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

Strawberry Muffins

Make the most of the delicious strawberries this summer and try a batch of strawberry muffins! This recipe uses Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry flour as the base for the muffins, which helps to keep these whole grain muffins light and fluffy or swap it out for 1 to1 gluten-free flour, if needed!

Click here to watch Molly preparing this recipe in a cooking video for her client Olum’s!

Strawberry Muffins (Image Source: Getty Images)

Strawberry Muffins

12 Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour + plus 2 teaspoons (for tossing with strawberries)*
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 pint strawberries (about 2 cups), diced
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for topping

*Or 1 to 1 gluten-free flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until combine. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat well to combine.

4. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture and milk. Then workings in batches continue until all the flour and milk has been added and combined.

5. Toss the strawberries with 2 teaspoons of flour and set 1/2 cup of the berries aside. Gently fold in the strawberries to the batter.

6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins.

7. Sprinkle the muffin tops with the reserved berries and turbinado sugar.

8. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

9. If necessary, run a sharp knife around the top edge of each muffin to free it from the pan and let the muffins cool in the pan for about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 235 calories, 9 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 290 milligrams sodium, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams sugar, 3 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

Q: What brands of kombucha do you like?

Kombucha Tea, Image Source: Getty Images

A: It’s hard to pick just one brand of kombucha! Because I like so many.

If you aren’t familiar with kombucha, it is a probiotic-tea based drink that is refreshing and lightly bubbly. It is a bit of an acquired taste so I have included a recipe below that is a refreshing way to try kombucha and get used to the taste.

A bonus is that because kombucha has grown in popularity, it is now more widely available at stores and online! For example, when I was working on my gut health drink book, Drink Your Way to Gut Health (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) just 5 years ago, there were less widely available brands of kombucha. Now you can find it widely available at major stores like Walmart, Wegman’s, Price Chopper, Target, and more.

I also like to make my own kombucha which takes some time but makes it much more affordable to drink kombucha routinely, for more on making your own kombucha, check out my book (Drink Your Way to Gut Health) for a DIY recipe to make your own.

So, if I had to narrow it down… here are three of my very favorite kombucha brands and flavors (plus one more for all those based in Canada!):

Health-Ade Kombucha, especially their Pink Lady Apple (pictured below) and their Jalapeno Kiwi Cucumber is really delicious too with a hint of spice! Each bottle of Health-Ade Kombucha has about 80 calories and 12 grams of added sugar. For more on Health-Ade, check out their website: https://health-ade.com/

I really enjoy GT’s Synergy Kombucha too! It was one of the first kombucha brands that I ever tried, and their favor varieties are incredible. Although, I enjoy a lot of the different flavors too, I especially love one of their Gingerade (pictured below). Each bottle of GT’s Synergy Kombucha has about 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar with 0 grams added sugar. For more on GT’s check out their website: https://gtslivingfoods.com/

Kevita Kombucha has a lot of great flavor options too! My favorite flavors of Kevita are Pineapple Peach (pictured below), Ginger, and Tart Cherry. Each bottle of Kevita Kombucha has about 70 calories and 16 grams of carbohydrates with 15 grams of added sugar. For more on Kevita, check out their website: https://www.kevita.com/

Lastly, if you are Canada-based, check out my all-time favorite brand of komubcha, Tonica! It is made in Toronto. My favorite three flavors are Peach, Blueberry, and Mango! What’s unique about Tonica kombucha is that the base is organic green and black tea and rooibos which results in a super smooth flavor and it only has 4 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving (250 ml). For more on Tonica, check out their Web site: https://tonicakombucha.com/

Tonica Kombucha (Canada Only) - click here

Cherry-Ginger Kombucha - Photo: Molly Morgan

Cherry - Ginger Kombuhca
Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 cup tart cherry juice (we love Cheribundi)
1 cup ginger kombucha (GT’s Gingerade)

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.

2. Add cherry juice and kombucha. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 130 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams sugar (0 grams added sugar), and 1 gram protein

Mango Crumble Bars

These bars could be called disappearing mango crumble bars… they are that good!

Mango Crumble Bars (Photo: Molly Morgan)

Mango Crumble Bars
Serves 9

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter or vegan butter alternative, softened
1 1/2 cups diced mango (2 large or 3 small mango)
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Then add the softened butter. Mix well until the mixture is combined and crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture.

3. Press the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then cover with the chopped mango. Sprinkle the corn starch over the top of the mango. Top with the reserved 1/2 cup of the oat mixture.

4. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown.

5. Remove from the oven, drizzle with honey, and cool before slicing to serve.

   Nutrition Facts (per serving): 210 calories, 8 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium, 32 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar, 2 grams protein
   

Lemon Garlic Tempeh

Have you ever tried tempeh before? It’s protein packed and plant-based. Each serving of this recipe has 20 grams of protein (about the same amount as in three ounces of chicken), it is made from soy beans, water, and brown rice (or other grains).

Tempeh has a great texture and will take on the flavors of what it is cooked with. At the grocery store, look to buy tempeh in the ‘health food’ aisles at the grocery store or in the produce section.

Lemon Garlic Tempeh (Photo: Molly Morgan)

Lemon Garlic Tempeh
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 package (7.5 oz) tempeh (e.g. Light Life Original Tempeh)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
sea salt

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tempeh and onions, garlic, and lemon slices. Cook, stirring throughout and turning so the tempeh browns on each side.

2. Once the tempeh is browned and cooked through and the onions are sauteed. Add the lemon juice and season with sea salt.

   Serving suggestion: serve over wild rice with roasted vegetables (e.g. zucchini or broccoli).

   Nutrition facts (per serving): 250 calories, 13 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 20 milligrams sodium, 17 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 2 grams sugar, 20 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

Quarantini

Going stir crazy waiting for the world to open up? This is a lightened up “quarantini” that is refreshing but keeps the calories in check - only 120 calories and 12 grams of carbs. Plus you can easily make them kid-friendly by skipping the vodka! Cheers and stay healthy!

Quarantini - Image Source: Molly Morgan

Quarantini

Serves 1

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup 100% tart cherry juice (or any juice will do!)
1 cup ice
lime seltzer
1 oz vodka

Directions:

1. Combine the lime juice, cherry juice, and vodka in a glass, stir. Add ice and top with seltzer!

Nutrition facts: 125 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium, 12 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 10 grams sugar, 0 grams protein

Fiesta Quinoa Salad

This simple salad is perfect for summer and goes great with meals or can stand alone and served as a one-dish meal. Plus you can switch it up easily to adapt for what ingredients you can on hand, for example, add chopped red onion or diced jalapeno. Enjoy!

Fiesta Quinoa Salad (Image Source: Getty Images)

Fiesta Quinoa Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups water
1 avocado, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups corn, cooked
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, diced
8 ounces chicken breast, diced or tofu
1 cup fresh salsa, divided
Optional – sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Directions:
1. (Cook the quinoa) In a medium pot combine quinoa with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer over low heat until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 – 20 minutes.
2. In a skillet combine ¼ cup of the salsa and the chicken breast or tofu, cook until the chicken or tofu is lightly browned and thoroughly cooked.
3. Once the quinoa and chicken or tofu are cooked, combine the remaining ingredients and the additional 3/4 cup of salsa. Toss to combine and serve.

Ranch Kale Chips

Ranch Kale Chips (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

If you have never tried kale chips before you think you won’t like them, buy a bunch of kale and give them a try! They are seriously so crunchy and delicious, plus there are endless ways to switch them up.

RANCH KALE CHIPS
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 bunches of kale (about 6 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Ranch seasoning mix (purchased or see mix recipe below)

Ranch Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry buttermilk
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Remove the thick stem from the kale leaf and break kale into pieces.

2. If making your own Ranch seasoning mix, mix together the ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Note: this will make more than you need, save the rest for later!

3. In a mixing bowl, toss the kale pieces together with olive oil and Ranch seasoning powder.

4. Transfer to an air fryer basket or baking sheet.

5. AIR FRYER: Air Fry at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, toss and then air fry for another 5 minutes. OVEN: In a pre-heated oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, bake for 10 minutes, toss and then back for another 5 - 10 minutes.

   The key is continuing to air fry or bake until the kale is crispy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 130 calories, 10 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 250 milligrams sodium, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams sugar, 4 grams protein