Broccoli Spinach Cucumber Juice

Ingredients for Green Juice

Today seemed like a good day to try making a new green juice. What I came up with was a surprisingly delicious juice that is low in calories yet extremely high in vitamins and minerals. By combining broccoli, spinach leaves, cucumbers, apples, and ginger root, I came up with this new green juice. If you are looking for a new juicing recipe, this is definitely one to try!

Makes two 1 cup servings

Green Juice Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need:

Layers of all the juiced fruits and veggies

• 1/2 head of broccoli
• 2 cups of spinach
• 2 apples
• 1/2 inch of ginger root
• 2 mini (6″) cucumbers

Simply wash all of your fruits and vegetables and then cut your fruits and vegetables into juicer-appropriate chunks so you don’t overwhelm your juicer. Put everything in your juicer. I don’t really think order matters that much but I’ll tell you what I did.

I started with one apple and then moved onto juice the two cups of spinach. I then juiced one of the mini cucumbers and then did the broccoli.

Final green juice

I added in the ginger root and finished juicing with the last apple.

I think that alternating like this with something like a cucumber or apple which has more juice sometimes helps to keep things moving and helps to avoid clumps of pulp in your juicer.

Once you have juiced all of your fruits and vegetables, stir your juice so that all of the different juicers are well mixed.

This juice recipe makes two 1-cup servings so you can pour that out into two cups. If you only want to make one cup, then you can simply take half of all of the ingredients above and juice.

I think this is a great green juice to have to start off your day. I had mine with a piece of toast and hummus to get some more fiber and protein packed into my breakfast.

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli, Spinach, Cucumber Juice Nutrition Facts

Broccoli, Spinach, Cucumber Juice Nutrition Facts 2

In one cup of this delicious green juice, you are consuming 152 calories and 34 grams of carbohydrates. You are also getting over a thousand milligrams of potassium and 6 grams of protein.

Moving on to vitamins, one serving gives you 18% of your daily vitamin E, 21% of your daily vitamin B-6, 111% of your daily vitamin A, and 276% of your daily vitamin C.

This juice also offers a variety of minerals as well including 11% of your daily copper, 13% of your daily calcium, 15% of your daily iron and so much more.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Tofu & Sausage Breakfast Sandwich

I usually have a vegetable tofu scramble, homemade granola, or even just cereal for breakfast. My boyfriend currently is eating vegetarian like me but sometimes misses his sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches. So I came up with the best vegetarian alternative I could think of and it was a hit! In fact, this sandwich is so good, I personally have not only been eating it for breakfast but adding lettuce and even eating it for lunch as well. It’s very simple to make and can easily be adjusted to include your favorite breakfast or lunch sandwich ingredients!

Tofu & Sausage Breakfast Sandwich Recipe

Breakfast sandwich

Makes 1 breakfast sandwich

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Slice of extra firm tofu
• 1 vegetable sausage patty (I used Morningstar brand and soon discovered the maple sausage patty which is unbelievable!)
• 2 slices of fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 avocado or 2 tablespoons of guacamole
• Whole wheat English muffin (or your choice of bread)

So super easy, here’s what you do…

First, take your package of tofu and cut a half inch wide slice to the halfway point of the block of tofu. So if this is confusing, you know how you usually eat a quarter of the block of tofu in a breakfast scramble or for other meals, in this sandwich you are simply taking a slice of about half of that block you normally eat. The reason why you don’t use that whole block is for two reasons. One is that it wouldn’t fit easily on your sandwich. The second is that since you are supplementing it with your veggie “sausage”, you simply don’t need that extra tofu.

Now pan sear your slice of tofu while in the same pan you also heat up one of your veggie sausage patties. If your patties are frozen, the timing works best to put the veggie sausage patty in the pan first for a couple minutes before you begin pan searing your tofu. While this is cooking up nicely, throw your choice of bread in the toaster, then wash a tomato and cut two 1/4 inch slices, and finally take half of an avocado and mash it up to be used as the spread. If you don’t want to use half an avocado, then two tablespoons of guacamole works well in it’s place. You could also use earth balance vegan butter or hummus if you prefer. I personally think the guacamole gives this a rich taste and goes well with the other ingredients in this breakfast sandwich.

When your veggie sausage patty and your tofu are done warming up in the pan, transfer them to your bread with its spread and top with the two slices of tomatoes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Breakfast Sandwich Nutrition Facts

Breakfast Sandwich Nutrition Facts 2

In one breakfast sandwich, you are getting 410 calories. You are also getting 40 grams of your daily carbohydrates, 11 of which are coming from your dietary fiber. You are also getting 896 milligrams of your daily potassium as well as 20 grams of your daily protein.

Now moving on to the vitamins and minerals that one serving of this delicious breakfast sandwich has to offer…You are getting 7% of your daily vitamin A, 10% of your daily vitamin E, 19% of your daily vitamin C, 25% of you daily vitamin B-12, as well as 29% of your daily vitamin C. You are also getting 9% of your daily calcium, 28% of your daily iron, as well as 31% of your daily folate and that’s not all this sandwich has to offer…

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Apple Carrot Parsley Spinach Juice

Apple, Carrot, Parsley, Spinach Juice

I have a new favorite green juice that I wanted to share with you all today…apple carrot parsley spinach juice! It is a great combination of flavors with the apple and carrot taking the lead and then giving you a hint of that parsley and the spinach. It’s also, as you might already assume, a green juice that is not only delicious but also very nutritious!

Serves: one

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 apple
• 3 carrots
• 1/2 cup of parsley (basically a handful)
• 1 cup of spinach

When you juice all of your fruits and vegetables, be sure to juice the spinach and the parsley in the middle. I found that when I juiced this for the first time and put the spinach and parsley in last, I did not get all of it to juice. If you simply juice the apple and then the parsley and spinach and end with the carrots you’ll find that more of the greens get juiced properly and don’t get clumped up in your juicer.

In the process of juicing…

Why these fruits and vegetables? The apple in it is sweet which helps make this juice taste even better. The carrots will help keep your skin nourished and your eyesight well. The parsley actually reduces inflammation throughout the body. The spinach is also anti-inflammatory, like the parsley. It additionally has many antioxidants to help combat things like high blood pressure.

In general, eating a daily diet that includes many fruits and vegetables like the ones in this juice can help to keep you feeling healthy and looking healthy!

This apple carrot parsley spinach juice not only gives you a variety of health benefits but is also very filling. You can enjoy this green juice at any time of the day. I personally enjoy it for breakfast with a piece of toast and hummus.

Regardless of when you choose to have it, enjoy your nutritious and delicious green juice!

Nutrition Facts

Green juice nutrition facts

Green juice nutrition facts 2

In one serving of this green juice, you will be consuming 174 calories. You are getting almost 4 grams of protein and over 1,000 milligrams of potassium. There are 41 total carbohydrates, 10 grams consist of dietary fiber.

Now onto why you really would want to drink this…the multitude of vitamins and minerals! One serving of this green juice includes 17 minerals and vitamins. For example, for vitamins you are getting 20% of your daily vitamin B-6, 111% of your daily vitamin C, and over 500% of your daily vitamin A. Some minerals you are also getting include 14% of your daily calcium and 19% of your daily iron.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Layered Taco Casserole

Here is my recipe for a taco casserole that was featured in my Hungry Husky column in the Daily Campus last week…

Finished taco casserole

Mexican food, on its own, is already very feisty and fun, but serving it a new way can make it even more of a treat.

I was in the mood for tacos but didn’t feel like having a whole layout of various goodies to put in my tacos. When you have a bowl for salsa, a bowl for guacamole, a bowl for lettuce, a bowl for beans, a bowl for rice and a bowl for the taco meat and so on… That can be very fun, if you are going out. Back at home or in your apartment, that simply means way too many dishes to clean.

So that’s when I decided to make a layered taco casserole and this recipe came to life. If you want a one-pan Mexican treat, try this recipe out.

Taco Casserole Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups of Vegetarian “taco meat” or regular ground beef
• 3/4 cup of black beans or beans of your choice
• 3/4 cup of salsa
• 1 cup of crushed tortilla chips
• Enough of your favorite cheese to top

Note: I made this in a 9″ circular pan, so you may need to adjust accordingly depending on the size of the pan you are using.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Taco casserole before being baked

Start by cooking your taco meat or ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until it has browned. This should only take a couple minutes. If you would like, you can stir in some taco seasoning from the store prepackaged. I just tossed in some paprika and ground cumin along with salt and pepper and it was quite good. Once your meat is done, transfer it to the pan you are going to bake it in. Make sure your meat is in a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan. Next, add the beans to your pan over medium heat and stir until hot. Then transfer to the pan and make into a nice even layer on top of your meat.

Now, add in a layer of your salsa. I made my salsa from scratch and you can too. It’s quite easy. Simply take about half cup of chopped tomatoes and one-fourth cup of chopped onions and combine in a bowl with a splash of lime juice and two cloves of garlic, minced. Also add in some cilantro. I only added one tablespoon but you could, of course, add more.

Time to crush up your tortilla chips. Crush until you have one cup of crushed tortilla chips. Then, layer them on top of your layer of salsa. Top with cheese generously and put in the oven to bake for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

Once done, take it out and let cool a couple minutes. I served it on a plate over a bed of lettuce, which you could choose to mix in. You could also top it with lettuce, guacamole or fresh tomatoes. The possibilities are endless. Once you decide what to top it with, put on a plate, serve and enjoy!

Chopped Vegan Caprese Salad

With summer approaching, the tomatoes in the super market have been looking better and better. When those delicious, juicy tomatoes enter the market, I could not say no. Heirloom tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes are my personal favorite for caprese. If you have access to either of these, I would highly recommend using them in this delightful appetizer or side dish.

Chopped vegan caprese salad

Serves: 2
Time: 15 minutes

Chopped Vegan Caprese Salad Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 tomatoes
• 1/4 package extra firm tofu
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sweet basil

Wash and cut your tomatoes into bite-size chunks. Then take your 1/4 package of extra firm tofu and make sure to pat it dry to remove all excess moisture. Cut this into bite-size chunks as well. Set both of these aside for now.

Now in a bowl add in your 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil, and finally the one teaspoon of sweet basil. I used dried sweet basil but you could definitely use fresh basil from the market as well. Once this is all mixed well, gently add in your tofu chunks and tomato chunks to the mixture. For the best flavor, let this sit for about 5 to 10 minutes so that the tomatoes and tofu can absorb all the flavors and oils. You can let it sit out at room temperature or put it in the fridge for a chilled chopped vegan caprese salad.

After you’ve let this sit for the appropriate time, enjoy with another side dish or a main dish of your choice. I personally ate this with lemon roasted brussel sprouts and called it dinner!

Nutrition Facts

Caprese nutrition facts

Caprese nutrition facts 2

In one serving of this chopped vegan caprese salad appetizer, you are consuming 87 calories and 4 grams of fat. You are also getting 353 milligrams of potassium and 7 grams of protein. Additionally, this will give you 7 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram from dietary fiber.

In terms of vitamins and minerals, one serving of this appetizer will give you 6% of your daily vitamin B-6, 15% of your daily vitamin A, and 21% of your daily vitamin C. Additionally, you will be getting 6% of your daily calcium, 8% of your daily iron, 13% of your daily magnesium, as well as 34% of your daily manganese.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Lemon roasted brussels sprouts ready to go into the oven.

If you want a very easy, delicious appetizer, try my recipe for lemon roasted brussel sprouts. I never liked brussel sprouts until I had them roasted and my opinion about these little green guys changed. Usually I just toss the brussel sprouts in olive oil and add in a pinch of sea salt, but today I decided to try lemon roasted brussel sprouts. These came out so delicious! They were light and slightly tart from that citrus. I would make them again in a heartbeat.

Serves: 2
Time: 25 minutes

Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

So here’s what you’ll need:

• 15 brussels sprouts
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Lemon roasted brussels sprouts and vegan caprese salad complement each other and work well together to become dinner.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wash your brussels sprouts thoroughly. Then cut off the stem part and peel away any unhealthy looking outside leaves. Then dry them off and place on your cutting board. All of my brussel sprouts were pretty medium to large sized so I cut them in half. If you have any small brussel sprouts, you should leave those whole, otherwise they will cook too quickly and likely burn while your other larger brussel sprouts will have yet to be cooked.

Put your cut brussels sprouts in a bowl and add in a pinch of sea salt, the juice of one lemon, as well as the one tablespoon of olive oil. Gently toss so that all the brussels sprouts are coated. Then place on a baking tray or cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until brussels sprouts are lightly browned.

After the first ten minutes, you should check on the brussel sprouts. You may need to shake the pan in order to make sure all the brussel sprouts get equally browned. Then take out your brussels sprouts and let cool a couple minutes before serving.

Enjoy as an appetizer with any main dish of your choice or with another appetizer. I personally enjoyed these lemon roasted brussels sprouts with a chopped vegan caprese salad and called it dinner.

Nutrition Facts

Brussels sprouts nutrition facts

Brussels sprouts nutrition facts 2

In one serving of these lemon roasted brussels sprouts, you will be consuming 131 calories and 7 grams of fat, mostly coming from that olive oil there. You will also be getting 632 milligrams of your daily potassium as well as 5 grams of protein. In addition, you are getting 18 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of dietary fiber.

In terms of vitamins and minerals, this appetizer is rich in both. For example, one serving will give you 10% of your daily vitamin E, 18% of your daily vitamin B-6, 21% of your daily vitamin A, and a whopping 271% of your daily vitamin C. In terms of minerals, you are getting 9% of your daily calcium, 13% of your daily iron, and 24% of your daily manganese.

You can see the complete nutrition facts in the images above that were calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Homemade Granola

For my cooking segment on UCTV’s show Wake Up UConn (video yet to be posted but I will upload when it’s up), I decided to share a recipe for homemade granola…

I love granola. Granola for breakfast with fresh fruit. Granola for a snack over yogurt. Granola by itself whenever and where ever. Usually I just buy granola from the market or get granola bars to take on the go. I was looking up recipes online and figured homemade granola would be fun to make, especially because then I could adjust to include my favorite parts of the granola and get rid of the other things I don’t like in it.

Granola after being baked

I came across Alton Brown’s granola recipe on the Food Network site and started from there…

His recipe called for:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

Looking this over at home, I chose to start with this as a base but changed up some of the ingredients. I changed the slivered almonds to whole almonds and traded in walnuts for the cashews. I eliminated raisins and substituted in dates.

I also got rid of the extra tablespoons of maple syrup and dark brown sugar because reviewers of the recipe said it made the granola very sweet and personally I don’t like my granola too sweet.

Homemade Granola Recipe

Some of the ingredients for granola I used included coconut, almonds, Medjool dates and walnuts.

So here is my ingredient list:

• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 1 cup of whole almonds
• 1 cup of shelled walnuts
• 1 cup of medjool dates (about 6)
• 3/4 cup of shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt

Makes about 10 servings (1/2 cup = one serving)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

In one bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients: rolled oats, whole almonds, shelled walnuts, coconut, brown sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix all of your wet ingredients: maple syrup and the vegetable oil. Once both the dry ingredients have been mixed together in their bowl and the wet ingredients have been mixed together in their separate bowl, you can now combine the wet and dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together well.

Granola before being baked

Then pour onto a baking sheet making sure you have one even level of granola mixture across the pan. If I were to do this again, which I likely will, I would place a piece of parchmnent paper on the cookie sheet so its easier to clean later and easier to transfer the granola from the cookie sheet to a bowl when it is done. After your granola is on the sheet, place it in the oven to cook. You will need to stir the granola mixture every fifteen minutes for the next hour and fifteen minutes. Once granola mixture is browned, you can take it out of the oven and transfer to a large bowl to cool. Then you can enjoy as is or store in an airtight container for later use. Your granola will stay for the next two weeks in which you can use it for snacks or breakfasts over yogurt, with fruit, or even with milk like cereal.

This is just my adaptation of the granola, and the next time I make it, I’ll probably make even more changes. I was thinking it would be fun to experiment and use coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil as well as throwing in a dash of vanilla extract. I also would include more nuts next time. So if you have an allotted two cups for nuts. I would do half a cup of walnuts, half a cup of pecans and then a cup of almonds. Obviously you can take this recipe and run with it to have it include only the nuts you like and really make it your granola. This is a really big benefit I think about making it at home because you can’t specialize your granola at the market.

Nutrition Facts

Granola nutrition facts

Before I move onto nutrition facts, I want to point out something quickly. Granola sometimes gets a bad rep for being not as healthy as people make it out to be, but this is false. The real issue with granola is that you have to be aware that it is very energy dense (meaning it will literally give you a lot of energy to get your going and keep you going throughout the day) which also translates to high in calories. Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it is something you have to be aware of when you are portioning out your granola. Maybe you’ve bought granola before or even just made it at home, either way you know that serving sizes range from as little as a small handful which is maybe a quarter of a cup to as much as 3/4 of a cup.

For this particular recipe from the original on the Food Network website, the servings yielded is only six. Six servings means you are consuming almost an entire cup of granola is one sitting which means you would be consuming almost 650 calories in one sitting. This is a little bit ridiculous. In a typical 2000 calorie diet, that’s more than a quarter of your allotted calories for the day in one meal or snack. So I personally recommend having a quarter cup for a snack and a half cup for a meal. I actually measured my granola out in this fashion and I think its really important for that portion control so that your granola remains a healthy snack or meal.

Granola nutrition facts 2

So onto nutrition facts…In one half cup serving, you are consuming about 389 calories and 23 grams of fat. It’s important to note though that these are health promoting fats. For example, walnuts used in this recipe are omega 3 fatty rich. These fats are promoting heart health. So though its higher in fat, keep in mind these are good fats coming from the nuts in the recipe. Additionally, there are 505 milligrams of potassium and 8 grams of protein in one serving. You are also getting 59 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams from dietary fiber and 22 grams from sugar.

Moving on to the vitamins and minerals found in one serving of this homemade granola…You are getting 8% of your daily vitamin B-6 and 25% of your daily vitamin E. One serving gives you 9% of your daily calcium, 10% of your daily folate, 19% of your daily iron, as well as 35% of your daily copper. Additionally, you are getting over 37% of your daily magnesium and over 100% of your daily manganese.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Roasted Red Pepper & Tofu Dip

Tofu & Roasted Red Pepper Dip

So after making tortilla chips, I obviously needed a fun dip to go with it. I love making salsa and guacamole from scratch but was in the mood for something new…

I decided to make a roasted red pepper and tofu dip using a recipe from the cookbook “Totally Vegetarian” by Toni Fiore who is the host of the TV show, “Delicious TV’s Totally Vegetarian”.

This dip was so easy to make, seriously you just throw everything in the blender…It doesn’t get much better than that. Also it’s not only a delicious and easy dip to make but it’s also highly nutritious. For example, in one 1/4 cup serving of this dip, you are getting 137 milligrams of potassium, 6 grams of protein, 34% of your daily vitamin A, and a whopping 100% of your daily vitamin C.

So if you are in the mood for a creamy new dip that’s delicious and nutritious, try this recipe!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tofu Dip Recipe

Now simply blend into your dip!

Makes 2 cups

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 package of extra firm tofu
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1 eight-ounce jar of roasted red peppers
• Pinch of sea salt

Super difficult instructions, ready?

Take your drained and dried extra firm tofu and put it in the blender. Next put your 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, eight-ounces of roasted peppers as well as your pinch of sea salt in the blender.

Blend until ultra-smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Homemade baked chips & red pepper dip

If you prefer, you can put in the fridge for an hour before serving so it’s more chilled.

Also if you want a chunkier dip, you can process everything in the blender BUT the peppers. Then either process the peppers in your food processor or cut by hand and mix in the chunks afterwards by hand. This will give you a more textured dip.

Enjoy this roasted red pepper and tofu dip served with homemade baked tortilla chips or fresh cut vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower.

This is a great little appetizer to keep in the fridge and have while making dinner or relaxing but can also be a great appetizer for a party. You could bake up some tortilla chips and serve it with this roasted red pepper and tofu dip, guacamole, and fresh salsa. Additionally like I mentioned before, you could also set out fresh vegetables to enjoy with the roasted red pepper and tofu dip.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Red Pepper & Tofu Dip Nutrition Facts

Roasted Red Pepper & Tofu Dip Nutrition Facts 2

I calculated the nutrition facts based on the consumption of 1/4 cup of this dip. If you have a 1/4 cup serving, then this dip will yield eight servings. So in one serving of this roasted red pepper and tofu dip, you are consuming 143 calories and 12 grams of fat, those grams of fat mostly coming from the olive oil. There is also six grams of protein and 137 milligrams of potassium. You are getting just 3 grams of carbohydrates, almost a gram coming from your dietary fiber.

Moving on to vitamins and minerals in one serving of this dip…You are getting 5% of your daily vitamin B-6, 34% of your daily vitamin A, and 100% of your daily vitamin C. Additionally you are getting 6% of your daily iron and 6% of your daily calcium.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Baked Tortilla Chips

Baked tortilla chips

I don’t why I never thought to make my own tortilla chips. I often make my own salsa or guacamole but usually just have store bought chips. Perhaps this is because I never realized how easy it was.

If you often eat tortilla chips though, you should make them yourself at home. You can significantly reduce the amount of salt that is found in the store bought chips as well as to have these chips warm and just out of the oven at your own convenience in a matter of minutes.

I made these with store bought six inch corn tortillas. You could choose to make them with whole wheat tortillas or flour tortillas instead if you prefer those to the corn tortillas.

In the future, I am looking forward to attempting to make my own tortillas from scratch but until then, these tortillas will do and are much easier to prepare.

Cutting the corn tortillas

Serves: 2
As an appetizer with your choice of dip!

Here’s what you need:

• Four six inch corn tortillas (or your choice of tortillas)
• One pinch of sea salt
• Olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

While you wait for your oven to preheat, take out your tortillas. I cut each six inch corn tortilla into eight pieces or “chips”. For two people, I cut up four tortillas, which yielded 32 chips.

You can adjust the amount of tortillas you use to yield the appropriate amount of chips depending on how many people will be eating them.

Brushing chips with oil

So take your tortillas and stack them up, then cut them into six equal pieces. If you stack them like this, it makes cutting them take only seconds as opposed to cutting each tortilla separately.

Then on a large cookie sheet or baking pan, brush your olive oil, or your choice of oil (vegetable, canola, etc.), on the bottom of the pan. Place your tortilla pieces on the pan or pans, depending on how many chips you are making. Brush the top of the tortilla pieces with a tad more oil and then sprinkle with salt.

Then bake in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool and serve immediately with your homemade salsa, guacamole, roasted red pepper and tofu dip, or your favorite dip!

Nutrition Facts

Chips nutrition facts

Chips nutrition facts 2

If you have two corn tortillas made into these delightful little chips, you will be consuming 173 calories and 8 grams of fat. There is about 100 milligrams of sodium and almost 100 milligrams of potassium. There is also 23 grams of carbohydrates, three of which come from your dietary fiber and half a gram that is sugar. You are also getting three grams of protein.

On to your vitamins and minerals…one serving of these corn tortilla chips will give you 5% of your daily vitamin B-6, 4% of your daily vitamin E, and 4% of your daily calcium. It was also give you 9% of your daily magnesium, 8% of your daily manganese, and 16% of your daily phosphorus.

The complete nutrition facts can be seen in the images above and have been calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.

Post Workout Smoothie

My recipe for my cooking segment in UCTV’s show Wake Up UConn featured a post workout smoothie made with peanut butter, a frozen banana, and chocolate soymilk.

If you click on the photo above, you can watch me and the news director make a post workout smoothie on my cooking segment on Wake Up UConn. My segment runs from 23:25 to 28:05 in the episode.

This high energy smoothie is very easy to make and great for after a workout. Liquids in general are good to have after a workout as they get digested faster than solids. This makes sense then why a peanut butter smoothie is better than having a peanut butter sandwich after a workout.

Ingredients used included: chocolate soymilk, banana, and peanut butter.

Don't like chocolate? Try this smoothie with vanilla soymilk instead!

Also you want to try to avoid or limit fats and make sure your post workout snack includes a high amount of protein and carbs as well as many vitamins and minerals to help replenish all the nutrients you have lost during your high energy workout.

You want to make sure you have your high energy post workout smoothie within thirty minutes after your workout because the sooner you have it, the sooner it will help replenish all those nutrients lost.

Post Workout Smoothie Recipe

So here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup of chocolate soy milk
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 1 frozen banana

Combine the cup of chocolate soy milk, one tablespoon of peanut butter and one frozen banana in the blender. Then blend until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy!

A couple of notes about the ingredients…If you don’t like soy milk, you could use regular milk, almond milk, or rice milk. You can also use vanilla soy milk or just plain milk instead of chocolate if you prefer, though I think the chocolate is a great addition to this smoothie. In particular, I especially like Silk’s dark chocolate almond milk.

Also if you don’t like peanut butter, you can use almond butter or tahini instead. You can even substitute it completely and use silken tofu or yogurt as a replacement.

Nutrition Facts

Post Workout Smoothie Nutrition Facts

Post Workout Smoothie Nutrition Facts 2

So now onto the nutrition facts for this post workout smoothie. In one serving, there is 343 calories and 12 grams of fat (mostly from the peanut butter). There are also 53 grams of carbohydrates, almost six of those grams are from dietary fiber and 33 grams are from sugar. There are also ten grams of protein and almost 925 milligrams of potassium which is about 20% of your daily recommended intake of potassium.

There are lots of vitamins and minerals in one serving of this high energy, post workout smoothie. One serving gives you almost 10% of you daily vitamin E, almost 12% of your daily vitamin A, and almost 20% of your daily vitamin C. But that’s not all, you are also getting 30% of your daily vitamin D, almost 40% of your daily vitamin B-6, and 50% of your daily vitamin B-1. In terms of minerals, one serving provides over 10% of iron, over 30% of calcium, and the list goes on.

You can see the complete nutrition facts in the images that were calculated using Sparks Recipe Calculator.