Saturday, October 29, 2016

An Odd But Tasty Pairing of Peppermint with Avocado in this Protein Mousse

You may know that I have been looking for a new whey protein powder.  I do happen to really like the vegan powders I have been using lately, but sometimes a particular recipe I want to make up calls for a whey powder.  The vegan and whey powders are very different beasts when it comes to consistency for baking.

I tried to make my High Protein Angel Cake with a favorite pea protein powder and it did not raise at all.

So, I went hunting for a whey powder that I could purchase locally; one that didn't cost a fortune and when I found a couple I thought I might like, I polled some blogging friends and they helped me decide. I did a lot of research into isolates, and blends too. There is a lot to learn when it comes to protein powders, apparently!

The powder I eventually chose is a brand called LeanFit and they manufacture in Canada. It is a whey blend and does have a bit of sucralose in the mix.  Overall I am pretty  happy with the nutritional profile and the taste and texture, as well as the price.  I got it at my local Costco and purchased a large tub of the vanilla and a large tub of the chocolate. So far, so good.

And, I also subscribed to the newsletter that the team at LeanFit send out by email. The letter I got this week had a couple of good looking recipes in it and I chose one to try out... it was intriguing because it has both peppermint extract and avocado in it and that is an odd combination in my mind.

The dish is called Mint Avocado Protein Mousse... the recipe makes 2 servings so I mixed it up for my afternoon snack on Friday.  I ate one serving and was happy to share the second with The Captain... he loved it as much as I do.  And asked me to make it again.

I will certainly do that, as long as I am able to purchase more avocados.  Apparently there has been some weather mishap in Mexico that is causing an avocado shortage here.  Glad I have 2 more in the larder so we won't go without right way, at least.

I am going to share the recipe with you the way I made it,  and also suggest that you check out some other fun recipes on the LeanFit site itself.


Mint Avocado Protein Mousse

Mint Avocado Protein Mousse
makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe medium/small avocado
  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (approx. 30g in weight)
  • scant 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp stevia
  • 2 or 3 drops peppermint extract
  • 1 tsp semi sweet mini chocolate chips
Instructions:
  1. Peel the avocado and remove the pit. Place the flesh into the bowl of your food processor blender.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Puree for about 30 seconds.
  4. Remove to 2 serving bowls
  5. Top each serving with a few chocolate chips.
Per serving.
Weight Watchers Smart Points = 4.

Calories 147
Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 2g
Carbohydrates 7g
Sugar 2g
Fibre 3g
Protein 13g

I think I will try it again with the chocolate flavored whey.

Mint Avocado Protein Mousse
The main ingredients

Mint Avocado Protein Mousse
A small ramekin filled with deliciousness!


Mint Avocado Protein Mousse
Digging in.


What do you think?  Would you ever pair peppermint with avocado?


Sunday, October 23, 2016

Quick Oatflour Flatbread

Ever have one of those kitchen experiments that just turns out so much better than you had hoped... and you just HAVE to share it?  That is what happened yesterday when I was looking to make myself a quickie peanut butter and honey sandwich.

Quick Oatflour Flatbread


What?  A sandwich?  For a girl that rarely eats bread of any kind... a sandwich is a rare thing to find on my plate.  Yes, I do keep a loaf of gluten-free bread stashed in the freezer for rare BBQd burger emergencies, however it is not something I normally would even think to eat.  I have never really been a bread eater since I gave up my breadmaker before moving onto our sailboat several years ago. And since I have been gluten free, the options there are really very limited in appeal.

But for some reason, peanut butter and honey was calling to me.  I cannot recall the last time I ate honey and I certainly don't remember the last time I ate bread.  I prefer my low-carb flatbreads or tortillas to bread (cauliflower base) but that was not going to cut it with peanut butter and honey.

Okay... what to do?  I knew I needed something bready.  In the past I might have tried to make something with coconut flour or almond flour, but I am trying to limit my fat intake these days so those were not options for me.

I always have a bag of gluten-free oats in the cupboard so I tossed about a cupful into the food processor and ground them on high for several minutes.  I am a bit afraid of burning out the motor on the food processor so I occasionally turn it off... not really sure if that does any good, but overall I think it took about five minutes of grinding to end up with coarse oat flour.

I measured some into a bowl and added almond milk one spoonful at a time until I got a consistency I thought I could work with, added a few grains of stevia and a sprinkle of cinnamon and put it into a hot pan on the stove to cook.

After a few minutes, I was pleasantly surprised that it was solid enough to flip... so I cooked the other side for a few minutes more and then removed it to a plate to cool.  I was eager to try it so while it cooled I mixed up some PB2 and looked for some honey.  I was pretty sure The Captain had some stashed in the pantry and I actually found 3 different kinds. I chose a liquid honey for my treat.  Then  I cut the flatbread into quarters and slathered each piece with PB2 and drizzle of honey and a shake of cinnamon, and sat down with a cup of coffee to enjoy my experiment.

Quick Oatflour Flatbread


Complete success!

And I realized, because the bread was still warm, it was fairly pliable... I could use this as a wrap... perhaps.  More ideas came immediately to mind, and so today, I am made myself another for breakfast and enjoyed it with some ham slices and an egg.  I folded it over and ate it like a sandwich. Instead of stevia and cinnamon, I put a sprinkling of Italian Seasoning into the batter.  Delicious!

Quick Oatflour Flatbread

It was tempting to take the bread from the pan too quickly.  Don't do this... you want the oats flour to cook completely or it will taste like raw oats... not my favorite taste at all.  And it will also be too soft and doughy.

Quick Oatflour Flatbread

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 3 Tbs almond milk
  • seasonings of choice
Instructions: 
  1. If you need to grind your own oats into oat flour, do that before you measure the flour.  Otherwise place the oat flour into a medium bowl.
  2. Add the almond milk and seasonings and mix well.
  3. Let sit for a couple of minutes to make sure the milk is completely absorbed by the flour.
  4. Lightly coat a pan with non-stick spray and heat on MEDIUM.
  5. Add the batter to the pan and spread into a circle about 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Do not spread too thin.
  6. Allow to cook about 4 or 5 minutes.
  7. Flip over and cook second side 3 or 4 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat and serve as desired.
Per whole recipe without toppings.
Weight Watchers Smart Points = 2.
Calories 82
Saturated Fat 0g
Carbohydrates 14g
Sugar 1g
Fibre 2g
Protein 3g


I used Only Oats and unsweetened orginal Almond Dream. The N.I. is going to depend on the ingredients you choose. 


Quick Oatflour Flatbread
Place the batter into a heated pan and spread into a circle about 5 or 6 inches in diameter. 

Quick Oatflour Flatbread
Cook several minutes and then flip and cook second side.

Quick Oatflour Flatbread
Enjoy with your favorite toppings for a quick and gluten-free treat.


I am not really a fan of hard crackers, but if you are, you could easily toast this Quick Oatflour Flatbread in the oven for a few minutes to bake it, or perhaps even try toasting it.

What do you think?  PB and honey or PB and jam?