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
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.

The main ingredients

A small ramekin filled with deliciousness!

Digging in.

Printable Recipe

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

Red Cabbage with Avocado and Sunflower Seeds

I have been reading a lot about adding nutrient dense plant based foods to  my diet in order to decrease the amount of snacking I do after dinner in the evenings.   For some reason, it has become an issue, and I am not happy about it.

So, the gist of it all is to eat more veggies so you won't have cravings for more, and your belly will be so full that you won't want to snack anyway.  I have been working on it for the past few weeks and it led me to joining a Facebook group where everyone has the same goal.  And it has spurred me to doing some experimenting in the kitchen again.

I got this idea from one of the women in the group... and at first it sounded quite odd... but very intriguing. I have made the dish twice now.  The first time it was our whole dinner.  And it was very filling and quite tasty.  The second time, I made about half and we had it as a side dish with some BBQ'd pork.  I think that The Captain preferred having it this way. I liked it better as dinner.  You can decide for yourself.

But I do hope you will give it a try.  I have never really been a fan of cooked cabbage... cabbage rolls, for example, have never really been a favorite of mine... but this red cabbage is sauteed only until soft, not cooked all the way to limp, so that may be the difference.  And of course the lime and avocado are just a natural pair.

Here is how it goes... These are the amounts I used for our main dish meal.  Adjust for your own table.

Red Cabbage with Avocado and Sunflower Seeds
Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 2 Tbs raw sunflower seeds
• 1 medium avocado, about 4 ounces, peeled, seeded and cut into large slices
• juice from one lime
• Salt and Pepper to season

Instructions:

1. Set a large saute pan over MEDIUM heat and place the coconut oil in it to melt.
2. Add the cabbage, salt and garlic, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes
3. Remove to 2 large bowls or plates and sprinkle each with half of the sunflower seeds.
4. Place half the avocado slices on each plate.
5. Drizzle each with half the lime juice.
6. Serve with salt and pepper on the side.

Per serving.

Weight Watchers Smart Points = 4 (because the cabbage and lime juice is not counted)

Calories 240

Fat 17g

Saturated Fat 5g

Carbohydrates 20g

Sugar 7g

Fibre 9g

Protein 5g

Saute the salted cabbage with garlic in the coconut oil till softened but not limp.

Plate and serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Do you enjoy meatless meals occasionally?

If you enjoy this recipe I hope you will PIN it.  Thanks for sharing.

Avocado and Egg Salad

I picked up a bag of 5 very large, and almost ripe, avocados at Costco one day last week.  They are absolutely delicious... is there anything more delightful than a perfectly ripe avocado?  I have been trying to think of new ways to eat them up... and came up with this Avocado and Egg Salad for dinner.

I want to try a few new things that I hope The Captain will enjoy as well.  He is not always very keen on the creamy texture of plain avocado.

In the Spring and Summer when we are spending more and more time outdoors, I keep some things on hand in the refrigerator to put together quick meals.  Hardboiled eggs is one of my favorite go-to items... so while I washed and cut up some greens, The Captain peeled some eggs, and our dinner came together rather quickly.

And it was wonderful!  I am sharing the ingredients I used for 2 fairly large dinner salads.  I think the next time I make this, I will try adding some crumbled bacon and some capers for garnish and a flavor boost.

Avocado and Egg Salad
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 cups salad greens, washed and dried
• 10 grape tomatoes cut in half
• 3 or 4 thin slices of red onion
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 mini cucumber, cut into slices
• 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and slices
• 1 large avocado, washed, peeled and cut into chunks
• Salt and pepper

For the dressing:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• splash of lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place the salad greens in 2 serving bowls and set aside
2. Put the tomatoes, red onions, parsley, cucumber, eggs, and avocado in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the eggs, etc in the mixing bowl.
4. Toss gently.
5. Spoon the mixture over salad greens and serve with salt a pepper to season.

Per serving.

Weight Watchers SP = 8.  *

Calories 273

Saturated Fat 5g

Sugar 2g

Protein 9g

* Using the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder (which will not add points for the onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and parsely, it comes to 8 SP. If you calculate using the N.I. it will come to 9 SP)

Not only pretty but delicious and filling too!

The Captain had some rye bread toast with his!

Printable Recipe

If you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of avocados and other interesting facts about them, please check out this article called 13 Health Benefits of Avocado.

Tell me you love avocados too!  What is your favorite way to serve them?

If you like this idea, I hope you will PIN it!

Creamy Avocado and Nooch Dressing or Dip

I think I am on a bit of a roll, here…. I am so loving the avocados we have been getting lately from California.  They are so creamy and so rich! And because I usually have either zoodles or a big mixed salad for lunch every day, I have been coming up with different ways to dress them up using my beloved avocados.

I also happen to love nooch (nutritional yeast). It gives a bit of a cheesy flavor and is a good thickener, too.  Also has lots of nutrients.  Duh.  NUTRITIONAL yeast.

I was going to just slice the avocado onto my salad, but after I mixed some nooch and some yogurt together, I decided to mash the avocado into it, and this lovely dressing was born.  Mmmm. Great idea!

This dressing is sublime.  Truly.  I can’t rave about it enough.  It is thick and creamy and good enough to just sit and eat with a spoon, or even your fingers!

Creamy Avocado and Nooch Dressing or Dip
Makes 1 serving

• 3/8 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs nooch
• 1/2 medium avocado (about 1-1/2 ounces)
• a few drops of lemon juice
• dash of salt

1. Mix the yogurt and nooch till well blended. 
2. Add the avocado and mash and mix till the mixture is smooth and creamy.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt to taste.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 141; Protein 13g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 7g; Fibre 4g.

Just look how thick and creamy this is!  The lemon juice will keep the avocado from changing color.

Printable Recipe

What is your favorite way to enjoy avocados?

Green Pepper Boats with Egg and Avocado

I have come to really enjoy a few slices of perfectly ripe avocado along with my morning eggs...  ever since I first made these Avocado and Egg Boats.

I was having a hankering for them again when came across a green pepper in the crisper that was looking a little neglected.  So, I decided to use that too and ended up with Green Pepper and Egg Boats with Avocado.

If you are a vegetarian, just leave the bacon out.  But it does add a distinct flavor burst to the whole meal.

This is a big breakfast that will easily keep you going till noon... or it could certainly pass for lunch or even dinner, too.

Green Pepper Boats with Egg and Avocado
Makes 2 servings

• 1 large green pepper, cut in half vertically and cleaned
• 2 eggs
• 3 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut in slices (about 4 oz net)
• crumbled bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Place the green pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Crack an egg into each ‘boat’.
4. Bake for 15  minutes.
5. Place 3 pieces of cherry tomato in each boat and return them to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove to serving plates.
7. Spread the avocado slices onto each boat, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon, salt and pepper before serving.

Per boat, with 1 tsp bacon.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 203; Protein 9g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 15g; Fibre 5g.

You could easily cook 2 eggs in each if the pepper halves are large enough.

After 15 minutes the eggs will still be slightly runny.

Mmmmmm… This is just so good.  Lots of my favorite flavors, all mixed together.

Printable Recipe

Are you a runny egg fan?  

What about avocados.... love 'em or leave 'em?

More Sweet Potato and Quinoa Burgers from The Lean Green Bean

I found this recipe for Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Burgers with Cranberries on a blog I like to read called The Lean Green Bean. I have used lots of Lindsay's recipes over the past several months and have never been disappointed.  You may recall her Tuna Quinoa Cakes.

This one is marvelous!  It is a combination of some of my very favorite gluten-free ingredients and is basically a very tasty veggie burger... but with a real flavor twist in the cranberries.

We actually first tried these burgers some time ago.

I had The Captain mix up the ingredients and form the burgers...

And then we baked them for 20 minutes before turning them over...

 and popping them back into the oven to cook for 10 minutes more.  They get crsipy on the edges and I love that crunch!

We decided that one each would make a great dinner... I had mine on a bed of mixed Spring greens and sliced cherry tomatoes, topped with feta cheese....

and The Captain chose to have his real burger style on a whole wheat roll with mustard and processed cheese.

I enjoyed another one, cold from the fridge, for lunch the next day, also on a green salad and it was just as good.

Check out the recipe and instructions at The Lean Green Bean, and please be sure to tell Linday I sent you!  I bet you already have the ingredients on hand, just as I did, and can make these right away for yourself and your family, too.

Here is the Nutritional Information for the burgers:

Per serving of one burger.

Weight Watchers P+ = 4.

Calories 176; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 32g; Fat 2g; Fibre 7g.

Have you made veggie burgers? 

Do you have a link to a favorite veggie burger recipe you would like to share?





Avocado and Egg Boats with Kate’s Flax Toast

I am so excited about both of these ideas, and although I cannot take credit for either of them, I am eager to share them with you.  This morning I put them together for such a fun and different breakfast… fully satisfying, quite colorful, and absolutely nutritious and delicious.

You can not ask for more than that… although I know you will want more of this!  And I am especially delighted that The Captain loved it and asked that I make it again soon.

Let me tell you first about the baked avocado and egg… I saw a picture of this dish earlier this morning when I read spunkysuzi’s latest blog post.  I had a perfectly ripe avocado on the counter, and I knew instantly that this would be a fun way to use it.  And so simple.  Basically all you do is scoop the seed out of the avocado and crack and egg into it and bake it till the egg is cooked. 

I had never thought to eat a cooked avocado before and it is truly wonderful!  I didn’t have a recipe to follow, just the picture for inspiration so I made a recipe up and I will share it with you.

And my toast?

This is such a great idea, especially if you are looking for something grain free or gluten free. It is a mixture of milled flax, nutritional yeast, egg whites and baking powder.  It is cooked for a couple of minutes in the microwave oven, and then toasted.  This idea was originally given to me by my friend Kate, and we have gone back and forth playing with the recipe between the 2 of us and now that we have it down, I want to share it with you, with Kate’s approval, of course.

Baked Avocado with Egg
Makes 2 servings

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 fresh eggs
• 2 tsp bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• Salt and pepper for seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Wash the avocado and then cut it in half.
3. Scoop the seed out and discard it. (Or better yet, plant it!)
4. Place the 2 pieces of avocado in a baking dish, cut side up.
5. If the cavity is not large enough to hold an egg, scoop a bit of the flesh out and put it in a small dish to bake alongside.  Do this for each half of the avocado.
6. Crack a fresh egg into each half, and put any excess egg white into the dish with the avocado flesh.
7. Sprinkle a few pieces of cooked and crumbled bacon on top, if you are using.
8. Place the avocados and the additional dish into the oven and bake till the eggs are done to your liking.  I baked ours for 15 minutes and the eggs were still quite runny so adjust your time accordingly.
9. Remove from the oven and place each half on a plate. Serve with toast for spreading. Serve the additional avocado and egg white alongside.

Per serving, with 1 tsp bacon bits
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 149; Protein6 g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 13g; Fibre 3g

Kate’s Flax Toast
Makes 2 servings

• 2 Tbs milled flax seeds
• 1 Tbs nutritional yeast flakes (nooch)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup egg whites

1. Put the egg whites in a small bowl and whisk with a fork till they get a bit frothy.
2. Add the dry ingredients and stir.
3. Pour the mixture into a microwave cooking dish that has been lightly coated with a non-stick spray…. the dish could be anywhere from 7 to 9 inches in diameter.
4. Mike on HIGH for 2-1/2 minutes.
5. Remove and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
6. Gently run a spatula around the edges of the cooked mixture to lift it out of the pan.
7. Cut it in half and place the pieces in a toaster.
8. Toast lightly for a minute or 2… watch it closely as it is thin and will burn easily.
9. Remove to serving plate.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 72; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 4g; Fibre 2g
(I will save the other half and probably snack on it later, slathered with Almond Butter and mashed banana.)

 

Wash the avocado and then cut it in half.

I like to use a spoon to scoop the seed out.

Place the avocado pieces and extra avocado/egg whites into a baking dish and cook till the eggs are done to your liking.  You can sprinkle with bacon bits before or after baking.

You could take the time to spread the mixture into a nice circle before cooking if you want.

After it has cooked and cooled, use a spatula to remove it from the dish.

I like runny eggs….

My plate with Kate’s Flax Toast.

The Captain’s plate with rye toast.

The baked avocado and egg mixture spreads quite nicely.

That is some of the excess baked avocado and egg white on my toast.

And runny egg added… Mmmmm.

Have you ever tried these avocado and egg ‘boats’?

Have you eaten cooked avocado before?

White Tuna is the Star of This Avocado and Tuna Salad

We always have canned, water-packed chunk tuna in the cupboards, and I often have it on greens for lunch.  But recently we shopped at  Costco, and they had water-packed solid white tuna on sale.  I couldn't resist as I think it is so much nicer than the light, when it takes centre stage on my plate.

I had an avocado that was just ripe and so I created a really nice lunch salad for The Captain and me, and even he approved!

If all came together so quickly and easily.  I didn't use an oily dressing on this salad, only a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice.  There is enough healthy fat in the avocado, and I didn't want to overpower the delicate tuna.  Of course I used some of the fresh cilantro that is growing on our balcony right now.



Avocado and Tuna Salad
Makes 2 servings

• 4 or 5 cups of mixed lettuces and baby spinach, cut to desired size
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 can tuna, drained (133g solids after draining - approx 4 ounces)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• Dashes of salt and pepper
• Fresh cilantro as desired

1. Wash and cut the greens and divide between 2 serving plates.
2. Add half the grated carrot to each plate and toss into the greens.
3. Break the tuna chunks up with a fork and layer over the greens mixture.
4. Slice the avocado and place over the tuna.
5. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the salads.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 190; Protein 17g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 12g; Fibre 7g.

Plated and ready!



 Printable Recipe

Summery Avocado Boats

Sometimes I just crave avocado... they are one of my very favorite foods.  Rarely do I ever manage to purchase one that is ready to eat, and often I have to wait several days.

All week long I have been coaxing an avocado along into the perfect state of ripeness... checking it every day.  Finally today was the day it was just right to eat.  I spent quite a lot of time this morning trying to decide how best to enjoy it.

I came up with this simple, but pretty, salad to have at lunch.  I call it Summery Avocado Boats.  I am sailor after all....



SummeryAvocado Boats
Makes 2 servings

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

For the Dressing

• 2 tsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon or 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 Tbs ciliantro, chopped
• Dashes of salt and dried oregano

1. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl, combine well and set aside to let the garlic work!
2. Put the yellow pepper, green onion and tomatoes into a medium bowl.
3. Wash the avocado and cut it in half end to end.
4. Gently scoop the flesh away from the avocado shell.
5. Cut the flesh into smallish chunks and fold them into the other salad ingredients in the medium bowl.
6. Add the dressing to the salad and stir gently.
7. Spoon half othe mixture into each of the two avocado shells and serve with a dash of salt and a sprig of cilantro for garnish.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 152; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 9g; Fat 13g; Fibre 4g.

Prepared dressing and set aside to give the garlic a bit of time to work.

Put peppers, onion, and tomatoes into a medium bowl.



Wash, cut and scoop avocado.  I do this just before I am going to use it so it doesn't turn brown from oxidization.

Add avocado chunks to salad, then dressing and fold altogether gently.

Scoop half of the mixture into each shell to make boats!

I served with whole wheat bagels and Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Printable Recipe

Chocolate-Avocado Vegan Cupcakes

I have seen several different recipes over the past year, that use avocado in place of the traditional butter and eggs when chocolate is involved.  This is one vegan recipe I couldn't resist.  It comes from Joy Wilson's Joy the Baker Cookbook.  I happened to have a just-ripe avocado sitting on the counter, waiting to be used.... normally I would have made guacamole with it, but since I have been doing so much running lately, I am craving sweets.

This looked like it would fill the bill... and did it ever!  Don't be worried if you see little bits of the avocado as your pour the batter into the muffin cups.  They will disappear as they bake. 

The Captain prefers plain cupcakes so I only frosted a few of them... you decide. They certainly do not need the frosting.  And I bet no one will know there is avocado in them unless you tell. 

Here is Joy's recipe.

Chocolate-Avocado Vegan Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup mashed ripe avocado (about half an avocado)
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 

1. Place rack in the upper third of the oven, and preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line a cupcake pan with foil or paper liners.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, avocado, water, vinegar, and vanilla.
5. Add the flour mixture to the avocado mixture and fold with a spatula until well combined.
6. The batter will be so loose that you can pour it into a measuring cup to dispense into the cupcake molds. Fill each cupcake liner until it’s about two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
8.  Let cakes cool for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

I didn't care for the frosting recipe that accompanied these cupcakes so I made up one of my own... it lightly frosted only 4 of the cakes so you can alter the ingredients accordingly. If you want to stay with the vegan theme, use Earth Balance butter or a vegan margarine.

Elle's Mocha Frosting
Makes enough to frost 4 cupcakes

• 1-1/2 Tbs butter at room temperature
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup icing (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 tsp  vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cold coffee 

1. Cream butter with cocoa and icing sugar. 
2. Add vanilla and coffee and mix well.
3. If it is a bit dry add water, a drop or 2 at a time until it is the consistency you like.
4. Spread over 3 completely cooled cupcakes.

Per serving, without icing.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 153; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 30g; Fat 3g; Fibre 1g.

Per serving, with icing.
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 240; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 42g; Fat 8g; Fibre 1g.

I like to use silicone liners because they don't stick.

Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda together.

Combine the sugar, oil, avocado, vinegar, water and vanilla together.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold gently.

The batter makes 12 large cupcakes.  Allow the cooked cupcakes to cool a bit before removing from the baking tin.

Moist and delicious!  No frosting here.

Cream butter with cocoa and icing sugar.

Add wet ingredients and mix well.

Frosted and garnished with a bit of powdered sugar.

You decide!

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