Hemp Protein Bars

Yeah...I ate a little out the corner before taking the picture. I was hungry!

½ C Xylitol Brown Sugar Blend ( I don't use this but know many people may like their bars sweeter)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup berries ( I used a frozen berries mix)
2 C oat flour (I use brown rice flour because I can't do gluten)
2 scoops hemp protein powder
½ cup almond milk
½ C chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.
Spray a 9 X 13 Pyrex dish with non-stick spray.
Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well.
Add the final 3 ingredients (4, if adding walnuts), and mix until incorporated. Spread batter into the Pyrex dish and bake for 30 min.
Makes 24 squares.

Super easy-egg white, oatmeal, blueberry muffins.

First spray a 12 muffin tin tray then put in 1 tablespoon of rolled oats, 3 tablespoons egg whites, 1 tablespoon of berries. Then stir each tin. I like to sprinkle a little cinnamon on the top. Bake at 350F for 20mins. Makes a great post workout snack!

Mung Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Milk

Fall is here! This is my favorite time of the year to make new soups and stews. This new spicy stew I created has a variety of ingredients which keeps your taste buds stimulated! It also has a great anti-inflammatory profile from the turmeric, curry and ginger. Enjoy!

Mung Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Milk

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:

* 1 cup split and hulled mung beans
* 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
* 1 onion, peeled and diced
* 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
* 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
* 1 Serrano or other hot chile pepper (seeded for a less spicy stew)
* 6 cups homemade vegetable stock or water
* 2 cups cubed sweet potato
* 1-2 large carrot, chopped
* 2 cups Swiss chard or collard greens, tough stems removed, and then chopped
* 1/4 cup of raisins
* 2-3 teaspoons curry
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste (the amount of salt needed will depend on how salty your stock is)
* 1/2 teaspon of course black pepper (to taste)
Directions:

1. Run cold water over mung beans in a colander. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chile pepper and saute until fragrant. Add stock or water and bring to a boil.

3. Add the mung beans,sweet potatoes and the rest of the vegetables and the spices to a crock pot. Then add in the liquid stock from the frying pan to the crock pot.

4. Bring the stew back to a boil in the crock pot and then bring back down to low and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

5. Add optional coconut milk if desired. Add salt, taste, and adjust seasonings before serving.

Amaranth Delight

What is the world is amaranth Melissa, you ask? Well, just like quinoa and buckwheat, amaranth seeds contain protein that is unusually complete for plant sources. Most fruits and vegetables do not contain a complete set of amino acids, and thus different sources of protein must be used. However, unlike the protein found in true grains (i.e. from grass seeds) its protein does not contain gluten, making it popular with people who are gluten sensitive, like me!!!

I should also add that several studies have shown that like oats, amaranth seed or oil may be of benefit for those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease; regular consumption reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while improving antioxidant status and some immune parameters.

So it's a total win win to incorporate amaranth into your diet! I was able to find it in bulk at The Wedge Co-op.

Below is a recipe I came up with that is totally DELICIOUS!!! It has the consistency of Malt O Meal. I like to mix 1/2 cup of this with 1/2 cup of steel oats for my morning breakfast.


Melissa's Amaranth Delight

1 cup amaranth
5 cups hot water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flakes
5-7 dates
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients in a 9 X 11 pan and cook at 350F for 30 minutes. Mix contents after 30 minutes and then cook another 30 minutes. Serve as you would oatmeal.

Melissa's Spicy Swedish Meatballs

I love playing around with spices and flavors. These are definitely YUMMY and they last for days!

Melissa's Spicy Swedish Meatballs

1 lb of lean ground beef (grass fed/organic)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup quick oats (I use gluten free oats)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg
2 egg whites

Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a food processor grind onions, peppers and garlic. Place all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix with your hands. Then make racquetball size balls and place in a well greased dozen sized muffin tray. Bake at 350F for 20-30minutes.

I typically have 2 of these with tons of veggies on the side. Delish! Oh and I should add that Trader Joe's has conveniently packed bags of frozen red, yellow and green peppers. Love having these off hand!

Protein!!!

Most of you know that if you want to maintain your current muscle mass as well as BUILD muscle, you have to make sure you are fueling your body with the correct grams of protein each day.

A good amount to aim for is 1 gram of protein per body weight. At the same time, the body can only digest about 30 grams of protein per meal and it takes your stomach about 1-2 hours to digest food and transfer it to your small intestines. This is why why having 5-6 small meals a day is key.

Another tip I'd like to suggest is to have a good variety of high quality protein powders. I use whey isolate after my workouts, pea protein in my steel oats, and just recently I purchased Vitol's egg white protein.

Almond Flax Bread

I can't take full credit for this recipe. The original recipe is from Elana's Pantry. But since I love coming up with new concoctions I thought I would try to keep this bread simple and use only 3 ingredients. Boy did it turn out yummy! The 3 ingredients are eggs, almond flour and ground flax seed. I am digging that! Yum!

How to prepare:

2 1/2 cups of Honeyville blanched almond flour (the brand is important)
2 1/2 cups of ground flaxseeds
6 eggs
optional: 1 tsp of baking soda and a pitch of sea salt.

stir the eggs and then combine with the almond flour and ground flaxseed. Put in a well greased bread pan and cook at 300F for about an hour. Remember when it comes to gluten free bread cooking it longer is better.

Chocolate Blueberry Energy Bars

Chocolate Blueberry Energy Bars

(from Thrive Fitness)

* 1 cup Medjool dates
* 1/4 cup almonds
* 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1/4 ground flaxseeds
* 1/4 cup raw carob powder (or substitute raw cacao nibs or roasted carob powder)
* 1/4 cup hemp protein
* 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
* Sea salt to taste
* Lemon zest
* 1/2 fresh lemon juice * 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
* 2 tbsp unhulled sesame seeds


In a food processor, process all ingredients except the blueberries. Knead blueberries in by hand after processed.

These are a perfect pre-workout snack. Dates are high in glycogen which gives you instant energy.

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Marinara Sauce

This picture isn't the best, but it gives you an idea of what it looks like.

Thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes this sauce has a robust flavor. I use it for my pizza sauces but I also like to throw it on salads and wherever a recipe calls for tomatoes.



1 cup-sun dried tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 grated cucumber
3 tbsp of olive or hemp oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
sea salt to taste

If I don't have all the spices off hand, I just use what I can.

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in the water for 20 minutes. Retain this water. In a food processor, process all ingredients including sun dried tomatoes water and blend until desired consistency is reached.

Wild Rice Split Pea Pizza

Crust
1 1/2 cups cooked split yellow peas
1 1/2 cups cooked or sprouted wild rice
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
sea salt to taste
Mix all ingredients in a food processor and then form a round pizza crust in a pan.
Toppings:
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup grated parsnip
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme

Bake at 300F for 45 mins.

For the sauce I made spicy sun dried tomato marinara sauce which I will post.

Melissa's Daily Green Drink

My green drink..."Melissa's Daily Green Drink"

Mix all in a blender:

1 TBSP Ground Flax Seed**

2 tsp Hemp protein**

1 scoop pea protein

1 TBSP Dulse Flakes

1 tsp Maca Powder**

1 Cup Fresh Kale

1 Cup Fresh Spinach

1/4 Cup Blueberries

20 oz. H20



I have this every day and my hair is shiner, my skin is clearer (and glows) and my cravings for sugar and other junk has diminished. You can find these ingredients at your local co-op.


Cheers to your health!!!!