Utica Greens

These are hands down one of my favorite recipes! I hope you love the recipe too! - Molly Morgan

Utica Greens (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Utica Greens

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients - Topping:
1/2 cup extra- virgin olive oil
1 cup breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative)
1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, grated

Ingredients - For the Greens:
1 head escarole or baby kale (about 1 1/4 pound)*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces), sliced thin*
4 to 6 hot cherry peppers, tops and seeds removed, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, grated

*Notes: Traditionally escarole is used in this dish, although, I really like kale! Instead of prosciutto use 2 oz of vegetarian sausage crumbles or skip all together.

Directions:

1. The greens: Trim the escarole and rinse the leaves. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the greens and blanch for about 2 minutes. Drain and then cover with ice to stop the greens from cooking. Set greens aside. Notes on types of greens: If using collard greens, simmer in vegetable broth on low for 45 minutes to soften. For kale, blanch for 2-3 minutes until the kale is bright green and tender.

2. Prepare the topping: mix the oil, whole wheat breadcrumbs, and cheese. Stir to mix. Set aside.

3. Preheat the broiler.

4. Coat a skillet with olive oil and over medium heat, sauté the cherry peppers, prosciutto, and garlic for about 5 minutes. Then add the greens to the pan and season with salt and pepper.

5. To the skillet add half of the prepared topping and 1/2 cup of the Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese. Stir continuously to keep from burning.

6. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet. Top with the remaining topping. Broil for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.

7. Serve immediately.

Check out our Facebook page for video tutorial of us making this recipe!

This recipe was adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018594-utica-greens

Summer Mojitos

I think that mojitos could be my official drink of summer! Could it be the fresh mint that is making them taste extra perfect? Here are two simple mojito recipes that are easy to make and so refreshing with only 80 - 85 calories each!

For the mint, I have been using pineapple mint which is a variety of mint that I picked up at a local farm stand, which has a light sweet flavor and tastes great.

Plus minus the rum, this makes great mojito-infused water!

Cheers to summer!

Pineapple Mojito (Photo: Molly Morgan)

Pineapple Mojito

Serves 1

Ingredients:
4 - 5 mint leaves
2 - 3 cubes fresh pineapple
2 slices lime
1 oz white rum
ice
club soda

Directions:

1. In a glass muddle together mint, lime, pineapple, and white rum.

2. Add ice and fill with club soda.

If you think you need an extra hint of sweetness, add a drizzle of agave nectar or simple syrup!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 80 calories, 0 gram fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 0 milligrams sodium, 4 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams sugar, 0 grams protein

Mango Mojito (Photo: Molly Morgan)

Mango Mojito

Serves 1

Ingredients:
4 - 5 mint leaves
2 - 3 cubes fresh mango
2 slices lime
1 oz white rum
ice
club soda

Directions:

1. In a glass muddle together mint, mango, lime, and white rum.

2. Add ice and fill with club soda.

If you think you need a extra hint of sweetness, add a drizzle of agave nectar or simple syrup!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 85 calories, 0 gram fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 0 milligrams sodium, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams sugar, 0 grams protein

Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Buffalo Brussels

These two Brussels sprouts recipes are easy to make and perfect to try, even if you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts. Plus Brussels sprouts are loaded with fiber and deliver age-fighting plant compounds: lutein and zeazanthin.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Photo: Molly Morgan

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels Sprouts - trimmed and cut in half
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Arrange the cut Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet. Note: they will fall apart a little but the loose leafs will crisp up and taste great once they are roasted!

3. Spray or drizzle the Brussels sprouts with olive oil.

4. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring once half way through cooking. OR continue cooking until the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned and crispy.

5. Remove from the oven, if desired, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve! OR proceed to the recipe below to make for Buffalo Brussels Sprouts!

Nutrition facts (per serving): 85 calories, 3 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium, 14 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 5 grams protein

Buffalo Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6

Ingredients:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts (See recipe above)
1/4 cup melted butter (or butter alternative)
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Creamy blue cheese dressing for dipping

Directions:

1. Prepare roasted Brussels sprouts per recipe.

2. Combine in a small bowl the melted butter and hot sauce.

3. Drizzle over the roasted Brussels sprouts and toss gently.

4. Return to oven for 5 minutes.

5. Then remove from the oven and serve with creamy blue cheese dressing for dipping!

Nutrition facts (per serving): 195 calories, 14 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 70 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 6 grams protein

Berry Fruit Cream

This fruit-based creamy dessert is so refreshing! This version was berry-based but it would also taste great with other fruit like mango, pineapple, or peaches. The recipe was inspired by the latest edition of Food and Wine magazine.

Berry Fruit Cream - Photo: Molly Morgan

Berry Fruit Cream
Serves 8

Ingredients:
6 cups frozen mixed berries
1 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup agave nectar
Bare coconut chips for topping

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 3 - 5 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

2. Transfer to a container, cover, and freeze. Allow to freeze at least for 1 - 2 hours for a sorbet-like texture.

3. Scoop into bowls and serve topped with coconut chips.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 165 calories, 8 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 15 milligrams sodium, 24 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams sugar, 1 gram protein

Quarantine Kitchen Recipe: Utica Greens

During this crazy time, we have been taking time and trying new recipes in our Quarantine Kitchen. Each week, one of our sons and me are filming a couple of different recipes! Here’s one of the latest, Utica Greens prepared by: Larry & Molly Morgan. Hope You enjoy!! :)

Utica Greens

Serves 4

Ingredients - Topping:
1/2 cup extra- virgin olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmaigiana-Reggiano, grated

Ingredients - For the Greens:
1 head escarole (about 1 1/4 pound)*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces), sliced thin*
4 to 6 hot cherry peepers, tops and seeds removed, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, grated

*Notes: You can swap out escarole for other greens like kale or collard greens! And instead of prosciutto use 2 oz of vegetarian sausage crumbles or skip all together.

Directions:

1. The greens: Trim the escarole and rinse the leafs. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the greens and blanch for about 2 minutes. Drain and then cover with ice to stop the greens from cooking. Set greens aside. Notes on types of greens: If using collard greens, simmer in vegetable broth on low for 45 minutes to soften. For kale, blanch for 2-3 minutes until the kale is bright green and tender.

2. Prepare the topping: mix the oil, whole wheat bread crumbs, and cheese. Stir to mix. Set aside.

3. Preheat the broiler.

4. Coat a skillet with olive oil and over medium heat, saute the cherry peppers, prosciutto, and garlic for about 5 minutes. Then add the greens to the pan and season with salt and pepper.

5. To the skillet add half of the prepared topping and 1/2 cup of the Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese. Stir continuously to keep from burning.

6. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet. Top with the remaining topping. Broil for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.

7. Serve immediately.

Check out our Facebook page for video tutorial of us making this recipe!

This recipe was adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018594-utica-greens

Quarantine Kitchen: Jalapeno Poppers

We had some jalapeno peppers in the refrigerator that needed to be used up and needed something fun to go with dinner, so jalapeno poppers is what we made! One key to how delicious they were is certainly the jalapeno peppers, KABOOM! Jalapeno Peppers.

Sunset KABOOM! Jalapeno Peppers (Image Source: Sunset.com)

KABOOM! jalapeno peppers are grown by Sunset. The peppers according to Sunset are described as a “full-flavored and juicier cousin to the traditional green jalapeno”. The bag they come in is pictured right. If you can find them at the grocery store, they are definitely worth buying.

As a side note, Sunset grows lots of other amazing tasting produce too - check out their website for more specifics, click here.

Jalapeno Popper (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Jalapeno Poppers

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 Sunset KABOOM Jalapeno Peppers
4 oz light cream cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut in half lengthwise.

2. In a small microwave safe mixing bowl add the cream cheese and microwave for 30 - 45 seconds to soften.

3. To the cream cheese add in the garlic powder, panko bread crumbs, and cheddar cheese. Mix well.

4. Stuff each pepper with the cream cheese mixture.

5. Place on air fryer tray* and air fry for 8 - 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Or until cheese is melted and lightly brown on top.

*If you don’t have an air fryer - you can bake these in the oven at 425 degrees F for 12 - 15 minutes OR until the cheese is melted and they are lightly browned on top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 150 calories, 9 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 240 milligrams sodium, 9 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 8 grams protein

Nutrient-Rich Foods to Include

Beyond washing your hands, cleaning surfaces, what else can you do to help keep your body ready to fight against illness? Focus on including plenty of nutrient-rich foods! There isn’t any one “magic” food, rather it is important to include a wide variety of foods that can help to support your immune system.

Check out examples of foods to include below and more on how they can help your body.

Nutrient-Rich Foods To Include - Rich in Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E

PROTEIN

Include a wide variety of protein-rich foods as protein is an important player in the immune system.

Food examples to include: yogurt (especially Greek yogurt), peanut butter, seafood, poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and seeds.

Quick ideas:
- 3 Bean Salad: combine 1 can each (drained and rinsed) of chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans. Then toss with 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

- Snack on Bada Bean Bada Boom - roasted broad beans (available in a variety of flavors) that deliver 7 grams of protein per 1/4 cup

- Have a cup of Greek yogurt as a snack and top it with granola, nuts, and/or fruit

VITAMIN A

Think of vitamin A as a regulator - it helps in the body to regulate the immune system. Plus it helps to keep skin and tissues in the respiratory system, intestines, mouth, and stomach healthy.

Food examples to include: apricots, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach red bell peppers, apricots, or eggs.

Quick ideas:

- Roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish at dinner. Place cubed sweet potato on a baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and roast at 425 degrees F for 25 - 30 minutes. Stirring throughout.

- Combine dried apricots with almonds as a snack

- Have a hard boiled egg as snack or sliced on top of a salad

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it is a protector - plus it helps to stimulate the formation of antibodies.

Food examples to include: green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, strawberries, tomato juice, oranges, grapefruit, clementines, or Mandarin oranges.

Quick ideas:

- Slice red pepper and have them with hummus or guacamole

- Stir fry peppers with your favorite stir fry sauce and protein for dinner

- Have an orange sliced as a snack or a quick side dish with a meal

VITAMIN E

Vitamin is also an antioxidant which can help to neutralize free radicals in the body.

Food examples to include: sunflower seeds, almonds, vegetable oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut butter, and hazelnuts.

Quick ideas:

- Use vegetable oils to make your own homemade salad dressings - a quick ratio to use: 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, 1 tablespoon honey mustard, season to taste with garlic powder, sea salt, and cracked black pepper.

- Snack on sunflower seeds or top salads with shelled sunflower seeds

- Have a peanut butter and banana sandwich as a quick meal or snack

Bottom-line is switch it up and get a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods. AND KEEP WASHING YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY (at least 20 - 30 seconds with warm soapy water!).

Omega-3 Rich Products Worth Trying

Sure you’ve heard the advice, shop the perimeter. But I have say that while sure, there are loads of important foods to include in the perimeter of the store, there are some gems in the aisles as well that are worth including routinely in your grocery cart. Captured here are a few of my favorites that deliver omega-3 fats!

Note: This isn’t an add, rather just highlighting products I love!

Barlean’s Omega-3 Oil

This omega-3 oil is a product from Barlean’s that is made from fish oil but let me tell you, there is no fishy taste (or after taste). It is a perfect way to get a boost of omega-3’s into your eating routine.

How much to add-in? 1 tablespoon per day for adults or children over the age of 4. This will deliver 1500 milligrams (1.5 grams) of omega-3 fats, in comparison a 3.5 oz piece of salmon has about 1.8 grams.

How to add it in? It is seriously so delicious just have a spoonful or it. Or it tastes really delicious added into smoothies or drizzle on yogurt.

Where to find it? You can find it in the “natural food” section of some grocery stores in a refrigerator or some vitamin shops (e.g. Vitamin Shoppe) have it as well. Or you can order it direct from Barleans.com. Also it may seem a little pricey yet, one bottle has 29 servings so it really goes a long way.

Note: If you are adding this product in, you don’t necessarily also need to have other sources of omega-3 within the same day - for example, skip the fish oil capsule, chia seeds, or instead of salmon have a different type of fish.

Chia Seeds

Tiny little chia seeds are worth every penny! Plus there are tons of ways to work them into your eating routine. For example, you could make up a batch of Reese’s Bites - click here for the recipe! There are two big nutrition benefits of chia seeds: the omega-3 fats and fiber. Each tablespoon serving of chia seeds adds about 2 grams of omega-3 fats and about 5 grams of fiber.

How much to add-in? Add in a tablespoon of chia seeds as a source of omega-3 fats for the day. Keep in mind, as mentioned above, if you are adding in other sources of omega-3 fats like salmon, walnuts, omega-3 oil, etc. you can alternate the sources because you don’t need them all every day.

How to add them in? A very cool property of chia seeds is they are hydrophyllic, which means they absorb water - in fact, about 10 times their weight in water! This makes chia seeds really great for thickening sauces, smoothies, chia pudding, or energy bites. Click here for a delicious chia pudding recipe from my Fuel2Win sports nutrition project.

Another use for chia seeds is to use them as an egg replacement in baking. For each egg: In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Then use in place of eggs in your recipe. This works really well for quick breads and muffins.

Where to buy them? Look for chia seeds in the baking aisle of the grocery store. You may also find them in a “health food” aisle or section or you can buy them on-line from brands like Bob’s Red Mill.

Whole Grain Corn Bread

Skip the cornbread mix and make your own delicious, whole grain corn bread! This recipe is adapted from the Dinosaur BBQ cookbook, my twists: swapping our all-purpose flour for whole grain flour to up the fiber and nutrients and lowering the amount of butter. And good news, it still tastes great.

Our favorite whole wheat pastry flour is Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, which is typically available in the baking aisle at the grocery store.

Whole Grain Corn Bread - Image Source: Getty Images

Whole Grain Corn Bread
Serves 9

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.

2. Add in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, stir to combine. Add the melted butter and mix well. The mixture will be thick.

3. Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. To test, use a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

4. Drizzle with honey. Slice and serve.

Maple Oat Muffins

Maple Oat Muffins - Photo: Molly Morgan

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

These muffins could be called Disappearing-Maple Oat Muffins! If you think you dislike whole grains, then you should give these muffins a try.

Part of the secret to these muffins being whole wheat and tasting so great is using whole wheat pastry flour (see product example pictured here).

Our go-to is Bob’s Red Mill 100% stone ground whole wheat pastry flour. It’s perfect for adding in whole grains to muffins, quick breads, pancakes, cookies, etc. Look for it in the baking aisle or buy direct from Bob’s Red Mill.

Maple Oat Muffins - Photo Credit: Molly Morgan

Maple Oat Muffins
Serves 12

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

*For a gluten-free option - use gluten-free oats and instead of whole wheat pastry flour, substitute with equal parts of gluten-free baking flour.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a muffin tin with 12 muffin paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the oats, milk, maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix until well combined.

3. Then add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined, do not over mix.

4. Fill the prepared muffin tins with about 1/2 - 2/3 cup of batter.

5. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and serve.