.  I’m sick of all this cold and dreary rain.  And I’m all set with craving things like inhaling a big bowl of steaming cheesy chili, being buried under a sea of blankets, and sipping mugs of hot tea.  But you can’t hurry the weather along (although the forecast says it’s going to be in the upper 70’s by this weekend) and you can’t help what you crave.  So what do you do when it’s not exactly warm enough for frozen mudslides, and you have a cupboard filled with hot chocolate?

Make chocolate cake!

Instant Hot Cocoa Raspberry Coconut Cake
Serves 1

• 1 packet of diet hot cocoa (I used Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets)
• 1/2 TBSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• 1/4 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1 TBSP of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 TSP of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 TSP of organic dried coconut (I used Woodstock Farms brand)
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1 TSP of vanilla extract
• 2 TBSP of nonfat Greek yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s Greek Style Nonfat Plain Yogurt)
• 1 TBSP of sugar free raspberry preserves
• 2 TBSP of nonfat Greek yogurt (for topping, optional)

1) Lightly coat a shallow microwaveable bowl with cooking spray (I tried using a mug.  It was too deep, and my cake didn’t cook properly).

2) Combine the diet cocoa, cocoa powder, oat flour, flour, baking powder, salt and coconut.  Then, add the egg whites, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt.  Mix everything together until well-blended.

3) Smooth the mixture down into the bottom of the bowl and form the shape of a pancake.

4) Microwave for 45 seconds covered with a paper towel.

5) Carefully remove from microwave and stir in the raspberry preserves.  Smooth the mixture down again and shape into a pancake.  Microwave for another 35 – 45 seconds.

6) Eat straight from the bowl or remove to a plate.  Top with Greek yogurt, ice cream, frozen yogurt, agave nectar, whipped cream, chopped nuts, etc.  Instantly enjoy your hot chocolate-y dessert!

One word.  Sensational.  When I plopped all the above ingredients into a bowl and hit ’start’ on the good ole’ micro, I’ll have to admit that I was a bit leery.  I wanted a warm and sweet baked good, but wasn’t sure how cake-like (and how tasty) this would actually turn out.  I’ve made these microwaveable goodies before like here and here, and while they were quite appetizing, they were definitely more ‘breakfast’ than ‘dessert’.  My latest creation could be eaten at the start of the day, but I think it would be best having it post-dinner.  It’s definitely something with which you want to finish off your night.

The cocoa mix and cocoa powder gave this recipe just the right punch of chocolate and sweetness, while the dried coconut and raspberry preserves added to the layers of flavor.  For me, coconut just gives food an exotic and unique flare, and raspberry with chocolate is always a winning combination in my book.  The next time I make this recipe, I think I’ll add some chocolate chips and/or chocolate chunks at the end of the cooking time to give it a more ooey-gooey, rich chocolate texture.  Plus, I like having something to mop up with my cake.  It gives me something to do, so I can slow down the consumption of my dessert. (Make up your mind, Healthy Chow!  Do you wanna hurry up or slow down?!)

If you’re like me and you have a hard time waiting for things, I highly suggest you give my quick cake recipe a spin.  I guarantee it will put an instant smile on your face, but make your tummy and taste buds singing your praise for some time to come.

How do you practice patience?  Do you have any tips to help yourself slow down?  What’s your favorite quick dessert recipe?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Would you like to win some delicious dried superfruit?  How about a $100 Lululemon gift card?  How about an eco-friendly way to transport that delicious dried superfruit?  Please keep reading to find out how…***

Image Source – readthesmiths.com

A liger (a cross between a lion and a tiger)

Image Credit – readthesmiths.com

A beefalo (a cross between a cow and a bison)

Image Credit – hemmy.net

A Cama (a cross between a camel and a llama)

Image Credit – hemmy.net

A wolphin (a cross between a whale and a dolphin)

Just the other day, while I was watching a news program on TV, a piece was aired about hybrid animals.  I honestly had no idea such creatures existed!  While they seemed a bit strange upon first glance, there was definitely an allure to them and eventually, I found them quite beautiful and interesting.  Who knew of the possibilities?  Not me.

While I was fumbling around the kitchen one weekend morning, I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to make for a lazy late morning brunch.  I knew I wanted something egg-themed along with some vegetables, but I just wasn’t sure what.  I was in the mood for a quiche, but didn’t have the energy (or patience) to make a pie crust.  I was craving a frittata, but I was also looking for a chewy carb to accompany those eggs.  And then it hit me, why couldn’t I have both?!

Pesto, Sun Dried Tomato, Mushroom and Cauliflower Frit-iche
Serves 8

For the crust:
From Bitsys Kitchen (I used the same recipe in this post)

• 2 cups of cooked brown rice (I used Lundberg’s Short Grain Brown Rice)
• 2 egg whites (or 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites)

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a bowl, mix the cooked brown rice with the egg whites.  Then press the brown rice mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7 baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.

3) Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the rice starts getting crispy at the edges.

For the filling:

• 4 eggs (I used Trader Joe’s Cage Free brown eggs, large-sized)
• 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites
• 3 TBSP of skim milk
• 1/4 cup of nonfat ricotta cheese
• 40g of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, slightly drained and chopped (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 2 cups of frozen cauliflower florets, thawed and chopped (if you’re using fresh, just cook them for a few minutes first)
• 6 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 TBSP of store-bought pesto (or homemade) (I used Classico brand)
• 1 TSP of frozen chopped basil (I used Daregal – but fresh would be great, too)
• 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• about 10 raw almonds, chopped
• few dashes of garlic powder
• few dashes of white pepper
• few dashes of sea salt

(Ooops, forgot to add these guys to the previous ingredient picture!)

1) Keep the oven at 350 degrees after you’ve finished baking the crust.

2) In a large bowl, combine the eggs, egg whites, skim milk and ricotta cheese.  Gently mix to make sure the ricotta cheese is well-blended and that there are no big lumps.

3) Then, add the sun-dried tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, pesto, basil, parmesan cheese, garlic, almonds and spices.  Gently mix everything again.  Be careful not to over mix.  You just want everything to be well-coated by the eggs.

4) Spray some cooking spray onto a napkin and wipe the sides of the 11 x 7 baking dish with the brown rice crust.

5) Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish right on top of the brown rice crust.

6) Make sure the egg mixture is level and that the ingredients have been evenly distributed.  Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the eggs start to bubble slightly.

7) Allow the frit-tiche to cool for 5 minutes before serving.  Happy brunching!

Do you ever walk into someone’s house, smell that scrumptious aroma and hope and pray that that is coming from the meal you’re about to eat?  Well, this dish will produce that aroma, and yes, this dish is yours to eat!  Not only was this easy to whip up, but it was one of the most satisfying brunches I’ve had in quite some time.  There was just the right dose of everything in this recipe – eggs, garlic, vegetables, cheese and kick.  I forgot how tasty pesto and eggs can be.  And when you throw in some olive oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, that combination gets even better.  The brown rice crust gave this meal the right amount of carbs to make it filling, without making it too heavy.  While the cauliflower taste was subtle, it gave the frit-tiche some needed bulk, and helped to even out the grease from the eggs, cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.  I added some chopped almonds just to give another layer of texture, and a bit of crunch.  You might think there are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but each plays a significant role, and none overshadows the other.

When I really think about this dish again, I realize that it could have also been called a ‘frit-tiche-na’.  The Italian-inspired flavors of the pesto, ricotta, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes made me feel as if I was eating a sauce-less lasagna.  Plus, the crunchiness from the cauliflower and the chewiness of the crust make me think for a second that I was eating lasagna noodles.  Nope! This dish could fool you from so many different ways; you won’t know what to think.  But, a couple of things are for sure, it will leave you craving for more, and you’ll certainly want to start making some of your own wild creations…muahahahahaha!

***If you want the chance to win some dried superfruit, along with a $100 Lululemon gift card, you’ve gotta check out Megafruit’s amazing giveaway!***

***And if you’re interested in winning your very own SnackTAXI, check out Michelle’s cool giveaway!***

I know many of you like to eat breakfast for dinner (me included), but would you ever eat dinner for breakfast?  What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever had for breakfast (and liked)?  I used to love having cold pizza!

Namasté,
Nicole

Well, I guess you’re all as kooky as me (that may or may not be a compliment ).  I am thrilled to see that my C.R.A.B. muffins didn’t turn you away and make you think I had gone cray-cray.  In fact, my veggie-stuffed muffins seemed to peak your interest in terms of what one can sneak into baked goods (hehe, OK, I don’t mean that!).  I really enjoy experimenting with my baking and cooking.  Whether I’m making my recipes vegan-friendly, healthifying them or adding in some of my own interesting tweaks, it’s always an adventure when I arrive at the end result.  And, the adventure is even more delicious (obvi pun intended) when my creation winds up being a tasty one.

Image Source – cleartuts.com

Much to my dismay, my C.R.A.B. muffins didn’t last too long in my kitchen.  While I thought ten of them would have endured at least a week or so either on my counter or in my freezer, within a few shorts days I was left baked good-less.  But my craving for veggie-infused sweetness was still alive and kicking.  So what’s a gal to do?

Make yet another brussel sprout sweet treat!

No Need to Bake Banana Brussels Sprout Cake
Serves 1

• 1/4 cup of dry oats, ground into oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1 TBSP of whole wheat flour
• 1/4 TSP of baking powder
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/3 of a ripe banana, sliced (mine was frozen, but fresh would work, too)
• 3 raw brussels sprouts, finely chopped
• few dashes of cinnamon
• dash of pumpkin pie spice
• dash of salt
• drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup (optional)

1) If you haven’t already done so, now would be the time to prepare the oat flour and brussels sprouts.  I’ve been really taking a liking to my food chopper.  But, you could prepare both using a food processor or blender.

2) Coat the bottom and sides of a microwaveable shallow bowl with cooking spray.

3) Mix together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, egg whites, banana, brussels sprouts, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in the coated bowl until well-blended.  Spread the mixture down evenly at the bottom of your bowl until you get something that resembles a pancake.  Allow the mixture to sit untouched for a few minutes.

4) Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes, covered with a paper towel.  Be careful when taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be extremely hot!  (trust me…)

5) Allow the cake to cool for about a minute.  Be fancy and remove to a plate, or be lazy, save a dish and eat straight from the bowl.  Top with a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup.  Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and enjoy!

Similar to my Fee-Fi-Faux-Yum Pumpkin Cake, this little snackie hit the spot!  It was fast and easy to prepare, and I felt as if I was serving myself an instant piece of freshly baked cake.  But not just any cake, a cake injected with nutritious brussels sprouts.  In this recipe, the brussels were a bit more apparent in texture, but not in taste.  There was a mild crunch from the crispness of the veggie, which contributed to its unique nature and complexity.  Plus, the brussels helped to bulk up the volume of this snack.  The addition of the ripe banana helped to balance out this recipe with its natural sweetness, while the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice just made it more fun.  It’s truly a satisfying snack.  You feel full, you get a little dose of vegetables and your sweet tooth is quelled.  Not to mention, it literally takes a hot minute to make (or bake)!

I keep seeing more and more posts and recipes online with these mini cabbages (like here, here and here), so I know you are all no strangers nor foes to this mighty sprout.  And if you like them in your savory dishes, why not give them a try in your sweet ones?  You might just sprout a new crazy love!

If you could have a fruit tree and/or vegetable garden, what would you grow?  If you do have one, what do you have in your crop?

Namasté,
Nicole

***My apologies for not posting on Monday.  My computer was de-fragmenting and going through a thorough scan for most of the day, and I wasn’t able to have access to it.  Thank you for your patience, as always.***

Before you scream, “eeeewwwww, that is so gross,” please know that Healthy Chow is not losing her mind.  Do you really think I would put seafood in a baked good?!  C’mon! Have a little faith in me, people!  The thought of biting into a sweet treat like a muffin and then tasting crustacean, would be awful.  But brussels sprouts?  Now we’re talkin’!

Hey, if it’s OK to put tofu in bars, pumpkin in lasagna and sweet potato in brownies, why not brussels sprouts in muffins?  I never thought blending spinach with a frozen banana would yield such an addicting smoothie (or such a lovable monster), but we all know by now how popular that turned out.  So, I figured sneaking in another green into another one of my beloved foods would be a great idea.  After all, a baked good is still a baked good, regardless if it’s filled with sugar or a nutritious little sprout from Brussels.

C.R.A.B. Muffins (Carrot. Raisin. Almond. Brussels sprout)
Makes 10 regular sized muffins

• 1/2 cup of dry oats, ground into oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/2 TBSP of cinnamon
• 1/4 of TSP of nutmeg
• 1/4 TSP of ground ginger
• 1 TSP of baking powder
• 1/4 TSP of baking soda
• 1/4 TSP of salt
• 1/2 cup of raw carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup raw brussels sprouts, minced
• 1.5 oz. of raisins
• 16 raw almonds, chopped (not sure why I selected ‘16′?)
• 1 TBSP of ground flax mixed with 3 TBSP of warm water
• 1/4 cup of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• 1/2 cup of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup of applesauce, unsweetened
• 1/2 TBSP of vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) If you haven’t already done so, make the oat flour (I used my food chopper, but feel free to blend the oats in a food processor or blender until you reach a flour-like consistency).  Also, now would also be a good time to mix the ground flax with warm water.  Allow the flax mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

3) In a food processor or blender, add the ground flax mixture, tofu, pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla.  Blend until everything is smooth.  Set aside.

4) In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, evaporated cane juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Then, add in the carrots, brussels sprouts, almonds and raisins.  Finally, add in the flax/tofu/pumpkin mixture.  Mix until everything is just moistened.

5) In greased regular-sized muffin trays or paper-lined muffin trays, spoon in the batter filling the cups about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the tops start browning a bit and are still slightly ’springy’ to the touch.  Allow muffins to cool in the trays for 5 – 7 minutes before removing.

Hmmm, a baked good never tasted so healthy!  Similar to how zucchini seems to ‘disappear’ into muffins and/or breads, you couldn’t taste the brussels sprouts in this recipe.  In fact, all the brussels sprouts did was add a lovely fleck of green to the muffin, as well as a subtle crunch.  Because there were raisins, carrots, evaporated cane juice and pumpkin in this baked good, it was sweet and certainly not ‘veggie-esque’ in tasting.  In fact, the ground ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon gave this muffin a nice spicy kick.  Paired with a hot cup of coffee and a light schmear of buttery spread, this muffin made for a top notch breakfast.  You’ve got your vegetables, protein and omega 3’s all rolled into one little tasty treat.  Not to mention, this muffin doesn’t have any oil, eggs, dairy (it’s vegan friendly) or added fat.

So are you still thinking that adding brussels sprouts to muffins is a zany idea?  Well, yes, it just might be, but the taste will not only surprise you, but it will make you wonder what other vegetables you can sneak into your otherwise boring foods.   Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with a chocolate chip muffin or fudge brownie, but when you make your baked goods multi-task for you in terms of tasting good, filling your tummy and pumping you with vitamins and nutrients, there’s nothing crazy about that.

What kind of food are you dying to try?  Or, what kind of food have you recently tried and loved/not-so-loved?

Namasté,
Nicole

I love tofu, but I know that’s not the case for everyone (i.e. my husband).  With this recipe, you can make a tofu lover out of anyone!  It’s easy, tasty and fun!

Who can resist a baked good?  I certainly can’t.  And you won’t be able to either especially when you find out what’s inside these little treats…

When I find something I like, I tend to get a tad bit obsessed. For example, after I took my first hot yoga class, I immediately signed-up for an unlimited membership to my studio and began practicing close to every day of the week.  When I was a youngster and fell hard for New Kids on the Block (they will never be N.K.O.T.B), I covered my walls with their posters, never missed a concert and bought every teen magazine that had their pictures plastered all over them (I also convinced myself that I was going to marry Jordan, but that’s a story for another time).  My first trip to Trader Joe’s led to about three more trips in that same week.  And then there’s food.  When I find something that tickles my fancy, watch out!  It’s almost as if I think the store is going to run out of my newly found item, or all of the sudden my taste buds are going to change and I will no longer fancy it.  As you already know, I’ve been known to hoard things, and if I’m in love with a new ‘flavor of the week’, then chances are there will be multiples of the item in my shopping cart.

Image Credit – survivaldigest.com

OK, I’m not that bad!

In one of my recent posts, I talked about how I ‘re-discovered’ Swiss chard.  I love the unique taste of this leafy green and the fact that it’s loaded with vitamins and nutrients.  Plus, it literally cooks up in a hot minute.  It’s also healthy for your wallet.  So really, what’s there not to like about this veggie?  I can’t seem to find a single darn thing.  Not sure if this is actually fact for me, or simply my justification for being obsessed with the chard of Swiss, but I can’t stop dreaming of new and creative ways to eat it.  I even challenged the Healthy Chow brain to come up with a little diddy using only the ingredients that existed in my fridge and cabinets.  My creation came out quite well.  I’m pretty sure you won’t be hatin’…

You Won’t Be Hatin’ POM, Swiss Chard, Chickpeas & Bacon
Serves 2 (as an entrée) or 4 (as a side dish)

• 1/3 cup of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup of chicken broth (I used Trader Joe’s Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth)
• 1 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
• few dashes of white pepper
• few dashes of onion powder
• 1/2 TSP of Dijon mustard
• 1/2 TSP of corn starch dissolved in 1 1/2 TBSP of warm water
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 5 slices of turkey bacon (I used Jennie-O brand)
• 4-5 medium-sized white mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• sea salt to taste

1) In a small saucepan, combine the POM juice, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper and onion powder.  Heat everything on medium/medium-high heat.  Keep stirring as it starts to come to a slow boil.

2) Add the Dijon mustard.  Mix until the Dijon mustard is well-blended (there will be little lumps of mustard, it won’t completely dissolve).  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken.  It should take about 3 – 5 minutes.  Turn the heat to low, cover and set aside.

3) Heat a large skillet on medium-high.  Once the skillet is hot to the touch, add the bacon in a single layer.  Allow the bacon to cook for about 3 minutes or until it begins to crisp.  Flip the bacon and cook on the other side for another few minutes.  Once it has reached your desired crispiness, drain on a paper towel-covered plate.

4) In the same skillet, add the Swiss chard and begin moving the Swiss chard around in order to mix in with the bacon drippings (because it’s turkey bacon, it won’t be very greasy).  Allow the Swiss chard to wilt a bit, it should take a couple of minutes.  Then, add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet.  Cook until the mushrooms begin to brown.  Add the white pepper and sea salt to taste.

5) Turn down the heat to medium.  Begin tearing the bacon into bite-sized pieces.  I left mine on the larger side for a more rustic look   Add the bacon to the skillet and stir until warmed.  Finally, add the chickpeas.

6) Add the pomegranate juice mixture to the skillet.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the juice reduces a bit. It should take another minute or so.

7) EAT!  This is great as a side dish, or as your main dish served over a hot bowl of brown rice or quinoa.  Heck, eat it in pita pocket if you want!

DEE-VINE!  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I began combing all of these ingredients together.  While I like the unique taste of Swiss chard, I know many are turned off by its mildly bitter taste.  Thus, I wanted to find something to cook the Swiss chard in that would remove or lessen some of that often considered undesirable taste.  Because POM juice is tart and semi-sweet, I figured it would be a good match.  The saltiness and smokiness from the turkey bacon rounded out this dish and added to the layers of flavor.  I threw in some chickpeas for an additional kick of protein, and mushrooms because I like the taste of mushrooms   If you’re wondering, the POM juice wasn’t overly tart or overbearing in this dish.  In fact, it nicely lightened the recipe without making it taste too fruit-like.  And, the POM juice made this recipe even more nutritious by adding a boost of antioxidants!

It’s safe to say that my obsession with Swiss chard won’t be going anywhere any time soon.  Even when I tossed various random ingredients with this vegetable, it still tasted great.  Actually, I didn’t even eat this recipe with any rice, quinoa or bread.  I ate it as soon as I plated it.  With all those beautiful colors and fabulous flavors, I just couldn’t resist.  I guess I’d just rather declare, “I’ll Be Loving You Forever” versus “Hangin’ Tough” and fighting my love for this mighty green!  (Oh yes, that was corny.  But like I said before, I was obsessed!)

Do you have any guilty pleasures?  Perhaps a cheesy TV show, band or movie?  Come on, I know you do…

Namasté,
Nicole

We’re nearing that point in winter where all I can picture is warm weather, riding in the car (once I get mine back) with the windows down, wearing open-toed shoes and sporting less than four layers whenever I’m outside.  But that also means we’re nearing that time where the few pounds and inches that weren’t there on my body in the summer, are now making a guest appearance.  What can I say? When it’s cold and snowy outside, Healthy Chow likes her comfort food.  And comfort to me means lotsa melted cheese, fried goodness, things dipped in ooey-gooey chocolate and sugar-laden baked goods.  While those foods might be comforting to me in my time of winter depression and boredom, they really don’t make my tighter waistbands feel any more comfortable.

Image Credit – ehow.com

That said, when I was craving something sweet the other day and went to reach for a handful of my favorite chocolate covered peanuts with the hard candy shell, I suddenly stopped myself.  Realizing that when I overindulge in overly indulgent treats, it triggers my binge eating and I’m left feeling even worse.  But how can I deny my sweet tooth?  I don’t like depriving myself because I know I will end up doing even more damage down the road, our bodies don’t respond well to deprivation and it’s just not fun.  With that in mind, I started brainstorming recipes for baked goods that I could somehow ‘healthify’, pack with ingredients that would give me a boost in energy versus a sugar crash and quell the often deafening cries from my sweet tooth.

I finally came up with this…

Plenty o’ Protein Chocolate Orange Cranberry Bars
Makes 9 servings

• 1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• 2 TBSP of Smart Balance Light
• 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, chopped
• 1.3 oz of dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds, finely chopped (I used Emerald brand)
• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 TBSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• 3 TBSP of orange juice
• zest from 1 medium-sized orange
• 2 TSP of vanilla extract
• 1/4 TSP of salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Lightly coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

3) In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu until it is completely smooth.  It’s important that there are no lumps (or else you will get chunks of baked tofu in your bars).

4) Add the rest of your ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend until everything is close to being smooth (don’t worry, it will be a thick batter).  If you want a more textured bar or one with visible pieces of nuts, orange zest and cranberry, blend the tofu and cannellini beans until smooth and pour into a mixing bowl.  Add the rest of your ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is well-blended.

5) Pour the batter into your baking pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly dry and the top looks dry.

6) Let the bars cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.  Once cool, cut into pieces and then let them cool completely in the fridge before removing.

I’m not gonna lie, these bars were insanely delicious!  They were moist and pleasantly sweetened by the cocoa almonds and dried cranberries.  The flavor duo of the orange and cranberry was the perfect match for the subtle chocolate.  These bars were thick and fudgey, much like a brownie, but not as springy and cakey.  They are also pretty dense and filling being that they’re filled with cannellini beans and tofu.  You couldn’t taste either one of the ingredients at all.  I definitely believe that blending both of these very well helps to achieve a ‘bean and tofu-free’ tasting bar.  But then again, the fruit essence in this baked good more than takes over any other flavor that could emerge.  I drastically cut the amount of fat and oil in this recipe by only using a small amount of a butter substitute, along with a blend of silken tofu and bean purée.  There is more than enough moisture from these ingredients to keep this treat far from being dry and from lacking in richness.  If you haven’t tried using bean purée and/or silken tofu in your baked goods….really, what are you waiting for? Plus, because I didn’t have to use any eggs or dairy, this recipe is also vegan (note: Smart Balance Light is vegan)!

These bars were certainly a hit.  Not only did I totally dig them, but I didn’t have to twist Patrick’s arm to eat more than a few pieces.  In fact, his exact words were, “I’m not sure what you did to these, but they taste really good.  I can’t believe there’s actually bean and tofu in here.  It’s so weird, but in a good way.” HA!  I cracked up when he told me that, but totally knew it was a compliment.  Another benefit of these bars is that they will leave you feeling energized, and not lethargic as one tends to feel post-sugar high.  But while eating these bars won’t help me shed any of my winter weight, they are definitely a good alternative to some of the other ‘not-so-good’ treats I tend to find comforting.  And even though the warmer weather won’t come any sooner by eating any kind of food, perhaps my sweet tooth may finally go into hibernation…at least for a little bit.

A girlie magazine, a glass of cold milk and a sweet, but healthy, treat…my idea of comfort!

If you could compete in any Olympic event, winter or summer, which would it be?  Why?

***Speaking of sweet, check out the giveaway that Kerstin is holding on her blog right now!  If you’re a fan of crème brulee (and who isn’t?), this is for you!***

Namasté,
Nicole

I love that saying.  I love it because it’s simple and because it’s so true.  It’s a saying that I like to remind myself of whenever I am feeling challenged or whenever I begin telling myself I can’t accomplish something.  It’s definitely a good motivator and a good way to maintain a healthy mindset.

When Elizabeth posted about the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge, I knew it was something in which I had to participate.  Elizabeth, along with Jessica, Janel, Corinne, and Lindsey, all decided to create a breakfast challenge involving five main ingredients.  For each day of the five day challenge, a certain ingredient would be highlighted.  Participants are asked to create a breakfast dish/recipe with the star ingredient and enter it into their contest.  At random (using random.org), the winner will be selected and thus will be rewarded with fabulous prizes.  In addition, the winner of each day/ingredient will be highlighted on all five of the bloggers’ blogs.  Again, there are five ingredients in this challenge, therefore giving participants five separate chances to win.  And, participants get to come up with a creative and fun recipe and a new way to incorporate a healthy ingredient into their breakfast.  So, you really can’t lose!

Image Credit – zazzle.com

The first ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge is an ingredient of which I can never seem to get enough.  The ingredient is avocado.  Because I’m a fan of savory versus sweet foods for breakfast, it didn’t take me too long to come up with my entry.  But instead of making this creation as I normally would, I gave it a little twist.

Colorful Tofu Scramble
Serves 1

• a little less than 1/2 a brick of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• a big handful of spinach
• 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• few shakes of Adobo powder
• s&p

1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking the tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  With a spatula, begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit.

2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo powder, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs.

3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes.

4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much.

5) Once everything is warm, eat!

For the second ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge, I decided to vamp up a classic breakfast food.  I figured it would be fun to ‘healthify’ and spiff up a breakfast staple that tends to get a bum rap.  I decided to make pancakes with flax, the second challenge ingredient.  I figured if I could combine a nutritious item such as ground flax with a food that tends to lack nutrients, how could it not be a winner?  Plus, I also wanted to come up with another way to eat my beloved oats.

Banana Flax Pancakes
Serves 1

• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 2 TSP of flax meal
• 1/8 TSP of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/3 of a ripe banana, sliced (the more ripe, the better)
• squirt of agave nectar or maple syrup for topping

1) Grind your dry oats until you get the consistency of flour.

2) In a medium bowl, mix your oat flour, flax meal, baking powder, salt, egg whites and banana slices.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the bananas are completely mashed into the oat flour mixture.

3) Let your pancake mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

4) Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat onto medium/medium high and pour your pancake batter into a giant circle/pancake.  Or, you can make 2 or 3 smaller pancakes.  I made one giant pancake.

5) Let the pancake sit untouched for 5 – 7 minutes.  The batter will be quite thick if you are making just one pancake.  Once you can move the frying pan around and the pancake easily moves off of the pan, you are ready to flip.  Be careful as the inside may still be a tiny bit soft.

6) Once flipped, allow the other side to cook for another 5 minutes.

7) Place your pancake on your plate and top with agave or maple syrup.  Enjoy!

I had a blast creating both of these recipes.  Participating in this challenge gave me the chance to get the wheels of my imagination turning and to get my competitive juices flowing.  And while I know winning any of the contests in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge doesn’t have anything to do with who can come up with the better recipe, I definitely wanted to give it my best shot.  Unfortunately, random.org was not in my favor for either of the first two ingredients.  I may have had creativity going for me, but not dumb luck.  No worries, I certainly didn’t mind, nor was I disappointed.  Whenever I have the opportunity to challenge myself, learn something new and be creative, I can’t lose.  And as Mother Healthy Chow always told me whenever I would come home complaining about some of the mean elementary school kids, “I don’t care what you say.  You’re always a winner to me!“  Awww, thanks MHC!

***BTW, there are still two ingredients left in the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge.  You have until the end of today to submit a recipe and pictures for quinoa, and you have until Thursday to submit a recipe and pictures for walnuts.  For more details, you can go here.***

Are there any words of wisdom you remember from your childhood that your parents or family members may have passed down to you?  Do you have a favorite quote or saying that motivates you?

Namasté,
Nicole

Avocado Entry HealthyChow X Reply | Nicole Chow to thesuperbreakf. show details Feb 14 (2 days ago) Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com 3 attachments — Download all attachments View all images February 2010 43 blog photos 140.JPG 1438K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 144.JPG 1490K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 176.JPG 1402K   View Download Reply Forward Super is not available to chat Super Breakfast Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your fav… Feb 15 (2 days ago) Reply | Nicole Chow to Super show details Feb 15 (2 days ago) Oh boo!  Well, I’m glad I wasn’t too late then!  I’ll work on my entry for flax right now.  Thanks again. Enjoy the day -Nicole - Show quoted text - On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 9:15 AM, Super Breakfast <thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your favor today-sorry about that! There’s still time to submit other recipes though!! thanks for entering the contest and enjoy this free Monday! cheers! elizabeth On Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 11:56 PM, Nicole Chow <healthychow@gmail.com> wrote: Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com Reply Forward Super is not available to chat

OK, remember my previous post about Swiss chard?  I talked about how there all these ’super’ foods  in this world and how excited I am knowing there seems to be an endless supply of them to try.  While my ‘vegetable valedictorian’ definitely made me giddy, there is a particular food out there that did not.  I keep reading about how rich in vitamins (vitamin D, b12 and calcium) and minerals this food is, how it’s a good source of  protein, how it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in contaminants such as mercury.  Even with all these benefits surrounding this food, I was still hesitant.  I’m not sure why I was so adverse to giving this a try?  There was just something that turned me off.  This vitamin-rich food seems to get a bad rap and unfortunately, I was falling victim to the rumors.  But because this is supposed to be a healthy lifestyle blog and I do call myself Healthy Chow, I knew I had to be open-minded.  I knew I just had to give sardines a try.

Surprise Me Sardine Avocado Pizza
Adapted from Food Network

Serves 1

• 1 3.75 oz. can of sardines packed in spring water (I used Brunswick brand)
• 1 TSP of olive oil
• 1/2 TBSP of red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley, plus a sprinkle more for garnish
• 1/2 TBSP of lemon juice
• 1/4 TSP of lemon zest
• few dashes of cracked black pepper
• 1 pita pocket (I used Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita)
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) (not shown)

1) Open your can of sardines and drain the liquid into a bowl.

Aren’t they cute?

The sardine juice

2) Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest and black pepper to your bowl with the liquid.  Give it all a good stir.  Then, add the sardines and let everything sit together at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Makin’ sardine dressing…

Marinating…

3) Toast your pita in your broiler, toaster oven or griddler (that’s what I used) until it is lightly toasted.

4) Mash your avocado half in its shell.  Spread the avocado mash onto your pita.

Mashed up!

The first layer…

5) Mash your sardine mixture together in the bowl until it is well-blended.  Spread the mixture over the avocado mash.

Hmmm, so good!

6) Top your sardine mash with the cannellini beans and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.

Yummy!

7) Eat it like a pizza or fold it in half and eat it like a sandwich!  Either way, it’s delicious!

A slice of heaven…

Surprise, surprise!  I was shocked to find that I loved the taste of the sardines!  They were nothing like I had imagined.  I always pictured sardines as being super salty, slimy and leather-y in texture.  In other words, I didn’t think too highly of these canned wonders.  Plus, when you open a can of sardines, it’s not necessarily the most breathtaking sight.  But their taste more than makes up for their appearance.  And, the fact that these little guys are packed (lame pun intended) with all things healthy makes sardines a must!

Go ahead, take a bite!

The flavor of this recipe was quite light and refreshing.  I almost felt as if I was lying poolside and it was 90 degrees with the sun shining brightly on me as I was eating this dish.  The fresh parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest gave this meal a punch of vibrancy and a relaxing spa-like feel.  I felt as if I was eating a very grown-up and healthified tuna sandwich, minus the fat from the usual mayonnaise and the high level of mercury often found in canned white albacore tuna.  While Alton Brown had originally paired the sardine-avocado mixture with a thick piece of sourdough bread, I lightened my version up a bit with a pita pocket.  I wanted my version to be more pizza-like, rather than sandwich-like.  When I can eat my meal with a fork and knife, versus just using my hands, it slows me down and I can savor my food longer (and no, I don’t pull a Costanza and eat a Snickers bar with a fork and knife, too!).

Not only was this recipe healthy, it was also very filling.  The protein from the sardines combined with the cannellini beans kept me full for hours.  And eating a half of an avocado seems to always do the trick, too.  If you can’t already tell, I was quite impressed by this glorious meal.  The natural flavors from the sardines, avocado, cannellini beans, lemon and parsley blended together to create a harmonious delight.  This recipe didn’t require much seasoning nor extras such as cheese or breading in order for it to be palatable, it tasted good because all the ingredients were good for me.  Don’t get me wrong, a plate of cheese-covered nachos can taste pretty good, too, but there’s just something about eating food that you know is healthy for you.  And there isn’t anything fishy about that!

Did your mom or dad give you a card on Valentine’s Day when you were young?  My mother used to always give us cards and little gifts.  I always felt loved no matter what.  Do you have any fun memories of Valentine’s Day?

Namasté,
Nicole