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Dinner Featured Main Dish Nutrition Vegetarian

COCONUT CURRY LENTIL MEATBALLS

September 29, 2019

With the cooler temps approaching, warm & cozy meals are a must! Many parts of the country are experiencing a dip in temp but here in South Texas we are still above 95 degrees! Despite this, I am making all the Fall foods and this recipe is one delicious bowl of comfort! I’ll pretend I am eating it in front of a warm cracking fire as the leaves are falling outside. Can you tell I miss the PNW much? I do love my seasons, so Texas has been an adjustment for me. In South Texas we basically have Spring and Summer weather, which has its perks but there is something about the leaves changing color, a cooler breeze, and cozier nights that transitions you to a new season. So in preparation of these cooler months to come, this coconut curry “meatless” meatball dish is the perfect meal for a cozy night in.

Coconut and curry are some of my favorite flavors. I love the creaminess coconut adds and curry provides an aromatic warm spice flavor. Together these two make a great combo creating the creamiest flavorful sauce inspired by Halfbaked Harvest’s version. Plus curry provides a ton of health benefits, more on this a little later.

This dish takes a little effort, especially if you are making your meatballs from scratch. In Halfbaked Harvest’s original recipe she uses homemade chicken meatballs however I opted to make this recipe 100% vegetarian so created my all time favorite Lentil Meatballs from Sprouted Kitchen. These meatballs combine lentils, parsley, eggs, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs then cooked in the oven to create a dense but flavorful meatless meatball. It really works perfectly in this creamy coconut curry sauce! YUM!

To save time I use precooked lentils from Trader Joes. I also double the meatball recipe and freeze the extras so the next time I make this I can whip it up in half the time. You could easily double any meatball recipe you are using and do the same thing. Or skip the meatball making process and buy your favorite premade frozen meatballs. Either way, this dish is really all in the sauce!

MEAL PREP TIP: Precooked lentils & double the meatball recipe to freeze and next time you can have this dish ready in 15 minutes!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CURRY

Curry is a well know spice typically used in Indian and Thai cooking. Curry is not a single spice but a combination of several spices; turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, etc. Each curry may have a different blend of these spices and therefore may vary some on the potential health benefits.

Turmeric tends to be one of the most researched spices in curry. Turmeric is what gives curry its yellow color and contains the active compound called curcumin; powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Most well known benefits of curry are:

Reduces inflammation
Relieves joint pain
Detoxifies the liver
Fights cancer causing free radicals
Delays degenerative diseases

If you are not a fan of curry but want to reap the benefits you can buy turmeric or curcumin capsules sold at most health food stores. The capsules are actually more potent than curry powder itself and would allow you to see the benefits sooner.

If you like curry, I encourage you to try this recipe if not for the health benefits than the delicious warm bowl of curry and meatballs!

Enjoy and be sure to tag #platefulnutrition in your recipes!

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Breakfast Dairy-free Dessert Featured Gluten-free Seasonal Vegetarian

Pumpkin Bread

September 25, 2019

Officially Fall season and nothing says Fall like baking fresh pumpkin bread. The aromas that fill your kitchen when making this bread will get you quickly into the Fall season. Y’all know by now I love Fall and although it may be a little too warm in South Texas (93 degrees today) I am baking up all the pumpkin bread to trick my mind into thinking its cooler out, that logic works right!?

This pumpkin bread is SO delicious! Heavy on the pumpkin flavor, perfectly sweetened, a little crunch from the pumpkin seeds, super moist and spiced with all the Fall spices…cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, YUM!

This recipe is entirely gluten-free. I used Trader Joes all-purpose gluten-free flour. No dairy either but honestly you wouldn’t know it as this bread is incredibly moist thanks to the pumpkin puree and coconut oil. It’s literally the best pumpkin bread I’ve made and not just for gluten-free for ANY pumpkin bread.

Drizzled with Maple Butter from Trader Joes

This pumpkin bread is SO good slightly warm out of the oven, drizzled with some maple butter (a new product I found at Trader Joes.) If you’re like me, you’ll eat this bread in a day but if you have some self control the leftovers are fantastic for breakfast. This bread also pairs perfectly with my Pumpkin Spice Latte, so you really should make both together to really embrace the cozy Fall season. You’re going to love it!

Plus this pumpkin bread would make a beautiful hostess gift and is a must for your holiday gatherings!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and if you make it please tag #platefulnutrition so I can see your baking skills!

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Breakfast Dessert Featured Food

STRAWBERRY ROSE GRANOLA POPS

August 25, 2019

Seriously, these pops are ridiculously good. Creamy, refreshing, and juicy strawberry flavor. Oh, did I mention this is totally a legit breakfast too!

Made from wholesome ingredients like oats, fresh strawberries, honey and Culina yogurt as the dairy-free star! This nutritious popsicle provides probiotics, protein, whole grains and fruit making it a perfect on-the-go breakfast situation you didn’t know you needed in your life.

Whips up SO fast and stays nice and chilly in the fridge for when you need a quick breakfast, snack, post-workout, healthier dessert or whenever, just because it’s that’s GOOD.

What makes these pops truly AMAZING is the Culina yogurt providing a creamy thick and delicious texture. Plus Culina is a dairy-free yogurt but not just any dairy-free yogurt, this stuff is clean like no gums, fillers or junk that a lot of other dairy-free yogurts contain. Hands down the best dairy-free yogurt on the PLANET and dare I say best yogurt PERIOD. You lactose loving folk will find that this yogurt lacks nothing in taste, texture and quality that you might just forgo your usual cow’s milk based yogurts 🙂

Culina yogurt is based out of Austin, TX. Small run business turning it up in the yogurt community. They have four excellent flavors; Strawberry Rose, Blueberry Lavender, Bourbon Vanilla and Plain & Simple. With pretty low sugar content, only 1-9 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor). PLUS a dose of gut-healthy probiotics and good-for-you ingredients made straight from coconut cream and only sweetened with maple syrup and real fruit!

If you’ve seen my photos of Culina yogurt by now you’re probably asking yourself “is this yogurt in a terra cotta pot?” And the answer is YES and how genius, right?!! Not only are they cute but they are better for the environment too. In an effort to reduce waste of plastic yogurt containers Culina put their yogurt in these adorable little 5 oz terra cotta pots so you can reuse them in anyway imaginable! Snack bowl, new succulent pot, beverage cup, paper clip holder on your desk, etc…

I hope you enjoy these pops as much as I do! Please tag @platefulnutrition in your photos!

Be sure to check out Culina yogurt or @culinayogurt on IG. Get Culina yogurt delivered to your door, click link Culina Yogurt

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Dinner Featured Food Main Dish Nutrition

HERB ROASTED SALMON + kale chard caesar salad

August 17, 2019

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so I have a deep love for salmon. I realize now living in Texas how truly spoiled I was to have fresh wild caught salmon at my fingers tips. My absolute favorite salmon is the Copper River King Salmon that appears around late spring/summer months.

“Every year (May – September) king, sockeye and coho return to the Copper River to make the arduous 300-mile migration up the turbulent waters in order to spawn. Because the Copper River is so long and steep (gains an average elevation of 12 feet per mile) these fish must pack on sufficient fat reserves to fuel their epic journey–resulting in salmon that is rich in heart- healthy omega-3 fatty acids and flavorful oils.”
CopperRiverSalmon.Org

Copper river king salmon oozes fat and literally melts in your mouth. This fish is also very odorless and only needs salt & pepper to let the natural flavors shine. I had the opportunity to have an overwhelming supply of this fish when I lived near Oregon. My husband’s uncle is a fisherman and dropped of pounds of this gold at our doorstep regularly. Boy was I spoiled! The funny thing is my husband did not like salmon at the time, so I got this delicious fish ALL to myself! Today my husband still gets sad over this lost opportunity now that he enjoys salmon. Copper river king salmon is very expensive but if you ever see it I highly recommend you splurge and savor this delicious seasonal salmon, best money spent in my opinion!

Now that I am in Texas my salmon expectations have had to adjust a little. I continue to buy wild salmon because I do believe it has superior benefits and taste to farm raised. My local Whole Foods will carry wild king salmon and I have also purchased Trident Seafood’s frozen wild salmon sold at Costco or Trader Joe’s frozen wild sockeye.

For this recipe, I used the Trident Seafood’s frozen wild salmon but any type of fresh or frozen salmon will do for this recipe. I find previously frozen salmon can be less desirable than fresh so I really like this recipe, all the fresh herbs add a lot of flavor.

This recipe not only adds a wonderful herb taste to the salmon but it comes together in under 15 minutes and only requires minimum of 3 ingredients; herbs, butter & salmon!

I especially enjoy this salmon over the kale & chard caesar salad! Tossed in the creamiest yogurt-based caesar dressing and pecorino cheese, YUM! This salad & salmon combo really makes the healthiest weeknight meal. Omega-3 fats from the salmon and all the nutrient-dense vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients like iron, calcium and fiber from the dark leafy greens. Best part is this meal whips up quick and the salad makes enough for leftovers! Kale and chard both hold up super well with dressing. You can prep a big bowl of this salad, store it and it will still be crunchy tomorrow.

HERB ROASTED SALMON RECIPE:

You can use really any extra fresh herbs you have on hand; basil, parsley, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, dill, chives, etc….all combos work but I only choose about 3 herbs to use at a time. My favorite combo is fresh dill, chives and parsley.

In a oven-safe pan like stainless steel skillet or cast iron add the butter and herbs and place into 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes until the butter is melted and herbs are sizzling in the butter but not burnt.

Make sure to thaw your salmon if previously frozen. Once butter is melted place thawed salmon skin side up and return to the hot oven for another 4-5 minutes.

Carefully remove the hot pan out of the oven and gently pull away the salmon’s skin. It should pull away fairly easy if not return salmon to oven for another minute or two.

Once the skin is removed, season salmon with salt and pepper. Flip salmon over and season again. Return salmon back to oven for another 3 minutes or until done depending on the thickness of your filet. You should see some white fat oozing out and filet glistening.

Remove from oven once cooked through and finish with extra fresh herbs. Feel free to spoon the extra herby-butter over the salmon before serving. I find this cooking method keeps the salmon very moist.

For a variation of this recipe, I used What’s Gaby Cooking All Things Seafood seasoning sold at Williams Sonoma. This Herb rub is great if you don’t have fresh herbs on hand or maybe only 1-2 fresh herbs this seasoning can give a boost of flavor if needed, but not necessary.

If you have extra caesar dressing, try my recipe for Crispy Caesar Sprouts!

If you try out this recipe, please use #platefulnutrition, I love seeing your creations!!

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Dessert Featured Food

SIMPLE PEACH CRUMBLE

July 13, 2019

Crumbles, crisps, cobblers, I’ll take it any way you make it! One of my absolute favorite desserts in the summer because you can use all the delicious fresh seasonal fruit. July in Texas is in full peach season! We get the best juiciest peaches from Fredericksburg, TX. Its like a cult around here when the peaches are ready, people travel from all over Texas to get their hands on these peaches and they are worth it!

We headed to Vogel Orchard this year to buy our peaches. It’s right off highway 290 in the beautiful Hill Country of Fredericksburg. It is also right along the path of wine country so we may have gotten distracted by a winery or two on our way 🙂

Inside the green peach stand was a variety of seasonal peaches. The workers were so helpful inside by explaining the different varieties and provided a sample of each one. Honestly, they all tasted great, it was so hard to pick which one to buy but we ended up with the loring peaches. The loring peach is a firm but super sweet peach which will make for the best crumble.

Vogel isn’t just peaches, they also had giant watermelons for sale and during certain seasons you can also get local berries, farm fresh vegetables and pumpkins in the Fall. Inside they had a little market which sold all types of jams, preserves and sauces many of which were peach flavored. And if you’re really in the peach mood you can get their homemade peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream!

So if you plan on making this crumble recipe, which I know you will, I HIGHLY recommend you use local farm fresh peaches! It seriously made the best crumble. The peaches were sweeter and provided a more peachy flavor than the ones I’ve gotten at the grocery store.

SIMPLE PEACH CRUMBLE RECIPE:

This peach crumble recipe is truly the easiest. Using basic pantry items you can throw this dessert together for any last minute summer soiree. Keeping it healthier, I used oats and nuts for the topping mixed in with a little brown sugar.

TO GET STARTED you first want to slice your peaches and arrange them in your cast iron skillet or any type of oven-proof dish will do. You don’t need to add anything to the peaches. If you are using ripe peaches they are already sweet and will cook down nicely.

NEXT in your food processor, pulse the oats, flour, cinnamon, pecans, brown sugar, and salt until crumbly. Next add coconut oil and pulse a few more times until the mixture comes together into a soft crumble.

SPRINKLE topping over your peaches.

DONE! Well almost, now you just have to wait about 15 minutes for it to cook. At the end of cooking I usually set it to broiler for a minute or two just to get the topping a little crispier, but that’s really optional.

We often enjoy our crumble with a scoop of ice cream on top. My favorite ice cream is Dolcezza gelato. However, this crumble is delicious on its own or even simply with a dollop of whip cream.

TIP: If you have extras, I love adding in a spoonful or two into my oatmeal in the morning! So good!

Don’t forget!! When you make it, I want to see it! Use #platefulnutrition on IG!

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Breakfast Featured Food

COCONUT CARROT WAFFLES

June 8, 2019

It’s the one breakfast food that tells you it’s the weekend, THE WAFFLE. Around our house the waffle has become a Sunday morning regular along with the French press coffee. I love a good waffle but I am particular. It has to be Belgium style; thick & crispy on the outside but soft & fluffy on the inside. To do just that we have the All-Clad 4 square waffle maker. It makes the BEST waffles. We got this as a wedding gift back in the day and it is one of our most used small kitchen appliances and this thing is built to last, still going strong 10 years later.

What I love about this Coconut Carrot waffle recipe is the carrot addition. I am always excited when I can sneak veggies in at a meal time especially one that normally is sans-veggies. Besides omelettes most people do not consider eating a vegetable for breakfast. So I welcome this waffle recipe with open arms!! The carrots are hardly noticeable in the waffle. Some might think it’s odd but trust me it adds just a little surprise, in a good way!

This is not an overly sweet waffle. Just a touch of honey and 1 banana sweetens this batter but with extra fruit, drizzle of peanut butter and maple syrup on top you really don’t need anything more.

I used coconut milk (Califia Farms coconut-almond milk blend) because that is what I prefer but feel free to use regular milk if that’s what you have on hand.

Along with the all-purpose flour, I’ve added in some buckwheat four or spelt flour, both turn out perfectly soft waffles. The addition of either of the flours adds a little more fiber and nutrition to the recipe.

For a boost of omega-3 and fiber you could also add walnuts or pecans to the batter which would add a nice crunch to the waffle.

Once your batter is all mixed up, its ready to go! Heat up your waffle iron (my setting was 3) and prep the iron with cooking spray. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into each square.

YUM YUM YUM! Nice golden color, crunchy exterior but super soft inside!

Now, just add that melted butter, fruit, maple syrup, peanut butter or whatever your topping of choice is and dig in!

Don’t forget to tag #platefulnutrition so I can see your waffle making skills!

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Breakfast Featured

POTATO EGG NEST

May 15, 2019

What is better than eggs & hash browns? The fancy adult version called potato egg nest!

These Egg Nests are the perfect creation for those who love eggs and hash browns but even if you don’t who can resist these adorable egg cups. Each bite has a perfect egg-to-hash ratio. Crispy potato shreds surrounding a perfectly soft cooked egg giving you serious yolk goals, see photo below.

This is one of those recipes you want to have in your back pocket when you have guest for breakfast or need to feed a crowd. This recipe is fairly easy to whip up yet looks sophisticated enough to impress your guest. Plus these fancy eggs are the best because they have easy make-a-head potential. Wouldn’t these little “egg basket” be so darn cute for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day or just about any special occasion!

You may be thinking this dish looks difficult or even time consuming but trust me it’s neither of those. You can use frozen hash browns saving you loads of time from peeling and shredding fresh potatoes.

Make-a-head bonus: By par-baking the hash browns in the muffin tin the day before, come sunrise you can plop the eggs into the egg nests and bake making it a breeze come morning but even if you don’t do that this all comes together pretty quick.

How To Make Eggs Nests

Basics: you’ll need an oiled muffin tin, eggs, frozen/fresh hash browns*, parm cheese, butter, S&P, and fresh herbs; chives, parsley, etc.

*If you are doing fresh hash browns, after grating your potatoes make sure to squeeze out any extra liquid using a cheesecloth or dish towel.

Combine shredded potatoes, parm, butter, and S&P. Put about 1-2 tbsp in each muffin tin and using your fingers press potato mixture in and up the sides of the muffin cup. Complete all 12 muffin tins. Cook in oven until slightly golden on the edges**.

**Now if you are making these ahead you can stop here. Once potato nest cooked and cooled, remove from muffin tin and store in airtight container in refrigerator. When you are ready to complete the remaining steps, put potato nest back into greased muffin tin and carry on.

Carefully drop an egg into each potato nest. Sprinkle with cheese and cook for another 15 minutes or until done to your likeness.

Once cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle with chives or parsley and top with avocado, sour cream, salsa, or sriracha

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Drink Featured Nutrition

TOP BENEFITS OF MATCHA & HOW TO MAKE MATCHA LATTE

May 15, 2019

Matcha is becoming super popular. It’s no longer just limited to your lattes and teas, you can find it in protein bars, energy bites, smoothies and more making it easier to enjoy all the benefits from this green superfood. I’m big fan of matcha not only for the health benefits but I love the earthy taste of matcha. My favorite way to enjoy matcha is in the form of a latte. By using almond or coconut milk I find the bitterness fades into a subtle sweetness. Since $5 lattes at the coffee shop aren’t really in my budget I’ve come up with my own deliciously creamy version for home. I actually think it’s better than the coffee shops and best of all and I can enjoy this warm drink as I sit in my comfy pants and slippers and slowly sip with a book in hand – its the perfect cozy situation.

Not only is matcha powder a beautiful vibrant green it boasts of an impressive list of nutrients and health benefits to go along with it. Such as, antioxidants, increased mental clarity, improved cognition, liver and heart benefits to name a few. So lets take a closer look as to why matcha is so stellar.

Why Drink Matcha

Well, besides it’s beautifully green color and earthy taste, matcha is considered a superfood. This green powder is an antioxidant powerhouse! You might be familiar with regular green tea and know that green tea is good for you because of all those antioxidants. Well similarly, matcha has antioxidants but on steroids. One serving of matcha has as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular green tea! Essentially Matcha is green tea powder but harvested and processed differently. The matcha leaves are specially harvested and then the whole leaves are ground making it more concentrated then just brewed green tea leaves.

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are your body’s defense agents to fight toxins from pollution, chemicals, and radiation that we are constantly exposed to day to day. In particular, a potent antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (say that 10 times fast!) abbreviated EGCG is found to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity and matcha contains this powerful antioxidant.

A lot of what we know at about matcha is because powerful antioxidants found in green tea and blueberries for example have been studied for years and matcha contains these same antioxidants but at an even higher potency.

While matcha has become a trendy drink, I think it’s important to understand some key benefits to have a better purpose for incorporating matcha into your diet. Matcha can enhance an already healthy lifestyle but don’t expect this to cure disease, although those claims may exist there are no scientific studies to prove this. Think of matcha more as a dietary supplement to compliment already healthy habits. Benefits of matcha may help restore your bodies integral well-being and bring harmonious balance. Meaning it may help decrease stress, bring calmness and focus and may enhance brain function and memory.

Matcha itself has limited research but because matcha contains similar antioxidants to green tea studies do exist showing green tea may improve heart health, liver function and mental health. But remember one single health food is not a fix-all. Eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and healthy fats is key to maximize the potential of matcha.

While matcha does have a lot of health benefits it may not be for everyone. Matcha has its own distinctive flavor, slightly grassy, earthy tasting, somewhat bitter followed by a lingering sweetness. Some people find matcha too bitter however adding matcha to foods and beverages helps to minimize it’s pungent flavor. I really enjoy using matcha in the form of a latte. I find using almond milk offers a nutty sweetness that balances out the matcha perfectly. Equally delicious you can use coconut milk which has a creamy sweetness that really made the matcha latte a silky dream. So either almond or coconut milk you can’t go wrong with!

Also, matcha contains caffeine but has a slow release compared to other caffeinated drinks like coffee. Matcha has a lot less caffeine than coffee, only 30 mg/teaspoon compared to 150 mg per 8 ounce cup coffee.

Tips For The Perfect Matcha:

Purchase only the organic communal grad matcha: this ensures the highest quality process and pure matcha. Other forms may be a blend and may not contain the same benefits. I use Jade Leaf Matcha, as seen in the photo above. This is a high quality organic communal matcha that has a great taste.

Some low grade matcha brands may appear dull or dark. A good quality matcha should be bright green.

If you plan on making matcha lattes regularly, I would recommend investing in a Japanese bamboo whisk, I have Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo whisk. It is delicate whisk made specifically for matcha to perfectly smooth and blend matcha. You can use a standard whisk but make sure you blend the matcha well so there are no lumps.

How To Use Matcha

Preparing matcha is simple. I usually prepare the dairy-free milk in a small saucepan while I get my matcha ready. I put 1/2-1 tsp matcha in a mug and add 2 tbsp or so of hot water and whisk in a “z” pattern with my bamboo whisk until the matcha is smooth, lump free and frothy. Then once your milk is heated add to your mug and stir.

If a matcha latte isn’t your thing, there are several other ways to incorporate it into your diet so you can unlock the benefits. Try adding a teaspoon into your smoothie or try my recipe for Matcha Energy Bites which has a subtle matcha flavor but you reap all the healthy benefits of matcha!

Let me know if you enjoyed this post below and if you make this delicious drink please tag #platefulnutrition, I’d love to see your creations!

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HEALTH BENEFITS OF CURRY

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