Honey almond power bars

It must be power bar week! On Wednesday, Aimee posted some great-looking cherry energy bars, and here I am today with dried-fruit bars of my own. I bookmarked this recipe awhile back, and made it one morning before work—that’s how quick and easy it is. It’s one of those customize-at-will recipes; there are options for every single item on this ingredient list! Oats (old-fashioned or quick), almonds (use chopped walnuts or pecans instead), sunflower seeds (raw, salted, or honey-roasted), flaxseeds (whole or ground), sesame seeds (raw or toasted), cereal (puffed rice, kamut, or millet), dried fruit (add or substitute things like chopped dried cherries or apricots, goji berries, dark raisins, et al.), nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew), sugar (raw/turbinado, sucanat, or brown), honey (use agave nectar or brown rice syrup instead), extract (vanilla or almond), and even the sea salt (just use good ol’ table salt).

Some people seem to think that an energy/power bar is the same thing as a protein bar, but they serve very different purposes. For an athlete, or anyone who runs marathons like me, it’s important to distinguish between the two. While protein bars can be good for recovery snacks or meal replacements, a power bar, or energy bar, is actually quite low in protein. It’s meant to be more of a carbohydrate delivery system, providing a mix of slow- and quick-release carbs to fuel workouts, balanced by small doses of fat (to slow digestion) and protein (to aid muscle recovery). So don’t look to a bar like this to keep you full for hours—eat one for a pre-workout energy boost instead.

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp flaxseeds
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup unsweetened whole-grain puffed cereal
1/3 cup dried blueberries
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spread oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and sesame seeds on a rimmed baking sheet.



Bake until the oats are lightly toasted and the nuts are fragrant, shaking the pan halfway through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the cereal, blueberries, cranberries, and raisins; toss to combine.



Meanwhile, combine the almond butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles lightly, 2 to 5 minutes.



Immediately pour the almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until no dry spots remain.



Transfer to the prepared pan. Lightly coat your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture down firmly to make an even layer (wait until the mixture cools slightly if necessary). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes, before cutting into 10 bars.



Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a month; thaw at room temperature. These are more delicate than storebought power bars, but I’m quite happy to exchange durability for wholesomeness in this additive- and preservative-free snack. They’re toasty, fruity, nutty, and conveniently grab-and-go!



Yield: 10 bars. Per bar: 202 calories, 7.5g fat (1g sat), 32.2g carbs, 4g fiber, 4.5g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
No-bake almond butter balls
Oat crumble jam bars
Banana wheat germ muffins

White bean & broccoli pasta toss

A little over a year ago, I ate at a swanky restaurant downtown called Seven. The dish that jumped out at me, orecchiette with broccoli rabe and cannellini beans, was delicious— simple and elegant Tuscan ingredients kissed with garlic and olive oil. Just a couple months later, I found a strikingly similar recipe in EatingWell magazine. I replaced the broccoli rabe with regular broccoli and omitted the cheese, but changed little else. The result is a light and lovely restaurant-quality meal at home. The breadcrumb topping is optional, but I highly recommend including it; the delightful crunch is a great foil to the creamy beans.

For the pasta:
8 oz. whole wheat shells, orecchiette, or chiocciole
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1T all-purpose flour
2T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can navy/cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2T red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For the breadcrumbs:
2 slices whole wheat bread, crusts trimmed
1T olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder



Tear the bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor into coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, toss the crumbs with the olive oil, salt, and garlic powder. Cook and stir the crumbs in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, then set aside.



Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the broccoli during the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the mixture, and dry out the pot. Look at that beautiful bright green broccoli!



Whisk the broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the beans, vinegar, salt, and pepper...



...then add the pasta and broccoli. Cook and stir until the pasta is thoroughly coated and the mixture is heated through, about 1 minute. I love the way the beans nestle into the shells.



Remove from the heat, top with the toasted breadcrumbs, and serve immediately. I like to dust on a little nutritional yeast too, and feel free to drizzle on some extra olive oil as well. You can change up the main vegetable if you want (I bet this would be great with asparagus), or add extra veggies (like an onion or a couple shallots). For me, this pasta provides a warm and welcome segway into spring.



Yield: 4 servings. Per serving: 442 calories, 11.5g fat (1.6g sat), 72.2g carbs, 14g fiber, 19.3g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Spaghetti with raw tomato sauce
Tofu parmigiana alla marinara
Spaghetti with tomato and peas

Tofu parmigiana alla marinara

Did you ever like chicken parmesan? I didn’t. I just never found anything appealing about a bland slab of chicken, covered with a thick coating of crumbly bread scraps, fried until completely saturated with grease, and adorned with a soggy, viscous mass of fatty, slimy cheese. (I’m sure there are people out there to whom that sounds delectable. I pity them.) No, to me, chicken parmesan was just a sad way to ruin the perfectly good pasta that tends to come served beneath it.

What does sound promising, however, is the looser concept of a seasoned and cooked protein paired with a pasta and topped with a rich marinara sauce—which brings us to this delightful recipe, another winner from my favorite magazine. I kept the original spirit, but made it a little easier and a bit more flavorful. One simple swap made it instantly vegan.

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
14-oz. pkg extra-firm tofu, rinsed
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 tsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1+ cup marinara sauce (storebought or homemade)
6T vegan mozzarella (optional)
2T chopped fresh basil or parsley (or 1 tsp dried)



Cook the spaghetti according to package directions; drain when done. Combine the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a shallow bowl. (Alternatively, just use Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs.) Cut the tofu crosswise into six “steaks” and pat them dry. Dredge both sides of the tofu in the breadcrumb mixture.



Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot and garlic, and cook and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the remaining 1T (3 tsp) oil to the pan and then add the tofu steaks.



Cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for 1-2 minutes more.



Spoon the onion/carrot mixture over the tofu.



Pour the marinara on top and sprinkle 1T of the mozzarella on each piece (if desired—I could care less about cheese, but I admit it does look prettier this way).



Cover and cook until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the basil or parsley.



Serve each tofu steak atop a mound of spaghetti, spooning the extra sauce from the pan alongside.



The tofu strikes that perfect balance between tender and chewy, the breadcrumb coating adds just the right amount of seasoning, and the marinara is marvelously livened up by the fresh vegetables. Those crazy carnivores can keep their foul, oil-drenched, saturated-fat-laden fowl. I’m too busy with this deliciousness to feel bad for them anymore.



Yield: 6 servings. Per serving: 319 calories, 10.7g fat (1.7g sat), 40.7g carbs, 5.1g fiber, 18g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Spaghetti with tomato and peas
Tempeh bolognese
Vegan pesto pasta

Vegan lo mein

Two recipes in one week! Impressive, aren’t I? I adapted this recipe from Eating Well magazine too—it’s my favorite cooking magazine out there. It’s omni, but they include lots of vegetarian dishes, and most of the rest are easily veganizable. I’ve never made a recipe from that magazine that I didn’t love. This one is a great alternative to take-out – it’s non-greasy, healthy, veggie-packed, and vegan – and if you have a well-stocked kitchen, you’ll likely have many of these ingredients on hand already.

8 oz. whole-wheat spaghetti (udon noodles are great here too)
2 cups frozen edamame
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions, minced
1/4 cup vegetarian "oyster" sauce
3T rice vinegar
3T reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-3 tsp sriracha
1T canola oil
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks (or 1 cup pre-cut shredded carrots)
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks



Boil water and add the spaghetti. Cook according to package directions, adding an extra 2 minutes. Put the edamame in the pot with the spaghetti when there’s 5 minutes left. Drain it all and set it aside.



Whisk together scallions, garlic, “oyster” sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and sriracha (I tend to put in gobs of that) until combined.



Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and red pepper and cook about 4 minutes, till softened.



Add the drained spaghetti and edamame. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes.



Add the sauce, stir it in throughly, and remove from the heat.



And that’s it! In roughly 20 minutes, you have a restaurant-quality meal that’s as perfect for a weeknight as it is for a date night.



Yield: 4 servings. Per serving: 415 calories, 10.3g fat (trace sat), 65.2g carbs, 13.8g fiber, 19.4g protein.

Chilaquiles casserole

I’ve got a recipe for you today, and it’s one of my top 3 favorite things I’ve ever made. I make it at least every month or two, because after a few weeks, I begin to crave it.

It's a chilaquiles casserole. Chilaquiles is a Mexican dish consisting of tortilla strips simmered with meat, eggs, or vegetables. This casserole version is a vegetarian play on that, creating a sort of Mexican lasagna-type dish. I adapted the recipe to my taste from a wonderful magazine called Eating Well. You can view the original here.

First, you’ll need ingredients.

1T canola oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium green pepper, finely diced
2+ cloves garlic, minced
19-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (I use petite diced)
1 1/2 cups corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
12 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
19-oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 cup vegan cheese of choice (or no cheese at all!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes more. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Add the black beans, drained diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, and salt to the skillet. (I often add up to a full tablespoon of cumin, and I like to add a dash of cayenne too.) Cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 minutes, till it’s heated through.



This would be a delicious dish in and of itself! Spoon it into tortillas, mix it with cooked quinoa or brown rice, or eat it as is. It’s a delicious, confetti-colorful smorgasbord of nutrition.

The rest of comes together very quickly. Arrange half the tortilla pieces in the dish, top with half the veggies, pour over half the enchilada sauce, and scatter on half the cheese. Got that? Then you repeat it. Like so:

A layer of tortillas...



Then veggies, then enchilada sauce...



Then cheese, if you want it.



Cover it with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more. You will then pull this masterpiece out of your oven:



And ohhh, it is as good as it looks. Better, in fact. The enchilada sauce soaks through and softens the tortillas, and I’m telling you, it is just plain heavenly.

After it cooks, let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Then slice, eat, and swoon.



Yield: 4-6 servings. Per serving (4; without cheese): 435 calories, 9g fat (.6g sat), 79.9g carbs, 13.7g fiber, 15.3g protein.
Per serving (6; without cheese): 290 calories, 6g fat (.4g sat), 53.2g carbs, 9.2g fiber, 10.2g protein.