Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Bake

16 May, 2013 by Claire | 2 Comments

Frankly, I’m surprised that it’s taken almost a year of blogging for me to come up with this recipe. I mean, I’m constantly looking for ways to incorporate more chocolate into my diet, and if I can disguise it as something healthy by combining it with oatmeal, wouldn’t it be insane not to?

Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Bake
Calories: 368 | Fat: 8.1 g (Sat Fat: 2.9 g) | Carbohydrate: 53.9 g | Protein: 26.3 g

ingredients:
1/2 C fat free Greek yogurt
1/2 C milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1/4 C liquid egg whites
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet Splenda
1 t cinnamon
1 t instant coffee or espresso
1/2 T mini chocolate chips
1/2 C dry oats
1/2 small banana, sliced

directions:
1. The night before, whisk together the yogurt, milk, liquid egg whites, cocoa powder, Splenda, cinnamon, and instant coffee in a small mixing bowl until there are no lumps.*
2. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and oats.
3. Pour the oat mixture in a small baking dish coated with PAM. Top with sliced bananas.
4. In the morning, bake the oatmeal for 30 minutes in a 375° oven.

*note: if you want to try making this the morning of, simply spread the oats in the bottom of the baking dish and pour the liquid mixture over it before baking

Q + A, Part 4

15 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

Today I’m answering another handful of the questions y’all have submitted. Be sure to readpart 1, part 2, and part 3 to see if I answered your question or just to check out the answer to something you probably wanted to know anyway. If you’re still feeling snubbed, please submit any question you’d like!

Will doing 100 ab crunches a day for thirty days give you evident results?
The most definitive answer I can give you to this question is no. Unfortunately, you can’t really target fat loss that way and, more often than not, the moves you make in the kitchen will deliver more results than the moves you make in the gym. Think about it this way: you can consume calories far faster than you can burn them. So, if you’re looking to get bikini-ready abs, I’d suggest a calorie-conscious diet full of whole foods, cardio, and strength training (including those crunches, if you’d like).

You mentioned that you did Weight Watchers when you were younger. What are your thoughts on it now?
I’ve had a couple stints with Weight Watchers and excluding my undergraduate nutrition education, it has probably provided me with the most knowledge about healthy eating. Recording your food as PointsPlus is a great way to exercise portion control and hold yourself accountable for what you put in your mouth.

My only qualm about their new system (assuming this is still how it works) is that fruit is zero points. For most people who don’t particularly enjoy fruit as a snack, this is probably an effective way to get them eating more. And while fruit is a nutrient-dense alternative to many snacks that are nutritionally empty, it still has calories. As someone who loves fruit, I was happy I could consume cups of it between meals to stifle my hunger without dipping into my daily PointsPlus for the day. That extra couple hundred calories or so, however, definitely stifled my weight loss, as well.

I have the BIGGEST sweet tooth ever, which has been a problem since I am trying to lose the 20 pounds I gained freshman year. What can I do to keep me away from the sweets?
I think your best bet will be to indulge in your cravings from time to time, but in a slender way. There are lots of lower calorie alternatives to satiate a sweet tooth, and totally avoiding the things you love is just going to set yourself up for failure. I like to have a 100-150 calorie “safety net” left over at the end of the night for sweets that satisfy my sweet tooth. This includes things like sweet slender nachos, single serving mug brownies, or chocolate Greek froyo.

Baked Parmesan Edamame

14 May, 2013 by Claire | 1 Comment

The end of a semester means the beginning of having more time for things like blogging, watching movies, and slender movie watching snacks like today’s recipe. Feel free to cozy up to a lil bowl of these baked parmesan edamame and rejoice in the fact that something so crunchy and delicious has 11 grams of filling protein and requires that you lick your fingers after eating.

Yum.

Baked Parmesan Edamame
Calories: 121 | Fat: 3.9 g (Sat Fat: 0.9 g) | Carbohydrate: 9.2 g | Protein: 11.3 g

ingredients:
1/2 C frozen shelled edamame (this means out of the pods)
1 T shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
PAM Original nonstick spray

directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400° and coat a small baking sheet with PAM.
2. Pour your edamame in a colander and run cold water over them until thawed. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Spread the edamame in the baking sheet in an even, single layer. Lightly spray with PAM.
4. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the edamame and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so until the edamame have crisped up.

recipe from allrecipes.com

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites

9 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

I told myself I wouldn’t do this. I told myself to stay on top of it throughout the semester so I wouldn’t have to neglect the blog in favor of cramming a semester’s worth of material into my brain in between cups of coffee.

Since I haven’t posted in two days, I’ll let you be the judge of how successful that one was. Oops.

So, let’s keep it short. Last semester I brought you brainola, my low calorie version of granola that’s packed with healthy fats, whole grains, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Good for the brain and body. This semester, I’m bringing you dark chocolate energy bites. These are a great alternative to the yucky processed snack bars you might have hiding in your backpack now.

Plus, you won’t be that annoying kid fiddling with their wrappers on the silent floor of the library. Everyone hates that kid.

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites
Makes: 24 servings | Calories per serving: 55
Fat: 2.1 g (Sat Fat: 0.5 g) | Carbohydrate: 7.0 g | Fiber: 2.1 g| Protein: 2.8 g

2 C instant oats
1 C chocolate PB2, dry
1/4 C ground flaxseed
1/4 C chia seed
2 t vanilla extract
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
2 T granulated Splenda
1 t cinnamon
1 T cocoa powder
3/4 C water

directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the water. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.
2. Add in the water 1/4 C at a time, stirring between each addition.
3. Refrigerate the mix for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove the mix from the refrigerator and, using your hands, roll them into balls. Refrigerate until eating!

Meatless Monday: Baked Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry

6 May, 2013 by Claire | Leave a comment

I, like many humans, am victim to cravings. Most of the time these come in the form of cheeseburgers or chocolate, but after a weekend like this last one (three days of beer, Mexican food, tequila, and family style pasta platters), I want an IV of vegetables straight to the vein.

Senior weekend, we’re done. It’s not you, it’s me.

Yep, we’re moving on. It’s a new week and Meatless Monday is never a bad way to get back on the slender track. Today’s recipe is ideal for tofu novices, as its marinade and cooking process are about as easy as can be. Better yet, it’s the perfect opportunity to use up the scraps of vegetables left in your fridge. Waste not, want not.

Baked Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Calories: 277 | Fat: 6.7 g (Sat Fat: 0.8 g) | Carbohydrate: 30.5 g | Protein: 22.3 g

ingredients:
1/4 package extra firm tofu, pressed
1/2 T chopped garlic
2 T teriyaki sauce
1 T stir fry sauce
chopped vegetables of choice– I used 1/4 C each of mushrooms, onions, asparagus (from frozen), broccoli (from frozen), bell pepper, and baby carrots
1/4 C liquid egg whites
1 package Tofu Shirataki noodles, drained according to package instructions
sriracha, to taste

directions:
1. Slice your tofu into 1″ squares. In a small container, combine your teriyaki sauce and garlic. Add tofu and toss to coat. Let it marinade in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°. Place your tofu squares on a small baking sheet coated with PAM and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
3. While your tofu is baking, coat a large nonstick skillet with PAM and stir fry your vegetables over medium heat until softened.
4. Push the veggies over to one side of the pan and pour the liquid egg whites in the empty section. Scramble and then stir cooked eggs into the veggie mix.
5. Add the remaining teriyaki sauce, stir fry sauce, and noodles; toss to coat. Lower the heat, and cover until tofu is ready.
6. Top your noodles with the baked tofu squares, a drizzle of sriracha and enjoy!