FOOD: Almond Milk Oatmeal with Chia & Blackberries

Good morning Made By Girl readers! Jen from Pretty Eats here with a great way to start your day, Almond Milk Oatmeal with lots of yummy toppings. I'll admit it, I'm more of a "coffee for breakfast" type of girl, something I'm trying to change this year. To make breakfast tempting, I make it beautiful and adaptable to any tastes I'm craving at the moment - sliced nuts and fresh fruit are my favorites! The lovely thing about multi grain oatmeal is that you don't need  a lot to fend off hunger for hours. Also, high quality grain blends can be found pre-packaged or simply in your grocery's bulk bins. Simple, tasty, and easy!

Almond Milk Oatmeal with Chia & Blackberries:
Ingredients:  makes 1 serving

    •    1 c 7 Grain Blend cereal (rye, wheat, oats, barley, etc)
    •    1/2 c almond milk
    •    pinch of sea salt
    •    2 big dollops of your favorite yogurt
    •    1 tsp chia seeds
    •    Additional toppings such as sliced almonds, crushed pistachios, and blackberries.

Directions: 
    •    Heat almond milk to simmering and pour over oats with a small pinch of salt.
    •    Stir and allow oats to soften for a few minutes.
    •    Add toppings of your choice, such as yogurt, chia seeds, almonds, crushed pistachios and blackberries. Enjoy!

-Post & photos by jen olson

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FOOD: ZUCCHINI FRIES

Hi there! Jen from Lemond Drop Love here.  Aren’t zucchini the most versatile veggie?

They substitute pasta and fries (my two favorites) surprisingly well—thank goodness! Being a french fry lover and having a few more pound to shed post pregnancy, I have been trying to eat as healthy as I can without driving myself crazy. These zucchini fries have a lot of flavor plus a really nice crunch and have been able to satisfy my cravings in a big way.  For those of you trying to eat healthy at the start of the New Year, I think you will enjoy these as much as I have.

INGREDIENTS:
Fries
2 medium zucchinis, sliced into skinny sticks
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup Vegenaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholula)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray or oil a baking sheet and set aside.
• Cut zucchini into thin slices and set a side. In a dish, combine the Panko, Parmesan cheese, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk two eggs.
• Dip the zucchini sticks in the eggs and then into the Panko mixture. Coat evenly.
• Place the coated zucchini sticks onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, turning once about halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
• To make the dipping sauce, place all of the ingredients in a bowl; then whisk until combined.

-photos and post by Jen Costea

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FOOD: Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Fresh Berries

Hi there! How are you? Jen from Lemon Drop Love here and it’s just about that time for a healthy hassle-free recipe, don’t ya think?

Well, I finally got on the chia seed bandwagon and I think you should too with this recipe. I made the most scrumptious slightly sweet, chia seed, vanilla pudding topped with fresh berries and crunchy granola. Since I made my first batch, I’ve been eating it everyday for breakfast and it has been such a happy and healthy way to start my day that I want to share this recipe with everyone I know. I think after you give this recipe a try, you will know exactly what I’m talking about. Now go make some and let us know what you think.

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Fresh Berries


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably grade B)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• Strawberries and blueberries
• Granola (I used KIND Cinnamon Oat Clusters)

DIRECTIONS:

• In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, maple syrup, the vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just blended. Whisk in chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with maple syrup (I made sure to coat them evenly). Mix in the granola.
• Spoon the pudding into small mason jars; mound with berries and granola mixture on top and serve. Or cover with lids and store in the refrigerator for the week.

Note: This recipe makes just about 2-3 small mason jars. If you want a full weeks worth of pudding, be sure to double the recipe.

-post and images by jen costea

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FOOD: Spicy, Warm Kale Salad with Sausage

Hi. Jen from Lemon Drop Love here. Do you ever find yourself burned out on the same old salads? I do. Sometimes their texture and flavors are all so similar, they just end up tasting the same. When this happens and I still want to get my veggie fix, I like to experiment with different kinds of ingredients. Hence, my new favorite---spicy, warm kale salad. The jalapeno infused dressing packs a ton of flavor and the kale holds up to all of the warm ingredients. This is the perfect salad when you feel like a hot meal but don’t necessarily want to break the diet with comfort food. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 oz. grape tomatoes
10 oz. kale chopped (ribs removed)
8 oz. spicy Italian sausages (2 large links)
3 jalapenos
1/2 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
4 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Grill sausage links on medium heat for 15 minutes, turning often.
• Meanwhile, place tomatoes on a baking pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake tomatoes for 20 minutes or until bursting and slightly charred on the outside.
• Slice jalapenos and sauté in 1/2 cup olive oil for about 6 minutes or until jalapenos are soft and you can begin to smell their spicy aroma.
• While the jalapenos are cooking, slice the cooked sausage links in to thin slices.
• Remove pan from heat and discard jalapenos, but keep the oil in the pan.
• Place kale into the infused oil and toss until all the leaves are coated in the oil. The heat from the oil and pan will warm the kale and soften it slightly.
• Combine the kale, tomatoes and sausage in a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese and the juice from 1/2 of a lemon and toss.

Serves 4.

-post by jen costea

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Food: Carrot Apple Juice

Hello, MBG readers! Fallon, of Sage + Sparkle here, sharing a healthy treat...Carrot Apple Juice. At the start of a new year, who doesn't love a good detox, and juice or smoothies are the perfect way to start. I typically have a fresh green juice every morning, but there are days that I love to throw in a little variety and this juice is the perfect way to do so. Carrots are really the star in this recipe, helping to cleanse the digestive system, on top of being an antioxidant, and boosting your immune system. Add in the apple and ginger, plus lemon and chia seeds and you have a winning, healthy combination.  

*Please note: you will need a juicer to try this recipe, I recommend the this one. 
 

Ingredients:

• 1 green apple (cut into pieces, removing the core)
• 4-5 large carrots *
• 1 sm piece of fresh ginger (about the size of thumb)
• 1 lemon (peeled)

Fun Fact: When it comes to carrots, the deeper the orange, the higher the concentration of beta-carotene

 

Directions:

Now it's time to add everything together and enjoy this delicious, fresh juice! Add all ingredients to juice in the following order (the order does matter):

• Apple
• Lemon
• Ginger
• Carrot

The last step is to add the chia seeds. Make sure you stir the juice first, to mix in the foam. Pour in chia seeds and stir. Enjoy! To learn more about the health benefits of chia seeds, click here. For more of my juice recipes, visit Sage + Sparkle. 

-post and recipe by Fallon Carmichael, Sage + Sparkle



 

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Food: Cherry, Pistachio & Coconut Breakfast Bars

Hi everyone! It's Lauren from Perpetually Chic. Quick show of hands: Who is guilty of skipping breakfast? When you're dashing out the door in the morning to work, school, or to drop the off kids, breakfast can be the last thing on your mind. 

Yes? It happens more often than I care to admit, but these breakfast bars are my new time-saving trick. Just whip up a batch over the weekend, and you're set for the week. Keep reading for the recipe--no baking required! 

To be clear, these bars are packed with some healthy ingredients like raw almonds, pistachios, and dried cherries. And while they may be better for you than many store-bought granola bars, they're certainly not free of sugar. 

That said, they strike that just-right balance of sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy that I love in a snack... 
 

I used almonds, pistachios, dried cherries, and toasted coconut flakes for my fruit and nut mix. You can also change things up using this same basic recipe--try dried cranberries and walnuts or dried apricots and cashews instead.
 

These bars do have a tendency to stick together, so be sure to layer parchment paper in between the cut squares when you store them. 
 

Cherry, Pistachio & Coconut Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

 1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice cereal (I used Kashi brand)

1 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup raw pistachios

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup unsweetened large coconut flakes, toasted

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons

1/2 cup brown rice syrup (try Whole Foods if your local grocery doesn't have it)

1/4 cup unsalted almond butter

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Leave a few inches overhanging. Grease with 1 teaspoon butter. This allows easy removal later. 

2. In a large bowl, combine cereal, nuts, cherries and coconut flakes. 

3. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together brown rice syrup, almond butter, brown sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix until smooth, allowing to simmer and cook just a minute.

4. Immediately pour the hot mixture into the bowl with the cereal mixture. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything until evenly coated. 

5. Pour the mixture into the pan. Press the mixture evenly with your hands. It will be very sticky! Refrigerate the bars in the pan about 1 hour to set.

6. Lift the foil to remove the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the bars into 2-inch squares (small bars).

7. Place the bars in an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper in between each layer of bars. Store in the refrigerator for a week.

*Recipe and images by Lauren Craig

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Food: Kale Salad

I love salads - especially during the summer season. At our place - salads have been very popular lately, especially kale salad. Kale salad is super easy to make - a great alternative to lettuce because it holds its texture better. 

Strip the leaves from the woody stems and then chop them well. Add any normal extras - goes great especially with fruit such as pears or peaches, and some nuts like pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Toss it well in a simple, sweet dressing - mix 3 Tbs olive oil, 2 Tbs honey or agave, 2 Tbs balsamic or lemon, 1/2 tsp poppy seeds, 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt.

My version

His version - so much fancier than mine, I know.

Here we added some easy-to-make polenta chips. 

How do you make polenta chips?? Well, go to your local market & buy pre-formed polenta (in a tube) and using a very sharp, thin blade knife to cut very thin slices (about 1/8" thick). Deep fry in vegetable oil over medium heat - allow to crisp but don't burn. Drain the oil. While still hot, sprinkle with garlic powder or fine sea salt.

Did you know that Kale is healthy for you?
Kale’s health benefits are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K.  Kale is a veggie which is also known as borecole, & is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet! They say it also helps lower cholesterol levels....now if i could only get my dad to start eating it!  So, there you go!

Do you eat kale? How do you like it?

-images by jen ramos
-recipes from Mat

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FOOD: Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lauren here today, with a crowd-pleasing appetizer for your next get together. Think of this as the healthier sister to the P.F. Chang's version that everyone loves. 

Yes, there are a gazillion copycat recipes of this app floating around, but my take is a little different and still full of plenty of flavor. The best part is how easy it is--the perfect kind of dish to serve up at a party and let your guests help themselves. Keep reading for the recipe!
 

Let's start with the ingredients. Most recipes call for ground chicken, which happens to include dark meat. Instead, cook a few chicken breasts to shred so you get the lean, white meat only.

 Shredded carrots and radicchio are an easy way to sneak in some extra nutrients and balance each other out (sweet and bitter). The dressing is where it's all at, though. Dijon mustard and minced ginger pack a lot of flavor, and using light soy sauce cuts out some of the extra salt.

To serve, Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves work best as they're naturally curled into the perfect-sized cups. Set out fresh bean sprouts for a low-cal crunchy topping, as well as chopped chives and toasted sesame seeds. 

For the dressing:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

For the filling:

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 small radicchio, shredded 

2 carrots, shredded with a box grater

For serving:

Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves

Fresh bean sprouts, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped chives for garnish

Sriracha for added heat

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine first five ingredients. Whisk in the vegetable and sesame oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, radicchio and carrot. Add the dressing slowly, tossing to combine. You may not need all of it. 

3. To serve, spoon chicken mixture into the lettuce leaves. Top with bean sprouts, chives and toasted sesame seeds. 

-Recipes & images by Lauren Craig

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