Category: Recipes

Posted on by

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad
Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

This delectably sweet balsamic chicken salad is balanced enough to eat as a meal on it’s own. Adjust the pasta amount to meet your need; low-carb and vegan options in notes.

I appreciate recipes that have a lot of flexibility to adjust ingredients/macros, and this balsamic chicken pasta salad fits the bill!

– Increase, decrease, or eliminate the pasta to adjust the carbohydrate content.

– Swap out the chicken and feta for tofu and nutritional yeast for a vegan option and use plain plant yogurt for the dressing.

If you decide to add the pasta, I recommend whole grain pasta. It has a slightly sweeter taste and pairs well with the rest of the flavors. In my first attempt at this recipe, I used chickpea pasta which has an unfortunate texture and taste that detracts from the rest of the flavors. Any pasta shape will work – recommend rotelle, bowties or shells for their dressing capture capabilities.

Don’t feel like cooking? The creamy balsamic dressing itself would work great for a regular salad or as a dip for veggies!

This delectably sweet balsamic chicken salad is balanced enough to eat as a meal on it’s own. Adjust the pasta amount to meet your need; low-carb and vegan options in notes.

Special thanks to my client Tony for inspiring this creation.

Need a customized nutrition plan with support and accountability to meet your physique and performance goals? Contact me.

I am an Amazon associate and earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the website ad-free!

Posted on by

Basil Garlic Pesto

Pesto

This dairy free, basil garlic pesto has all of the tang and flavor of traditional pesto, with a fraction of the fat.

  • Pesto
  • Basil Garlic Pesto

Traditional ingredients in a pesto are basil, oil, pine nuts, and a hard cheese such as parmesan. Thanks to nutritional yeast and cashews, here’s a more macro-friendly, dairy-free, oil-free version of basil garlic pesto. Compare:

  • Typical Pesto: 165 Calories for 2 tbsp, with 15g of fat, 4g of carbs, and 3g of protein.
  • This Recipe: 78 Calories for 2 tbsp. serving with 3g fat, 6g carbs, and 6g protein.

What is Nutritional Yeast and why is it in this basil garlic pesto?

Yeast is a fungus – living, single cell critters. When used in baking, yeast eats the sugar and produce carbon dioxide (and alcohol). The carbon dioxide gas is what gives bread its lightness and beautiful airy holes. When the yeast is dead, bread doesn’t rise. Nutritional yeast is the same type of fungus as regular yeast….except it’s intentionally killed during the manufacturing process.

Yeast is a source of (complete) protein and carbs. It’s also micronutrient dense and most notably rich in folic acid and B-12. Given that vegans have fewer food source options when it comes to complete protein sources and certain vitamins and minerals, it’s an excellent add in a plant-based diet. Limited research on certain constituents within nutritional yeast indicate the possibility of antioxidant effect and reduction in cholesterol. I don’t find the data conclusive enough, however given the excellent overall nutrient properties of the food, it’s certainly worth trying it out.

Nutritional yeast readily incorporates into nearly any type of recipe and imparts a “cheesiness” flavor without the cheese. Therefore, those who are lactose intolerant may also enjoy this for some cheese-like flavor. You can simply shake it on top of whatever you’re eating or incorporate it into a sauce or dip. I’ve shaken it directly on salads as well as popcorn. It has a fairly strong smell, but the taste is very mild.

This delicious lower fat, non-diary pesto works great as a dip, dressing, or sauce.

Ready to focus on your nutrition goals? Contact me to discuss coaching.

I am an Amazon associate and earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep my website ad-free.

Posted on by

Tomatillo Steak & Peppers

Tomatillo Steak

Tomatillo steak & peppers (aka chile verde con carne) is perfect for family taco night or meal prep. Sweet and tangy green tomatillo and spices tenderize the beef over time, so it tastes even better the next day.

The trick to keeping extra lean meat cuts such as eye round steak tender and juicy is to carefully control cooking rate. For this tomatillo steak and peppers, we cook the meat until it’s about 75% done. A good amount of pink should remain. By quickly removing from the heat and placing in a covered bowl, it continues to cook slowly. When we return in to the pan for a final few minutes, it completes cooking and allows the rich flavors of the tomatillo base and spices to soak in.

There are a large variety of salsa verde options on the market, I recommend using the roasted variety for additional smokey flavor alongside the smoked paprika. Hatch chile powder and cumin add a deeper pepper flavor. The red chile powder is optional, for some heat.

This recipe is for a large batch. It scales down linear if you’d like to reduce the size. However, this dish tastes BETTER on subsequent days as the sauce further tenderizes the beef pieces.

I preferred to keep the sauce base thin, however you could thicken it up by boiling the sauce for about 30 minutes to eliminate water.

Pairs great with corn tortillas or rice.

This richly spiced tomatillo & pepper steak is perfect for taco night or as part of your high protein healthy meal prep. The sweet green tomatillo and chili spices infuse into the beef over time, so it tastes even better the next day.

Please let me know if you tried this recipe.

Eating healthy doesn’t need to be boring. Please reach out if you are interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching.

Disclaimer: I am an amazon associate and earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the website ad-free.

Posted on by

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Chicken, tender rice, savory vegetables, and a lemon-egg base combine in this simple and comforting Greek lemon chicken soup. A filling and delicious high protein lunch or dinner – about 30g of protein per bowl, with easy adjustments to macros to meet your needs.

When I first tried Greek lemon chicken soup at a local restaurant, I fell in love and immediately. Had to create my own take on it.

Recipe Notes

For the base, it’s worthwhile to puree together some of the chicken stock, garlic, and green onion (white part) first. Make sure this part of the liquid goes into your pot first. Cooking for 2 minutes with the veggies before will take the sharpness out of the garlic and onion flavors. These flavors will infuse into the chicken before the rest of the stock is added.

For tender chunks of chicken, it’s important not to let the chicken cook all the way through at first. It will continue slowly cooking in the covered bowl, and completely cook once added back to the pot.

The macros are very easy to adjust depending on your needs. Use more or less rice to adjust the carbs. Or, swap for a bag of steamed riced cauliflower right at the end. Use more or less chicken to change the protein content.

The level of lemon flavor is a personal preference. This recipe adds 1/2 cup of lemon juice, which provides a moderate level of lemon flavor.

Chicken, tender rice, savory vegetables, and a lemon-egg base combine in this simple and comforting Greek-inspired soup. A filling and delicious high protein lunch or dinner >35g of protein per bowl, with easy adjustments to macros to meet your needs.

Please let me know if you enjoyed this recipe! If you’re interested in exploring your nutrition to meet your performance and physique goals, reach out anytime.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free.

Posted on by

Chocolate Protein Fudge Pops

These chocolate protein fudge pops help crush night-time cravings without the sugar. Each pop has 15 g of protein and 155 Calories so you can stay on track. Greek yogurt, chocolate protein powder and loads of rich cacao will certainly satisfy a sweet tooth.

This recipe is scaled to fit perfectly in a 6-well popsicle mold. You have to be a bit patient with mixing the VERY THICK batter and slowly adding it to each well, aggressively tamping the mold after adding each spoonful to remove air pockets.

Chocolate Protein Fudge Pop

Why casein protein? It’s very filling and also slower digesting compared to other protein concentrates and isolates. This recipe also works great with Trutein Chocolate (whey/egg/casein blend) – reduce the amount of nut milk (see notes). I have not tried this recipe with pure whey, but suspect it will be difficult to get the right texture.

I used Splenda, however any powdered sweetener will work. Adjust the amount as desired to get the sweetness level you want. The key is to not add additional liquids to the mixture so that ice crystals don’t form. Here’s a close-up of the texture. (Double bonus points if you have these chocolate protein fudge pops with a squirt of Hershey’s naturals chocolate syrup).

Check out the nutrition difference between these fudge pops and popular packaged alternatives.

Need some help figuring out what to eat and how much? Let’s work together to help you achieve your goals.

These extra chocolatey, super filling fudgesicles help crush night-time sweet cravings without the sugar. With >15g protein per pop, you can stay on track while still enjoying a treat.

Let me know if you made these and what you thought!

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad-free.

Posted on by

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Ginger Garlic Broccoli Beef
Ginger Garlic Broccoli Beef

A healthier, easy to make version of Broccoli Beef stir fry. Skip takeout and enjoy this delicious combination of juicy strips of beef infused with garlic, ginger, and soy mixed with broccoli.

You’re training hard, now it’s time to level up your performance and physique with a strong nutrition strategy. Contact me for 1:1 Coaching.

Juicy strips of beef infused with garlic, ginger, and soy. Enjoy this healthy take on a classic Chinese dish with 30 g protein per serving.

Please let me know if you enjoyed this recipe!

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free.

Posted on by

Chocolate & Vanilla Protein Cheesecake

Chocolate & Vanilla Protein Cheesecake
Mini Protein Cheesecake

This is an easy no-bake chocolate & vanilla protein cheesecake to help with a sweet craving. Made in a cupcake mold for a perfect single serving treat.

This mini protein cheesecake combines pure almond flour and cacao with a touch of sweetener for the crust. The filling uses Trutein vanilla bean protein powder. Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate, or Salted Caramel are also great options. Trutein is a blend of whey, egg, and casein proteins.

This recipe also works with plant-based protein powders. I recommend chocolate with a bit of cacao added as well as a dash of sweetener.

It’s hard to be patient, but place in freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill and firm them up before enjoying. 🙂

There’s no better time to invest in yourself and adopt sustainable healthy habits – get started here.

A decadent single-serving cheesecake desert with less than 150 Calories and just over 20 g protein.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free.

Posted on by

White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili

This creamy white bean chicken chili is a super nutritious meal prep dish. Blending the beans and yogurt provides rich texture without the need for heavy cream.

I love easy recipes that I can batch prep on weekends for meals throughout the week. This white bean chicken chili is super simple and tasty! The beans are an excellent source of healthy carbs including fiber, and also provide some protein on top of the protein in the chicken.

To save time, purchasing pre-cooked chicken is a great option. A personal favorite is Costco’s pre-cooked rotisserie breast meat which doesn’t have the rubbery texture of some of the other pre-cooked options.

I found this dish to be very filling. Strongly recommend topping with some cilantro, habanero for heat, and a dash of mild cheese. Turkey also works great if chicken isn’t handy. For a plant based option, omit chicken (consider extra firm tofu chunks), swap the stock for vegetable broth, and use cashew yogurt instead of plain nonfat Greek yogurt.

Contact me for customized nutrition coaching to support your weight loss, performance, and strength goals.

This creamy white chicken chili is a nutritious way to stay warm (and full). By whipping up some of the beans and adding some yogurt, this chili has a rich texture without the need for cream.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free

Posted on by

Chicken Veggie Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Veggie Pot Pie Soup

A warm and satisfying chicken veggie pot pie soup loaded with veggies and classic spices. Heaped with protein and micronutrients!

I absolutely love the flavors in pot pie, so created this healthier soup version loaded with veggies.

To add more color to the soup, I used Trader Joe’s “Carrots of Many Colors” and English peas. Increasing the colors in your diet with a variety of vegetables (and fruits) provides a broader spectrum of plant phytopigments. Many of these compounds (e.g. the polyphenol anthocyanin found in purple carrots), have antioxidant properties.

For the soup base, I used low-sodium chicken broth plus collagen protein as a thickener. Alternatively, you could use chicken (or turkey) stock and omit the collagen. Or, if you want to make a plant-based soup, omit the chicken or turkey and use vegetable broth, and instead add an additional 2 tbsp flour to the base.

Homogenizing the riced cauliflower, broth, collagen, oil, and flour with an immersion blender or in a high speed blender provides the soup a creamier tasting base without the need to add butter. I’m not into having a lot of kitchen gadgets, but if you make a lot of soup or stews an immersion blender is super handy.

Ward off the cold with this warming and satisfying pot-pie soup. It’s rich tasting and loaded with flavorful veggies!

Need to rehab your nutrition? Schedule a call with me to review your current eating and how to best achieve your goals.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free.

Posted on by

Chocolate Cranberry Bran Muffins

Chocolate Cranberry Bran Muffins

These delicious chocolate cranberry bran muffins are packed with healthful fiber and micronutrients. The words “fiber” and “delicious” are not often used in the same sentence…thanks to cacao, molasses, and oat bran, it’s possible! About 115 Calories and 5g of fiber in each muffin.

I like bran muffins, but don’t like the bloaty feeling as if I’ve eaten an entire wicker swing set. These are perfectly portioned at 115 Calories each and contain 5g of fiber per muffin. Enough to do some good, but not enough to cause…ahem…unexpected surprises.

Each muffin has 5 g of sugar which comes from the no-sugar added dried cranberries and molasses. Molasses is a necessary ingredient in bran muffins for the classic taste, but we’ve used less than in a typical recipe and supplemented with no sugar pancake syrup.

These chocolate cranberry bran muffins do not contain oil or added fat. Strategic use of riced cauliflower makes them moist but adds no taste. Many of my clients struggle with vegetable intake – there are plenty of ways to incorporate them into your diet to make them easier to eat.

Be sure to let them cool completely before placing in a Tupperware in the fridge. They still taste excellent after re-heating in the microwave for a few seconds. I recommend topping with Greek yogurt or some almond butter.

A delicious and rich chocolatey treat with beneficial fiber and micronutrients. 113 calories with 5g of fiber per muffin

Looking for a balanced nutrition strategy to meet your goals? Contact me for a free consultation.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad and pop-up free.