Apple Recipes

This week's challenge is to remember to eat an apple.  I thought I would provide a few fun ideas getting your apple a day eaten in case you want to eat it in some other form and need a little variety.

• Core the apple whole, then slice it in rounds, spread a little peanut or some other nut butter, then sprinkle with a few chopped nuts and maybe a couple of chocolate chips for a sweet treat.
• Take an 8 oz container of vanilla Greek (or regular) yogurt, mix in a heaping table spoon of peanut butter, sprinkle cinnamon and then use it to dip apple slices.
• On Sunday, when prepping your veggie bags for the week, chop about 5 apples, toss with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon (you can even do less sugar and more cinnamon).  Pour it into a greased baking dish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  Each morning you can heat some up to eat with oatmeal for breakfast or eat it on it's own.  Or even eat it cold with some chopped nuts and yogurt.

Enjoy apples!

2014 Weekly Challenge #14: Veggie Bags (aka Grab-n-Go)!!

Even if you only just started Mama Bootcamp, you know that one of the cornerstones in our nutrition training is eating veggies. Lots and lots and lots of veggies.

You'd have to have been living under a rock to NOT know that a healthy diet must include lots of vegetables. But let's get real - even though we all KNOW it, we don't all DO it every day. For me, a big factor is the time - those veggies have to be washed, dried, and cut before I can eat them!

The small time investment is more than made up by the benefit. By eating your veggies, you are not only loading yourself up with vitamins and minerals that are essential to healthy living, you are giving yourself so much more. Veggies not only help your body function better, but they can help you lose weight, look younger and even help prevent cancer. Sounds like a good deal to me!

Your challenge this week looks (and sounds familiar): Eat your veggies! But this week, let's work on making it part of your regular routine and making it EASY (and fast, too!). You should be eating 7-9 servings of veggies every single day. With one serving the equivalent of .5 cups, you can fit a whole day's worth of these health-making beauties into one quart-size plastic bag.

Your challenge: Make your Grab-n-Go Veggie bags. By 7pm on Sunday, have your veggie bags for the week ready to go. Pick out several different veggies, and try to be sure to cover as many "colors" as you can. Dark green, light green and red are my favorites, with a little white thrown in, too. Chop them up into the size you like best, and fill up your quart-sized bags. Put them in the fridge so they're ready to go (maybe pair them up with your favorite dip - hummus is mine).

With just a small time investment, the "work" is done for the whole week! On your way out door every morning this week you can grab a bag full of yum! Snack on it all day long, and enjoy the awesome results.

One of my favorite quotes is: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Veggies bags are a perfect example of planning to meet your goal of eating 7 to 9 servings of veggies a day.

Put together your veggie bags and eat them up!  Your body will love you for it.

Sweet Snacks

Something that I have noticed in reviewing the food logs of many Mamas is that in an attempt to keep the calorie intake low, but still treat themselves to something sweet they will eat 1 or 2 cookies or a mini candy or something like that.  And sure, maybe it keeps you within your calorie intake range, but it's empty calories that most likely doesn't fuel your body.  Not to mention if you are hungry, it doesn't usually satisfy hunger and it also requires plenty of willpower to limit yourself to just one or two.  It's a very slippery slope when it comes to empty calorie, processed foods.  Yes, you should do your food logs and count the calorie intake to keep yourself accountable and stay within the suggested calorie intake.  So maybe those 2 cookies are just 80 calories, or a bag of those processed 100 calorie snacks makes you feel like you had a treat but didn't eat many calories.  But instead, feed your body a snack or a "treat" that sometimes could be a littler higher in calories, but they are high quality calories.  So this week I want to share with you a couple of options for something that you could have as a sweet treat, but would also provide more nutrition than a cookie or tiny piece of candy.

1.  Fruit, fruit, fruit.  The better snacking option is natural, clean eating and wholesome fruit.  It's winter and we live in an area abundant with yummy and sweet mandarin oranges (40 calories in 1).  Or lovely crisp apples (95 cal in a medium size).   If you want, make this great dip for apples and bananas.  Mix a small container of vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  It holds up well in the refrigerator for several days; make some and pack it in small containers with your grab-and-go bags of fruit, for a snack that is sweet, healthy and a great combo of fiber and protein.  Fills you up and fuels your body!

2.  Make your own healthier cookie.  There are some good recipes out there.  I have one of my own, it's actually a no-bake cookie dough ball.  It's a good for the late afternoon if you feel a dip in your energy level, or also if you need a little sweet treat after dinner.  Check out my No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls.  Taste tested and approved by our Mama Bootcamp Coaches.  Another snack that I love is from fellow Mama, Allison and it's over on her blog, Get Natured.  Lemon Coconut Energy Balls.  Not only can they be a healthy snack, but a great recovery food.  Pack one or two in a container and eat them on your way home after bootcamp.

For more recipes or suggestions you can email me at erika@e-mealplanning.com.

August Recipe- Keeping Cool Cook-Free Recipes

We are in the middle of a heat wave.  Keeping hydrated and staying cool is always important and this month I wanted to share a couple of recipes to keep you cool and keep you fed without having to generate extra heat in the kitchen.
Lori Ann was recently on KCRA My 58 in the morning and she shared a delicious recipe for Cucumber Boats.  It's a dish that is packed with nutrition, but low in calories.  Beans, corn and shrimp that provide fiber and protein, sweet and delicious mango with vitamins A and C, avocado which also has vitamin C as well as healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.  It's pulled together with lime juice, cilantro, onion and jalapeno pepper, then you put that as a filling in a cucumber boat; cool and refreshing.

I also wanted to share a recipe of my own that it's very similar and versatile in how you can eat it.  Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salsa.  It's great to bring to a party serve at a barbecue, but be warned- it will disappear in minutes!  Serve it with whole wheat pita or baked tortilla chips.  Make some for yourself as a healthy and filling snack, you can actually make it ahead of time and just add avocado when you are ready to eat it.  Use it in a salad or top your tacos with it.  This is a great recipe for using delicious local corn and all those garden tomatoes you find yourself needing to use.

Enjoy these finals weeks of summer, keep cool, give these recipes a try and see you at Boot Camp!

2012 Weekly Challenge #5 A Healthy Super Bowl

Did you see Mama Bootcamp on Fox 40 Live last week?  Lorri Ann shared some tasty recipes for healthy appetizers to serve at your Super Bowl Party.  As she mentioned, Mama Bootcamp is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change and so you can still enjoy fun gatherings like a Superbowl Party but with delicious, healthy food.  Your challenge this week is to consider nutrient-packed healthy party foods and keep away from the over-processed junk food.  Dips like salsa or hummus are great with carrots and jicima.  Fresh salsa from the deli or dairy case is better than jarred on the shelf.  If you serve them with chips, go with the baked style instead of fried.  Every supermarket around will be featuring avocados on sale this week since guacamole is a popular football party food.  Here is my simple recipe for guacamole.

Erika's Easy Guacamole
2 or 3 medium sized ripe avocados (if avocados are from Costco, 2 makes a lot)
Juice from 1 lime or 2 tsp of lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh style salsa or pico de gallo (Casa Sanchez mild salsa is my favorite brand)
Chopped fresh cilantro, about 1 tablespoon
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder- season to taste

Remove avocado flesh from the skin and in a medium size bowl mash slightly with a fork, but leave it a bit chunky.  Mix in lime juice, salsa and cilantro.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Taste and add more of anything you want more of.  You can add more heat with a dash of hot sauce (like Frank’s or Crystal brand) or a dash of cayenne pepper.  Note:  I don't care for chopped raw onion in my guacamole, I find it too strong and takes away from the star of the show, avocado.  The addition of the fresh salsa adds just the right amount of onion and tomato as a hint of seasoning.  But if you love onion, go for it.

Want a some more party food ideas?  Check these out-
Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa- Consider using corn or whole wheat tortillas for these instead of fried taco shells. 
Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce 
Avocado and Mango Salsa

Jodi's marmalade and granola

Photo via getnatured.com

Recently we asked you on Facebook for your favorite recipes or snack ideas. Bootcamper Jodi shared this recipe for marmalade and granola. Yum, thank you Jodi!

Marmalade and Granola
The key to the recipe is the marmalade. It can also be used as a substitution for jam with peanut butter, on toast or a muffin, or with a curry dinner as a condiment.

Mix together:
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon marmalade (see recipe below)
2 Tablespoons granola, Kashi or Grape-Nuts

Marmalade recipe:
2 whole oranges (option: add strawberries with the oranges)
1/2 cup dates
1 cup apple juice concentrate
optional: chopped walnuts

1. Wash oranges and cut in quarters (do not peel).
2. Place in food processor with dates and process to chop fine.
3. Transfer to a sauce pan.
4. Add apple juice to fruit mixture and bring to simmer.
5. Cook until orange rind is very tender (stirring frequently), and marmalade is thickened.

If you have a recipe or snack idea to share, please email it to Mama Bootcamp food coach Allison Brewer (aka "Allibrew") at allibrew@gmail.com. Thank you!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Serves 4
Prep time: 8-10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
10 pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
2. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and add bell peppers, olives, onions, basil, mint, and parsley. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, make a dressing by whisking together red wine vinegar, oil, and mustard. Add dressing to quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Salad will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition info (per 1 1/2 cup serving):

221 calories, 7g fat, 33g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 5g fiber

*Tip: For extra protein, consider adding: cooked garbanzo beans, lentils, walnuts, almonds, cooked chicken, or shrimp.

12 Snack ideas

Here are 12 snack ideas to help keep you fueled and raring to go all day!

1. Apple slices with peanut or almond butter
2. Whole grain crackers with 1 serving of your choice of cheese or nut/seed butter
3. Hummus and mixed raw veggies
4. ½ cup whole grain cereal with ½ cup milk of choice (low fat or non-dairy)
5. 1 serving rice cakes
6. Yogurt (low sugar or non-dairy)
7. Mixed raw veggies with light dressing for dipping
8. 1/4 - 1/3 cup nuts
9. Air-popped popcorn
10. Clif or other healthy snack bar
11. Edamame (soy beans)
12. Green smoothie (blend ½ banana, ½ orange, 1 cup fresh spinach, and 1 serving protein powder with ½ cup water and 1 cup ice)

Please leave a comment if you have a favorite snack to add to the list!

Saturday Switch: Making healthy muffins at home

(Photo via GetNatured)

Muffins, as healthy as they may seem, may be loaded with calories and fat. Consider this example: one single blueberry muffin from Costco contains 610 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 40 grams of sugar! Yikes!

If you are careful about which muffins you choose or, better yet make your own, they can be a good breakfast or snack food.

Here are 4 tips for making healthier muffins at home:

1. Reduce the sugar by half. If your recipe calls for 1 cup, only use 1/2 cup.
2. Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat or spelt flour.
3. Replace 25% of the flour with protein powder or wheat germ.
4. Replace up to 3/4 of the fat (oil, butter, etc.) with unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas.

Rooibos tea

Are you frequently foraging in the kitchen looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth after a meal? If you've never had Rooibos tea, it can be a nice calorie-free alternative to rich dessert foods.

Rooibos, or African red bush, tea is naturally caffeine free and has a slightly sweet flavor. It is said to be full of antioxidants and is purported to help with allergies and colds, improve digestion, and improve your skin and complexion.

You can buy basic Rooibos or flavors such as Belgian chocolate, apricot, raspberry, vanilla, caramel, mango, and more. If you don't have a store with a good tea selection or a tea shop near you, try these online vendors:

Amazon
Teavana
Adagio