This adult beverage was a refreshing reward after a day of building a new garden and transplanting my strawberry plants. You can always turn this into a sparkling strawberry-mint mocktail by omitting the rum and upping the lime juice to 6 oz and the club soda or sparkling water to 8 oz total (for 2 servings). Cheers!
Refreshing adult beverage
Strawberry Mojito
Ingredients
- 6 medium strawberries hulled
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 3.5 tsp sugar
- 4 oz light rum
- 2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 oz chilled club soda or sparkling water
Instructions
- Place 5 strawberries, mint leaves and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Mash well. Add rum, lime juice and ice cubes to shaker; close tightly and shake until cold. Strain into two ice-filled glasses. Top with club soda or sparkling water. Slice remaining strawberry and add to glasses.
Thanks to the vegetables, quinoa and beans in my Quinoa-Vegetable Soup, it is rich in vitamins A, B, C and K plus dietary fiber, antioxidants and protein. These nutrients are good for healthy skin and immune system, lowered blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, as well as a healthy gut and digestive system. It’s a cinch to whip up on a busy weeknight or on the weekend for a few days’ worth of warm lunches.
Quinoa-Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 each medium onion, chopped
- 3 each garlic cloves, minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 each carrots, diced
- 28 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups favorite chopped frozen or fresh vegetables
- 0.75 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 15 oz canned white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup favorite leafy dark greens, tough stems removed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired
Instructions
- Heat large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery; cook and stir until veggies have softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add tomatoes and thyme; cook and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining chopped vegetables, quinoa, broth, water and bay leaves. Season to taste.
- Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Add beans and greens to pot; simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until greens have softened. Remove from heat and remove bay leaves. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.
Peace & Love Granola Bars
Chocolate-Quinoa Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup quinoa flakes (or toasted quinoa or steel cut oats)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (use almond or coconut flour to make gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped or sliced (double up on seeds to make nut-free)
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4-1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup canola or light olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg white
- Shredded coconut or dried fruit, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix oats and next 9 ingredients (through chocolate chips); combine until well-mixed. Add oil, honey and vanilla; combine until mix is well-coated.
- In a measuring glass or small bowl, beat egg white until peaks form; fold into mixture.
- Spread on baking sheet. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press with hands or spatula on mixture to make top even and help mixture hold together.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into bars. Makes approximately 25-30 bars. Store in an airight container for up to 1 week.
If you love latkes but loathe the mess (and fried smell!) that goes with making them, this Air Fryer recipe is for you! To make potato pancakes simple and do-able for a weeknight side dish, I used prepackaged shredded potato (either refrigerated or thawed frozen works great) and onion softened in the microwave. Plus, “frying” latkes in the Air Fryer versus on the stove slashes calories and saturated fat (and cooking time!). The light drizzle of olive oil on top of the latkes before cooking just increases the crispiness factor.
Easy Air Fryer Latkes
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 0.25 each sweet onion, chopped
- 3 cups refrigerated or thawed frozen shredded potatoes
- 2 each eggs
- 0.25 cup matzo meal
- 0.75 tsp. kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp. ground black pepper
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Applesauce (optional)
- Sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Microwave onion in microwave-safe bowl until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix onions with shredded potatoes, eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper until combined well; form into 12 pancakes. Place one layer of pancakes of lightly oiled or sprayed Air Fryer basket. (Do not overlap pancakes.)
- Drizzle tops of latkes with a little olive oil. Cook at 400 F degrees for 5 minutes; flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until crispy. Repeat with remaining latkes. Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
These little donuts are a delicious and healthful twist on the traditional fried Hanukkah jelly doughnut. While they take a little time to rise, the hands-on and cook times are quick. Happy holidays!
Easy and delicious twist on traditional Hanukkah jelly donut
Easy Baked Sufganiyot
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp. warm water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1 each egg
- 2 Tbsp. butter or nondairy margarine, plus some for melting
- 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup whole wheat white flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Seedless strawberry or raspberry fruit spread
- Confectioner's or powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine yeast and warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to dissolve.
- Add sugar and next 9 ingredients (through applesauce) to yeast mixture. Using a mixer, beat until combined on low speed. Gradually add flours, scraping sides of bowl; beat on low until flour is just incorporated and dough is sticky. Cover and let rise, about 45 minutes.
- While dough is rising, grease two baking sheets and preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Drop dough by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
- Fill a pastry bag or sandwich baggie with fruit spread. (If sandwich baggie, cut a small hole in bag.) Using an icing tip, insert fruit spread into donut until donut puffs out. Fill all donuts, then roll each lightly in melted butter or margarine; place back on baking sheet and sprinkle or sift powdered sugar on to tops of donuts. Enjoy warm.
This Cranberry-Ginger Kefir bread makes a delicious Fall breakfast, and pairs perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. Plus, this bread is brimming with nutrient superstars, like cranberries, whole grains and kefir.
Cranberry-Ginger Kefir Bread
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup whole wheat flour
- 0.75 cup rolled oats
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. ground flax seed
- 1.5 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 0.5 tsp. kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp. ground ginger
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 small orange, zested
- 0.75 cup plain low-fat kefir
- 0.25 cup orange juice
- 1 each egg
- 0.25 cup candied ginger
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly oil or spray 9"x5" loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground ginger; stir to mix. Cut butter into dry ingredients and mix until slightly crumbly. Add orange zest, kefir, orange juice and egg; mix until just combined. Fold in ginger and cranberries.
- Add mixture to loaf pan. Bake until cooked through and golden, about 50 minutes. Cool pan on cooling rack. Slice and enjoy.
Benefits of Breakfast
There are many benefits of eating breakfast, including fueling the body after a night of fasting. Arguably the most important meal of the day, there are many more benefits of a morning repast. Some of these other benefits include:
- Provides that boost of energy to get you moving through the morning
- Refills blood glucose stores to help keep blood sugar levels stable
- Boosts concentration and focus (priceless for promoting focus at school and/or work!)
- Offers opportunity to fuel up with important nutrients
- Helps maintain a healthy body weight
The Making of a Healthy Breakfast
Of course, it matters what you choose. In fact, a healthy breakfast can help set the stage for food choices the rest of the day. Just as with other meals, breakfast should ideally include fiber-rich carbohydrates + heart healthy protein.
- Fiber-rich carbohydrate(s): Carbohydrates provide the fuel that your body–including your brain!–run on. Choosing fiber-rich carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits and whole grains helps ensure that you maximize you’re getting important nutrients in the calories you’re consuming. Plus, dietary fiber helps fill us up and keeps blood sugar levels stable.
- Think dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, bell peppers, berries, apples, orange, bananas, mango, oatmeal, corn tortillas and whole grain toast, waffles, pancakes, muffins, cereals, granola and granola bars
- Heart-healthy protein: Protein provides the amino acids necessary for building and repairing tissues (including muscle!) and enzyme and hormone production. Protein-rich foods also help provide staying power, which can help with satiety. However, it’s important to include protein-rich foods throughout the day, not just at lunch and dinner.
- Think eggs, salmon, beans, yogurt, low-fat milk and cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, quinoa, nuts and seeds
Most of us face a time-crunch in the morning. So, just remember that breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated… egg and red pepper muffins, kale and blueberry yogurt smoothie, banana walnut oatmeal, tofu and veggie scramble, whole wheat toast with smoked salmon, whole grain granola with skim milk, cottage cheese with blueberries and quinoa with apples and pecans.
The bottom line is that breakfast is essential to good health… and a productive day. For more protein- and fiber-rich breakfast ideas, check out recipes and tips from me and other nutrition experts in Women’s Health.
PLEASE SHARE: What are your favorite protein-rich breakfast meals?
This week is back-to-school for my grade school kiddos. One was excited to go back, the other not so much. I, on the other hand, am experiencing a whole range of emotions, including a wee bit of indigestion thinking about how to fit homework, snack, soccer practice and dinner all in before a reasonable bedtime on 4-5 school nights.
For me, dinner is all about planning, menu rotations and handy appliances (yes, I’m talking about you, slow cooker, Instant Pot and my new favorite, the Air Fryer). And although it won’t always be pretty, a fairly well-rounded and nutritious dinner will be served. The more stressful repast, I think, is the (cue Jaws theme song)… AFTERNOON SNACK.
No matter what or when my kids ate lunch, they are completely RAVENOUS when they walk in the door. And, this isn’t a bad thing… famished children can turn snack time into a golden opportunity to sneak in some extra nutrients. And, hungry little hippos may be more willing to try nutritious foods that they may not be as willing to try at meal time. The key is to have some easy-to-eat HEALTHY snacks on hand and ready to go… QUICKLY.
Serving back-to-school super snacks is very simple. Just keep these TWO P’s in mind when planning snacks…
- Protein — Like meals, snacks should consist of a complex or high-fiber carbohydrate PLUS lean or heart-healthy protein (think fruit, vegetables or whole grains PLUS fish, beans, edamame, eggs, turkey, low-fat dairy and nuts or seeds). Carbohydrates provide the fuel (and those complex or high-fiber carbohydrates provide dietary fiber and lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants). Protein provides the staying power, to help tide us over for a couple of hours until dinner.
- Portion sizes — Just remember… a snack is a snack, not a meal. The goal is to keep little tummies powered for sports practice, band practice or that homework marathon without filling them up. Aim for snacks that provide about 100-150 calories for younger children, a little more for children playing sports and older kids (200-250 calories).
Here are some snack ideas that my kids love.
Fruit Nachos 
1/4-1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 apple, cored and sliced
1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
Choice of toppings: blueberries, diced strawberries, low-fat granola, shredded unsweetened coconut, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, mini chocolate chips
In a baggie, add yogurt, honey and cinnamon; squeeze bag gently to mix ingredients together (this is a great task for kids to do!). Place apple slices on a plate. Cut small hole in corner of baggie, and drizzle yogurt on top of apples. Sprinkle with chia seeds and desired toppings. Make 2 servings.
Twisted Tuna Pinwheels 
1 whole grain tortilla
1 avocado, mashed with fork
1 pouch or can of chunk light tuna
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced
Mash avocado on top of tortilla. Evenly distribute tuna, carrot and bell pepper on top of mashed avocado. Tightly roll tortilla, leaving ends open. Slice into 1-inch thick slices. Makes 2 servings.
Popcorn 2 Ways: Savory or Sweet
6 cups air-popped popcorn
1/2 tsp canola or coconut oil 
Sweet toppings: Cinnamon, brown sugar, mini or dark chocolate chips, mixed dried fruit, cinnamon-flavored crunchy chickpeas, sunflower seeds
Savory toppings: Parmesan or powder cheddar cheese, nutritional yeast, whole grain cereal, pretzels, sea salt crunchy chickpeas, hemp seeds
In a large bowl, drizzle oil evenly over popcorn. Top with your favorite sweet or savory (or a mix of both!) toppings. Makes 2 servings.
PLEASE SHARE: What are your favorite after-school snacks? Please share. I’d love to hear from you!
This post first appeared on KleinerNutrition.com on August 28, 2015.
These Dark Chocolate Tahini Truffles are easy-to-make and rich in antioxidants. Plus, they make an elegant dessert or an indulgent casual treat.
Deliciously decadent dark chocolate tahini truffles are easy-to-make and rich in antioxidants.
Dark Chocolate Tahini Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark chocolate morsels or chips
- 1 cup tahini
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp. chopped walnuts or other favorite nuts optional
- Dark cocoa powder for dusting optional
Instructions
- Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave for 45 seconds, stir and then microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between, until chocolate is melted.
- Stir in tahini, vanilla and cinnamon; whisk until mixture is smooth. Fold in nuts. Refrigerate until mixture is chilled and firm, about 20 minutes.
- Using a melon ball or cookie dough scoop, spoon mixture into small balls (or roll with hands). Roll lightly in dark cocoa powder, if desired. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator. Makes about 35 truffles.
This Mediterranean Hummus Pizza combines delicious Mediterranean flavors and convenience to make a nutritious and easy-to-make pizza lunch. You can easily halve the ingredients to make one pizza. Bon appetit!
This Mediterranean-style pizza comes together quickly for a tasty, nutrient-rich lunch or snack.
Mediterranean Hummus Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 each whole wheat tortillas, lightly brushed with olive oil
- 4-5 Tbsp. Sabra sun-dried tomato hummus or your favorite hummus
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved or thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp. kalamata olives, halved
- 2-3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. Greek oregano or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Toast tortillas in toasted oven until crunchy.
- Spread hummus evenly on tortillas. Top hummus with a layer of mixed greens, then top with cucumber and tomato slices, olives and feta cheese. Drizzle olive oil on top, then sprinkle with herbs.
- Toast pizzas on top of foil-lined sheet until warm. Makes 2 servings.