Beets, Red Beets, Beetroot

Beets, Red beets, Beetroot. Whatever this red root vegetable is called, it can be added to a variety of dishes: salads, soups, smoothies, and even desserts! It is easily becoming a popular food in my daily diet.

I recently ate a delicious salad with roasted red beets, chickpeas and feta. At home, I tried to recreate it (without the feta as I didn't have any) but used canned beets instead.

As much as roasted veg tastes great, I rarely have the patience to wait whilst veg roasts in the oven, especially when it can be eaten raw in a salad or steamed in boiling water for a couple of minutes. As the weather warms up and summer approaches, I prefer to eat uncooked food and keep the oven turned off.

The convenience, shelf-life and cost ($0.79 a can) associated with canned beets are more appealing. Cooking fresh beets take 35-60 minutes. They then must be peeled before use in a dish. After discovering they also maintain about the same nutritional value as fresh beets, giving you a good source of fiber, iron and folate, I stocked up at my local supermarket - ensuring I bought beets with no added salt.

A typical serving (120g / 4oz) contains 40 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 25mg sodium (no added salt variety), 8g carbs, 6g sugars and 1g fiber. They also contain potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, and antioxidants.

The day after my beetroot salad, I used some in a smoothie. I added in 100g canned beets into my Green Fruit and Veg Smoothie. Instead of green, it turned out to be a milk chocolate brown colour. Although it didn't taste like drinking melted chocolate, the natural sugars from the apple and beets made it refreshingly sweet.

I am keen to make Borscht, an Eastern European soup, as well as red velvet brownies and cupcakes.

Banana Oat Energy Bars

If I have ripe bananas that need eating, I usually make a banana smoothie or freeze them and make ice cream. Another great way to use ripe bananas is to make energy bars. When mixed with oats, nuts and dried fruit, a simple all-natural snack is created!

A large banana (approx. 130g) typically has 120 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 3.5g fiber and less than 0.5g fat. Half of the carbohydrates are sugars so they are naturally sweet.

In the recipe below I used a mixture of dried dates and cranberries, and a mixture of chopped almonds and cashews. Any dried fruits and nuts can be used (e.g. raisins, apricots, walnuts, pecans etc.) A serving of dried dates or cranberries (40g) have the same nutritional values so I tend to use whatever I have in the pantry. The same applies for almonds and cashews. A serving (28g) of these two nuts also have the same nutritional values so I can use whatever I like without being too concerned about what/how much I'm putting into my mouth!

I have been experimenting with energy bar recipes. Another great recipe that uses oats, dried fruits and nuts is also on my blog: Oatmeal Energy Bars

Banana Oat Energy Bars
Makes 8
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 160g / 5.7oz oats
- 40g / 1.4oz dried fruit (pitted and chopped dates and/or dried cranberries)
- 28g / 1oz nuts (chopped almonds and/or cashews)
- sprinkle cinnamon (optional)

Method:
In a bowl, mash the bananas until no large chunks remain.

Stir in the vanilla extract, oats, dried fruit and chopped nuts.
Mix thoroughly, using hands if desired to combine all ingredients.
Pour into a loaf tin or an 8x8in baking pan. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top.

Bake in the oven at 175C / 350F for 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack and then cut into 8 bars/squares. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Oatmeal Energy Bars

I was reluctant to call these oat bars 'oatmeal energy bars' as all food could be labelled as 'energy'! It's true that carbohydrates from oats, sugars from dried cranberries, fats from almonds and cashews, and protein and fiber from flaxseed all give a person energy. However, almost all food and drink contains calories that can be used as a source of energy. A chocolate bar could be named an energy bar and a slice of pizza could be called an energy slice. One has to consider the ingredients and quantity in a serving in order to determined whether or not food is healthy and beneficial to a person's body.

The recipe below is fairly simple and delicious. The only job that requires a little effort is turning the cashews into cashew butter or paste. A food processor is required for this task. Nut butter can be purchased from a supermarket but they sometimes contain additional ingredients like oil which is not really necessary. Simply add the cashews to a food processor and mix until a paste is formed.

The picture below shows the various stages of the cashew butter. Be patient and persevere. It's not as time consuming and tough on the blender as making almond butter. It's tempting to add liquid like water or oil but I resisted and the cashews were slowly transformed into a smooth paste.

Depending on my 'energy' requirements, I usually cut these bars into 6, 8 or 12 pieces. I think the ideal serving is eight. When cut into six bars, each one is very filling and contains almost 350 calories; great for a long bike ride or day hike. Twelve bars are ideal for mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks, containing 170 calories) and can easily be eaten on the go. However, they are so delicious that one twelfth sometimes doesn't feel like enough. Eight squares provide 250 calories each which make a great pre- or post-workout snack.

Regardless of size, each energy bar has a gooey, soft texture (like a cliff bar), thanks to the oats and cashew butter, with sweetness from the cranberries and the honey, plus crunch from the chopped almonds.

Oatmeal Energy Bars
Makes 6, 8 or 12
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 160g / 5.7oz oats
- 26g / 4tbsp flaxseed
- 56g / 2oz almonds, chopped
- 40g / 1.4oz cranberries, dried
- 1/4tsp cinnamon
- 112g / 4oz cashews, blended into butter/paste
- 15ml / 1tbsp water
- 80g / 4tbsp honey

- 1tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Combine dry ingredients (oats, flaxseed, almonds, cranberries and cinnamon) in a bowl.

In a food processor, blend the cashews to form a buttery paste. There's no need to add liquid, just keep blending.

In a pan or microwaveable bowl, slowly heat the cashew paste, water, honey and vanilla extract to combine all ingredients. This helps make a smoother mixture which is easier to blend with the dry ingredients.

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until well mixed. Use your hand to combine if desired.

Pack firmly into a baking pan. I used a loaf tin but an 8x8 tin will also work.

Chill for a few hours, then cut into 6, 8 or 12 slices/squares. ENJOY! 

 

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 8 Bars

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 6 Bars

Oatmeal Energy Bars - 12 Bars

Guacamole

Another great dip for avocado lovers! I recently highlighted a few benefits of avocados in my Sunshine Muffins recipe post. Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making them a great substitute for foods high in saturated fat. They also contain magnesium which is good for bone health and muscle and nerve function, in addition to assisting with sleep. A G&T is a refreshing accompaniment with guacamole, which may also assist with sleep!

Some basic general knowledge about guacamole (thanks to Wikipedia) reveals it was made by the Aztecs by at least the 16th century. The name comes from an Aztec dialect via Nahuatl āhuacamolli, which literally translates to "avocado sauce", from āhuacatl ("avocado") and molli ("sauce", literally "concoction").

Baked tortillas go perfectly with guacamole. It's easy to buy fresh flour or corn tortillas, cut them into triangles, spray them with a little cooking spray and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes at 175C / 350F - turning after 10 minutes.

Whilst flour tortillas are super tasty, corn tortillas are a better choice in terms of nutritional value. Corn tortillas are lower in calories, have less fat, fewer sugars and more fibre. Corn tortillas generally have less sodium than flour too. As an added bonus, corn tortillas are smaller so one serving typically allows for two corn tortillas where as one flour tortilla equals one serving.
This infographic also offers a nice comparison summary.

Flour (L) Corn (R) Tortillas

Guacamole
Makes 4, 85g servings
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz / 2 medium avocados, mashed
- 15ml / 1tbsp lime juice
- 1/2tsp cumin
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 50g / 1.8oz - jalapeno. seeded and diced
- 140g / 5oz tomato, seeded and diced
- 1tbsp cilantro, fresh and chopped (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method:
In a bowl, mix the avocados, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Stir in the jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic.

Refrigerate for 1 hour for best flavour, or serve immediately. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Balsamic Chicken

Whether I eat this chicken dish by itself or encase it in corn tortillas and make chicken tacos/fajitas, it is super delicious. It is not overly sweet and doesn't contain any high sugar/sodium sauces that are often used when cooking chicken. By simply heating honey, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, the chicken, onions, peppers and mushrooms are slowly caramelised. A spoonful of non-fat Greek yogurt goes nicely with a tortilla and two to three tacos make a satisfying meal.

Another popular chicken taco recipe I often make uses several spices (chili, cumin, paprika) plus a little brown sugar to make Chili Rubbed Chicken. Whereas the chili rubbed chicken requires a few hours to marinade, the balsamic chicken below can be made and eaten immediately as everything is just thrown into a frying pan and cooked within 20 minutes.

To nutritionally compare both chicken recipes, the two dishes are over 300 calories but under 350 calories per serving (without any yogurt or tortillas), which is usually half of the ingredients. Total fat is very similar (5.6-5.7g). Cholesterol is under 100mg, protein is the same, 40g, and so is fiber, 3.2g.

There is more sodium in the balsamic chicken recipe (667mg compared with 125mg in the chili rubbed chicken), most likely due to the soy sauce. However I used low sodium soy sauce. Another significant difference between the two recipes is the amount of sugar as the chili rubbed chicken contains 11.4g sugars, coming from a little brown sugar and the natural sugars found in the tomatoes and sweet corn. The balsamic chicken has 26g sugars, from the balsamic vinegar and honey - hence the tasty sweetness!

I am always conscious of added sugars and excess sodium but I think one tablespoon of honey and balsamic vinegar, plus a tablespoon of light soy sauce per serving is reasonable. The calories and sodium count can really added up if eating several tortillas with the chicken, especially flour tortillas that usually have 290mg sodium and 100 calories in just one tortilla. The corn variety are better with around 20mg sodium and 100 calories in two tortillas. A nutritional tortilla comparison is below for further information.

Balsamic Chicken
Serves 2-3 (fills 6 tortillas)
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 7.5ml / 1/2tbsp olive oil
- 110g / 4oz onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 300g / 11oz chicken breast, sliced
- 140g / 5oz green pepper, sliced
- 170g / 6oz mushrooms, sliced
- 30ml / 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 40g / 2tbsp honey
- 30ml / 2tbsp soy sauce, light

Method:
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions, garlic and chicken for 5-7 minutes.

Add the pepper and mushrooms, along with the balsamic vinegar, honey and soy sauce and cook for another 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender, liquid has been reduced and chicken is cooked.

Serve with flour or corn tortillas and a spoonful of non-fat Greek yogurt. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Tortillas NI:
When reviewing the difference between corn and flour tortillas, remember that one serving of corn equals two tortillas and one serving of flour is only one tortilla.

Roasted Chickpeas

All the spices in this recipes have been featured many times in previous recipes. I've also used chickpeas in earlier blog posts. It's not the end of the world if all spices aren't used. Cayenne pepper could be used as an alternative. Perhaps some mixed herbs and ground black pepper would also taste good.

Roasted Chickpeas

Makes 4 (30g serving)

Ingredients:
- 420g / 15oz / 1 can drained chickpeas
- 1tsp olive oil
- 2tsp cumin
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 1/2tsp chili powder
- 1/2tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

Bake in the oven at 190C / 375F for 40 mins. Half way through, take the chickpeas out of the oven and shake the tray.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Store in an air tight container. ENJOY!

Quinoa Kale Kidney Bean Salad

This nutritious salad is perfect to eat on the go as there's no oily/vinegary dressing. The quinoa, kale and kidney beans are mixed with yogurt and a little mustard. I also added in some chopped onion and sweet corn.

Traditionally used in chili con carne dishes (like my Turkey Chili recipe), kidney beans are named for their resemblance to the shape of our organs. As highlighted by TIME's 31 Healthy Foods You Should Be Eating Now, the red colour is indicative of their high concentration of disease-fighting antioxidants. They are also loaded with potassium and magnesium, which help keep blood pressure in check, while their high fiber content helps reduce bad LDL cholesterol, fighting off heart disease. Kidney beans are also rich in iron and protein, making them a great meat substitute for vegetarians.

Quinoa Kale Kidney Bean Salad
Makes 4 (245g serving)
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 170g / 6oz quinoa
- 85g / 3oz onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 85 / 3oz sweet corn
- 440g / 15.5oz / 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1tsp cumin
- 40g / 1.4oz kale
- 112g / 4oz non-fat Greek yogurt
- 10g / 2tsp mustard, whole grain or Dijon

Method:
Cook quinoa for approx. 15-20 minutes in a 2:1 water:quinoa ratio.
In a pan sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add the sweet corn, kidney beans and cumin and cook for another few minutes.

Chop any large kale leaves and add to pan. Cover with lid, on a low heat, to allow leaves to soften.

Transfer cooked quinoa and bean/kale mix to a bowl and combine. Allow to cool.

Stir in the yogurt and mustard. Chill in the fridge until ready to eat. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information:

Apricot Oat Slice

These apricot oat slices are a combination of moist soft fruit and crunchy dense oats and nuts. The large slices are very filling (350 calories each) and provide a good source of fats (12g)  from the nuts, sesame seeds and flaxseed, as well as carbohydrates (54g) from the oats and fruit.

There are no added sugars in this recipe, no eggs, dairy or flour so it's a good healthy alternative to store bought, traditional snacks.

Apricot Oat Slice
Makes 8 slices
Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:
- 120g / 4oz dates, dried and pitted
- 240ml / 8floz warm water
- 56g / 2oz almonds
- 240g / 8.6oz old fashioned oats (also called rolled oats)
- 120g / 4oz flour
- 36g / 4tbsp sesame seeds
- 1tsp ginger powder (optional)
- 56g / 2oz cashews
- 30ml / 2tbsp water
- 26g / 4tbsp flaxseed
- 90ml / 6tbsp water
- 650g / 23.5oz apricots (in natural juice), not dried

Method:
First add 240ml warm water to the dates. Let them soak for a few minutes and then blend to form a purée.

Using a food processor, blend the almonds so they are lightly ground.

In a bowl add the old fashioned/rolled oats, flour, sesame seeds and ginger powder to the ground almonds. Stir to combine.

Blend together the cashews with 2tbsp water to form a nutty paste.

Add the cashew paste and date purée to the bowl. Mix together.
In a separate bowl, mix 6tbsp water with the flaxseed.

Add the flax mixture to the large bowl and mix. Use hands to combine if desired.

Press half of the mixture into a 9x6inch baking tray.

Drain the apricots and then lightly blend them to form a purée. 

Spread the apricots on top of the oat base.

Sprinkle the remaining oat mix on top of the apricots and press down lightly. Spray with cooking oil too help prevent burning. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 175C / 350F degrees.

Cool and then cut into slices. ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: