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.

Reese’s PB Bites

Looking for a healthier treat? These Reese’s PB bites will do the trick. They are oat-based and filled with creamy peanut and Reese’s pieces and Reese’s PB cups. Make a batch!

Reese’s PB Bites

Serves 12 (2 bites each)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups rolled oats

3 tablespoons chia seeds

4 Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped

3/4 cup Reese’s pieces, finely chopped* (divided)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl combine the coconut oil and peanut butter.

2. Then add the oats & chia seeds. Stir combine. Add the chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups and the 1/2 cup of the chopped Reese’s pieces.

3. Let the mixture set for about 30-minutes.

4. Roll into 1/2-inch balls. Roll each ball in remaining chopped Reese’s pieces. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

   *A food processor works well to chop the Reese’s, pulse until chopped.

White Chicken Chili Soup

Cold nights call for warm soup! This chicken chili comes together quick and is full of flavor.

White Chicken Chili - Image Source: Molly Morgan

White Chicken Chili
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
1 red onion, diced
1 pound chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn kernels
2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
32 oz low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a stock pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the jalapeno and onion. Saute for 5 minutes until tender.

2. Then add the chicken, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, until mostly cooked through.

3. Add the corn, beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Finish with adding the heavy cream, divide among bowls, and serve.

Serving suggestion - serve with whole grain corn bread!

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.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Cold days call for warm soup! This slow cooker black bean soup is hearty, filling, and delicious. Plus, if you’d like you can make it in an Instant Pot and cook the soup under pressure for a meal that is done in minutes. Each serving has 8 grams of heart-helping fiber AND 14 grams of protein. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
5 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups canned or cooked black beans
32 ounces low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup medium salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
black pepper
sea salt

Directions:

1. In a skillet* add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, and peppers. Cook for 7 - 10 minute until the vegetable are softened. Then add the minced garlic and cook for one minute more.

   *Instant Pot - use the saute setting.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker* and add the black beans, vegetable stock, salsa, chili powder, and cumin. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 - 8 hours on medium or low.

   * Instant Pot - keep working in the Instant Pot. OR to cook under pressure, change the setting to cook under pressure and seal the lid, cook under pressure for 15 minutes.

3. Then about 30 minutes before serving*, add the cooked rice and stir. Season with salt and pepper.

   *Instant Pot - Add the cooked rice to the soup after the pressure cooking is complete.

Nutrition facts (per serving): 270 calories, 4 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 170 milligrams sodium, 45 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 14 grams protein

Misfits Market Review

The idea of misfit produce is so intriguing! So I signed up for a Misfit Market subscription, yesterday the first box arrived. WOW! It seems like a great value.

The box arrived!!

I ordered the madness box, which was estimated to be about 18-22 pounds of produce. It had such a wide variety arrived and included lots of items! It definitely seemed worth the value.

Box variety!

Pictured here is the variety that and included: oranges, mandarin oranges, peppers, grapefruit, cauliflower, potatoes, shallots, red onion, celery, green beans, rainbow Swiss chard, summer squash, and spaghetti squash.

As far as how ‘misfit’ the items were? The celery was the most ‘misfit’ but still in perfectly good shape and otherwise it was in great shape. Now it’s time to put this delicious produce to use! Check out Creative Nutrition Solutions Facebook for a video of the box.

If you want to give Misfits Market a try, here’s a code to save 25% on your first box:

COOKWME-OU0ANF

#fruitandveggies #misfit #review

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.

General Tso Veggies

If you like grabbing Chinese food for a quick meal, you can make these General Tso veggies-based and protein-rich dinner quickly! Also there are instructions on how to make General Tso Chicken in the Instant Pot.

General Tso Veggies

General Tso Veggies

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 - 4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced
8 ounces baked tofu, cubed
2 cups edamame, shelled
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
6 tablespoons light soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. On a large sheet pan arrange the vegetables, tofu, and edamame.

3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Optional: add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

4. Pour the sauce over the vegetable mixture and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stirring occasionally throughout cooking.

Serving suggestion - Serve over brown rice, farro, or soba noodles - pictured above, is with soba (buckwheat) noodles.

Note: This sauce works great with chicken in the Instant Pot too! Here’s a quick how-to: Cube chicken into 1-inch cubes. Saute the chicken in the Instant Pot, in 1 teaspoon sesame oil, until the chicken is lightly browned. Make the sauce as above and pour the prepared sauce (make a double batch of sauce if you are doing veggies and the chicken) to the chicken. Cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Carefully quick release the steam. Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Serve the chicken with brown rice, veggies, or soba noodles.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.adventuresofanurse.com/better-take-instant-pot-general-tsos-chicken/

Recipe: Everything Crackers

These crackers are so delicious and easy to make! They are crispy and full of flavor. Plus if you’re into eating keto, gluten-free, or grain-free, these are definitely for you.

Everying Crackers - Image Source: Molly Morgan

Everything Crackers
10 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups superfine almond flour, divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup everything bagel seasoning

Directions:

Everything Crackers Preparation - Photo credit: Larry Morgan

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a microwave safe mixing bowl combine 1 cup of almond flour and the mozzarella cheese.

3. Microwave for 1 minute then remove and stir. If needed microwave again in 30-second increments until the mixture is easy to stir and starts to form a soft dough. Continue to mix thoroughly. Set aside and let cool, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the egg and mix well. If needed, stir in some of the extra almond flour, dough should be soft but not sticky.

5. Working in batches, sprinkle some of the remaining almond flour on parchment paper. Then transfer part of the “dough” to a piece of parchment paper.

6. Sprinkle the top of the dough with some additional almond flour to prevent sticking. Roll the dough into a thin sheet. Then shake the everything bagel seasoning generously over the top of the dough.

7. Cut into about 1-inch squares using a pizza cutter. Then transfer the squares to a baking sheet.

8. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove and carefully flip the crackers. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes more until the crackers are crispy and browned.

9. Remove and serve! Store extra crackers once cooled, in an air-tight container.

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Delicious baked goods are fun to enjoy, especially around holiday times! One of my favorite baking tips is to swap out all-purpose flour and move in whole wheat pastry flour. It is an easy swap that works seamlessly in MOST recipes. Use it cup for cup to move it into any baking recipe.

I do typically serve the cinnamon buns topped with cream cheese frosting but to show off how great whole grain treats can be, I wanted to show them without the frosting! See the recipes below. Happy baking and enjoy!!

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Whole Grain Cinnamon Buns

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS - DOUGH:
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
4 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, active dry yeast, or one 1/4-ounce packet of Platinum Yeast from Red Star

INGREDIENTS - FILLING:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

INGREDIENTS - ICING:
1/3 cup light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand or use an electric mixer with a dough beater.

2. Prepare a large bowl with pan spray. Then transfer the dough to the large bowl and cover the bowl. Allow the dough to double (about 1 to 2 hours).

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 16" x 21").

4. Evenly spread the butter on the dough. In a small bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and then spread evenly over the dough.

5. Begin with the width of the dough and roll into a log, gently tugging at the dough as you go. Then cut it into 12 slices.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan with pan spray. Place the cut rolls into the pan and let them rise until they are doubled, about 30 minutes. Then bake for 15 - 17 minutes or until they are golden brown.

7. For the icing: combine all the icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until the frosting is soft and fluffy. Spread with the frosting while they are warm or keep on the side to serve later.