Posts Tagged ‘recipe’
A drool-worthy chocolate recipe
Nutrition guru Joy Bauer has always been someone who inspires me. And lucky for us Just Stoppers, she’s allowed me to feature one of the delicious recipes from her new best selling book, From Junk Food to Joy Food, here. This Frozen Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cups recipe takes all the guilt out of a decadent treat and is a blast to make. And the best part? We don’t have to “go off” of our diets or healthy eating plans to make and enjoy it. Joy also uses all natural ingredients in the recipe, which is always a big plus.
From Junk Food to Joy Food is loaded with these kinds of recipe makeovers — the kind that take everyday favorites (usually loaded with calories, salt, etc.) and swaps them out for brand new, healthier versions of the recipes (each of which guarantees the same amount of flavor and satisfaction — but without the food hangover). And no, this is not a paid endorsement. Although I’d happily bribe Joy for being gracious enough to let me share this recipe.
For more information on From Junk Food to Joy Food, click here. And for more recipes and tips from Joy herself, you can click to her website. In the meantime, if you try the recipe below, please be sure to invite me over!
JOY BAUER’S FROZEN CHOCOLATE–PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
Junk Food version (before): 290 calories
Joy Food version (after): 165 calories
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
¼ cup creamy nut or seed butter (peanut, almond, sunflower seed, etc.)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup dark chocolate chips, or 3-ounce dark chocolate bar
¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the banana, nut butter, and vanilla. Mash everything together well and set aside.
Place 6 liners in a muffin tin and spray the liners liberally with nonstick oil spray. Silicone muffin liners work best, as it’s easier to remove the chocolate when it’s time to eat. Set the muffin tin aside.
In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and almond milk on medium heat, stirring constantly.
Once the chocolate is smooth, add a generous tablespoon of the mixture to the bottom of each muffin liner. Then stick the muffin tin in the freezer to firm up the chocolate (about 10 minutes).
Once the chocolate is firm, distribute the banana filling evenly among the muffin cups and spread the filling out with your fingers. Then split the remaining chocolate among the cups, using your fingers to spread each layer evenly.
Place the tin back in the freezer for at least 4 hours (overnight works best).
When you’re ready to eat, pop each cup out of its liner and serve immediately!
(Makes 6 servings.)
Photo Source: Joy Bauer
Apple Cobbler Oatmeal Recipe
Nutrition rockstar Joy Bauer (seen regularly on NBC’s TODAY show) has a brand new book called From Junk Food to Joy Food, which is chock full of recipe makeovers that takes everyday favorites (each loaded with calories, salt, etc.) and swaps them out for brand new, healthier recipes — each of which guarantees the same amount of flavor and satisfaction (but without the food hangover).
From Junk Food to Joy Food (which also happens to feature gorgeous food photography) is based on Joy’s popular ongoing series on NBC’s TODAY show, which transforms fattening favorites — including Barbecue Ribs, Vegetable Lo Mein, Boston Cream Pie, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chocolate Crunch Bars, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and even Devil Dogs — into lightened-up versions that even those trying to lose excess weight can enjoy any time. Says Joy, herself, “People who are tired of restrictive eating plans, juice fasts, and other programs that forbid favorite fare will love this new way of eating.”
Joy has always been someone who inspires me. And lucky for us Just Stoppers, she’s allowed me to feature one of the delicious recipes from her book here. This Apple Cobbler Oatmeal makes for the perfect weekday breakfast — or even a fun brunch idea for friends and family on the weekends. And we don’t have to “go off” of our diets or healthy eating plans to make and enjoy it. Joy also uses all natural ingredients in the recipe, which is a big plus.
JOY BAUER’S APPLE COBBLER OATMEAL
Junk Food version (before): 420 calories
Joy Food version (after): 246 calories
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons whipped butter
1 apple, finely chopped with the skin on
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ¾ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Add the butter to a skillet and place over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped apple and cinnamon. Stir to combine and sauté until they are just cooked but still crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the oats and almond milk in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the oatmeal reaches your desired consistency. Stir in the vanilla. Split the oatmeal between 2 bowls and top each with half of the apple-cinnamon mixture. (Makes 2 servings.)
To check out Joy’s latest book, From Junk Food to Joy Food, you can click here.
Photo Source: Joy Bauer
One of my all time favorites
I love sharing my popular recipe for turkey chili at this time of year because it’s the perfect meal (lunch or dinner) to accompany winter weather. That being said, I usually make it during the summer months, too (it really is that good and that good for you). But let’s stick to one season at a time, shall we?
When people who meet me today find out I used to tip the scale at over 450 pounds, they want to know how I lost all the excess weight. Many are disappointed when I let them know I did it the old fashioned way (through diet and exercise) — as opposed to using a magic wand. But if I had to assign the ‘magic wand’ moniker to one of the tools I used to get healthy, it would be to this flavorful chunky turkey chili recipe, which is easy to make and freezes really well. This recipe also thaws and reheats (microwaves!) beautifully. So I always make a huge batch. Check it out:
Gregg’s Chunky Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients (in order of use)
5 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
3 White onions, peeled & chopped
2 (two) 7 oz. cans of diced green chilies (mild or hot – your choice)
3 tbsp. fresh garlic, chopped (can also used jarred, but without added oil)
4 tbsp. chili powder (more if you dare)
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (more if you dare)
2+ lbs. lowfat ground turkey
1 (one) 6 lb., 6 oz. can (or several cans that equal the same) of ready cut diced tomatoes (in their own juice, no added sodium if available)
4 large bell peppers, chopped
Directions
In a large pot (the bigger the better), add the olive oil and chopped onions. Cover and cook over medium heat for several minutes (until the onions begin to soften).
Next, add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Mix it up and then add both cans (liquid and all) of the diced green chilies to the diced onion. Cook covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Next, add the ground turkey — making sure to mix all of the meat into the mixture while keeping the turkey from “clumping” together (work to break it up into loose pieces/bits). Continue to cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (and de-clumping the turkey when necessary).
Once the turkey is cooked through, add the canned tomatoes and chopped bell peppers, mix thoroughly, then cover and cook on high heat until the contents reach a boil. As soon as you see that your mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to LOW and cook for about 20 minutes more so all the flavors mix together and blend to perfection.
Makes approximately 18 servings
Add a small green salad with carrot shavings and balsamic vinegar along with two to three multigrain crackers to create a complete meal.
After preparing this big batch of chili, I divide it into portion sizes (usually two per storage container) and then, after the containers cool off, stick them in the freezer. After a day or so of thawing (in the fridge) you can zap it in the microwave for a quick, delicious dinner anytime during the week. (You can even store single size portions and take the chili to work for an easy and delicious, microwavable lunch!)
It should be noted that this stuff is so good that you can even serve it to your friends who aren’t on a diet. (Trust me — they’ll never know they’re eating something super healthy.) I’ve even made a big batch of this recipe as a dip for parties and served it with multigrain chips along with light sour cream and cheese on the side.
Who cares if summer heat is beating down on most of us? It’s still a great time of year to make my Chunky Turkey Chili recipe (the same one featured in my latest book, Weightless: My Life As A Fat Man And How I Escaped). Recently, I visited my local farmers market, where I purchased fresh spices (see picture, below) to use when making this recipe. And I have to tell you, it turned out great. So visit your farmers market for these ingredients (if you have one nearby) or buy the freshest versions of these ingredients as you can. Then join me in making this fail-safe recipe that’s a winner whether you’re trying to take off excess weight or simply working to maintain the success you’ve already achieved. Bon Appétit!
Ingredients (in order of appearance)
5 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
3 white onions, peeled & chopped
2 (two) 7 oz. cans of diced green chilies (mild or hot – your choice)
3 tbsp. fresh garlic, chopped (can also used jarred, but without added oil)
4 tbsp. chili powder (more if you dare)
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (more if you dare)
2+ lbs. lowfat ground turkey
1 (one) 6 lb., 6 oz. can (or several cans that equal the same) of ready cut diced tomatoes (in their own juice, no added sodium if available)
4 large bell peppers, chopped
Directions
In a large pot (the bigger the better), add the olive oil and chopped onions. Cover and cook over medium heat for several minutes (until the onions begin to soften).
Next, add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Mix it up and then add both cans (liquid and all) of the diced green chilies to the diced onion. Cook covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Next, add the ground turkey — making sure to mix all of the meat into the mixture while keeping the turkey from “clumping” together (work to break it up into loose pieces/bits). Continue to cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (and de-clumping the turkey when necessary).
Once the turkey is cooked through, add the canned tomatoes and chopped bell peppers, mix thoroughly, then cover and cook on high heat until the contents reach a boil. As soon as you see that your mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to LOW and cook for about 20 minutes more so all the flavors mix together and blend to perfection.
Makes approximately 18 servings
A Few Helpful Hints
Add a small green salad with carrot shavings and balsamic vinegar along with two to three multigrain crackers to create a complete meal.
After preparing this big batch of chili, I divide it into portion sizes (usually two per storage container) and then, after the containers cool off, stick them in the freezer. After a day or so of thawing (in the fridge) you can zap it in the microwave for a quick, delicious dinner anytime during the week. (You can even store single size portions and take the chili to work for an easy and delicious, microwavable lunch!)
It should be noted that this stuff is so good that you can even serve it to your friends who aren’t on a diet. (Trust me — they’ll never know they’re eating something super healthy.) I’ve even made a big batch of this recipe as a dip for parties and served it with multigrain chips along with sour cream and cheese on the side.
Soup to the rescue
With winter weather still making itself known, this is a great time of year to indulge in delicious and healthy soups. But don’t rely on store-bought kinds to fulfill your cool weather cravings (too much sodium, additives to preserve the contents, etc.). Instead, make your own delicious soup. This easy-to-make recipe combines nutrient-rich vegetables with other flavors of the season for a hearty and satisfying taste of nature’s finest veggies. Plus, you can make lots of it, separate it and store it (even in the freezer) for future use. Convenient, easy and tasty, too? Sounds like a late winter winner! Here’s how it’s done:
Ingredients
5 medium carrots, chopped
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
3 large white onions, chopped
2 large green or red bell peppers, chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 lg. can of low-sodium tomatoes (in its own juice)
12 oz. green beans, chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium broccoli, chopped
1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 fresh lemon or lime wedge (as garnish, optional)
Cilantro (as garnish, optional)
Directions
In a large nonstick pot, combine 3 tbsp. water, onions and garlic and allow heating for 5 minutes on low heat. Next, add carrots, celery and bell pepper. Cook while stirring for an additional 10 minutes on low heat. Next, stir in tomatoes (with liquid), then add green beans, zucchini, broccoli, spinach leaves, basil and spices. Add 1 cup of filtered water, then heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15-20 minutes – or until vegetables become tender.
Serving Size Information
Serve 1 cup as a snack
Serve 2 cups as part of meal (add a small green salad with Balsamic Vinegar and 1/2 cup cottage cheese or another protein source to create a complete meal).
Bonus Tip
This soup can be easily separated into portions and frozen.
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