Sweet Potato Hash

Sometimes I just need my diner food fix and what satisfies that better than a hash? 

 Even better, without all the unnecessary calories.

Even, even better, a healthy hash that's totally guilt free!

Health benefits of Sweet Potatoes...

- High in vitamin B6, C, and D

- Great source of magnesium which is necessary for healthy artery, bone, blood, heart, muscle, and nerve function

- Rich in carotenoids which strengthen eyesight, boost immunity, ward off cancer, and protect against effects of aging

And that's only to name a few.

Sweet Potato Hash

 

Ingredients

- 1 sweet potato

- 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

- 5 egg whites

- 1 tsp EVOO

- 1/4 tsp paprika

- 1/4 tsp chili powder

- pinch cayenne

- pepper to taste

Directions 

Skin and grate sweet potato and set aside. Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium high heat and add onion. Cook until tender and add sweet potato. Let sweet potato cook for about 5 minutes on each side, without messing with it. Turn heat down to medium low and add in egg whites. Let eggs cook for about 2 minutes and then add in spices. Enjoy!

Nutrition

~265 calories ~27g protein

XOXO,

Claire

Banana Pancakes

Woohoo Fourth of July! I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!

I'm almost positive everyone likes pancakes, banana pancakes at that, and I believe you should be able to eat delicious food that benefits your body and these pancakes do just that.

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients

- 1 packet Kashi Vanilla oatmeal (or 1/2 c oatmeal, dry)

- 1/3 c plain Greek yogurt

- 2 egg whites

- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp baking powder

- 1 ripe banana

Directions

Preheat griddle to 250 F or a skillet over medium heat. Mix together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir to combine. Mash half of the banana and fold into batter. Drop 1/4 c batter onto greased griddle and cook for 7-10 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Should make 4 pancakes. Top with remaining half of sliced banana and enjoy!

Nutrition

~355 calories ~28g protein

XOXO,

Claire

Spinach Smoothie

I know, I know. Spinach in a smoothie, I must be crazy. But let me explain...

Adding greens to smoothies has been a big thing in the health world for a while now.

I have a few family members who swear by their smoothies that contain kale and spinach and all kinds of unheard of add-ins.

So I thought I'd give it a try and let me just tell you,

YOU CANNOT TASTE THE SPINACH!

My smoothie tastes exactly like it did before I added spinach.

This is a great way to get your nutrients from greens in if you don't like the taste of them alone. 

Spinach Smoothie

Ingredients

- 1 frozen banana, peel and slice before freezing

- 1 scoop whey protein powder

- 1 T wheat germ

- 1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

- 2 cups spinach

Directions

Blend and enjoy!

Summer Ragout

I love making things like this because they're so versatile. I can add whatever I have in the kitchen and any blend of spices. Ragout (even though it's French) is a very rustic dish consisting of different kinds of veggies that cook over a low heat and can be heavily or lightly seasoned. This a something that can be done very quickly with no hassle and reap tons of flavor.

Summer Ragout

Ingredients

- 1 small sweet potato, skinned and cubed

- 1/2 sweet onion, sliced

- 1 zucchini, sliced thinly

- 1/2 c tomato, diced

- 1/2 c black lentils

- 1 tsp EVOO

- cumin and curry powder to taste

Directions

In a saucepan over medium low heat add EVOO and then onion and zucchini. Let cook until tender then add tomato and lentils. While that cooks, place sweet potato in a microwavable bowl and cover with a paper towel. Microwave for 3-4 minutes. When sweet potato is finished add it to the other veggies and season. Enjoy!

XOXO,

Claire

Chia Y'all!

This morning was the first morning in months that I didn't have my usual breakfast...

Greek yogurt, Kashi GoLean Crunch, and fruit.

Instead, I had...

Greek yogurt, Kashi Truly Vanilla oatmeal, a banana, and chia seeds.

(Ok, it's hardly different but it was a big change for me!)

What's the deal with chia seeds, you might ask? These little bitty seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which aid in weight loss, benefit heart and cholesterol health, and keep you energized all day! I searched EVERYWHERE when these things first got big. I finally got lucky in NYC when I was visiting with my mom...of course New York would have what I was looking for.

P.S. If you ever find Kashi oatmeal I recommend trying it. It has 9 grams of protein per serving and 7 grams of fiber v. Quaker brand's (and every other brand I could find in my pantry) 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Not to mention it's all natural and tastes ahmazing.

XOXO,
Claire

Chickpea-Lentil Salad

Lately, I've been finding ways to swap out my usual protein of fish for other less thought of options. There are so many different forms of protein other than meat...

-eggs

-tempeh

-tofu

-beans

-yogurt

The list goes on.

So, to keep up with different proteins, today I had a 1/2 c chickpeas and 1/2 c black lentils in my salad.

Chickpea-Lentil Salad

Ingredients

- 2 handfuls spinach

- 1 head romaine 

- 1/2 c chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 1/2 c black lentils, cooked

- 1/3 c peas

- 5 T salsa 

Directions

Toss together and enjoy!

XOXO,

Claire