Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts

Vegan Protein Zucchini Bread

October 2, 2012

Vegan Protein Zucchini Bread




Some recipes are just meant to be. They are perfect in all respect. This is one of them
Easy to make, tastes awesome and - last but not least - has a great nutritional value.
I could brag for hours about how good this protein zucchini bread is, but instead I’m just gonna point out the few awesome things about it.

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal and Raisin Muffins

September 27, 2012



I realized that the only muffins’ recipes I’ve posted so far were made with protein powder: double chocolate protein muffins, and pumpkin protein muffins. I don’t always bake with protein powder though; there are other several recipes for healthy muffins that I like to make.
This one, for instance, is amazing. A combination of wholesome ingredients to make some delicious muffins easy on calories. Packed with fiber, but with little sugar, and very little fat.




Lentil "Meatballs" With Light Pesto

September 24, 2012

Lentil "Meatballs" With Light Pesto
Talking about “meatless meatballs” is an oxymoron. One that is hard to justify.
As my niece told me: “How can you have meatballs if there’s no meat inside?”
To a certain degree I had to yield to her reasoning. If there’s no meat you should call them “[something]balls” not meatballs.
Two incongruous words paired together, what a headache to explain to kids. With these lentil ‘meatballs’ however the resemblance and taste to meat is so close that there’s no better way to describe them besides ‘meatballs’.
That’s why the oxymoron is justified. Just this one time.

Light Pesto

White Bean Hummus

September 14, 2012


You know how much I fancy hummus. Since I mastered - what I believe to be - the ultimate hummus recipe, I make a batch almost every week.
Hummus is made with chickpeas, which are legumes. There are many other legumes that I adore though: lentils for instance, not to mention beans. So why not making hummus with other legumes?

Spicy Turmeric Chicken

September 10, 2012

Spicy Turmeric Chicken


Lean meats, such as chicken and turkey, are an important component of an athlete’s diet as they are a readily available source of precious aminoacids.
Even if it’s crucial to differentiate what we eat so as to include also plant sources of protein; lean meats are always a handy thing to resort to especially after a kick-ass workout.
However, plain grilled chicken can get boring soon, that’s why it’s nice to have a quick fix recipe for cooking a tasty chicken.

Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread

September 2, 2012


Another recipe, more quinoa involved. Yes, we have to get ourselves ready for 2013 (UN’s International Year of Quinoa). There’s no slacking off, we must learn how to incorporate quinoa in all our meals.
What about making some bread with quinoa?
Bread, real bread, it’s not that complicated to make, but it does take time. Not so much in the preparation but it has to rise for several hours. This quinoa bread is no exception. You’ll need a good 4 to 5 hours. Good news is that while the dough rises you have plenty of time to do other things.
I, for instance, scheduled my training schedule accordingly. I knew I had to wait around 1 hour between each step so I went for my 6 miles run during the first ‘rise’, took a yoga class during the second ‘rise’, and watched two full episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” during the third and final ’rise’ (I know, this is not so much exercising but I was worn off and wanted to be a couch potato for once).

The Best Quinoa Patties

August 28, 2012

The Best Quinoa Patties


2013 is “The International Year of Quinoa” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. An important recognition given to the Andean indigenous peoples, who have maintained, controlled, protected and preserved quinoa as food for present and future generations.
The international organization wants, in particular, to focus world's attention on the role that quinoa’s biodiversity and nutritional value plays in providing food security and nutrition.
Over the last decade quinoa has become a “global food” thanks to its high nutritional value and health benefits. Nowadays, you can find quinoa in almost every grocery store around the country. The price has also become much more "democratic".
Quinoa is one of the staple foods in my diet, and these patties are definitely one of my favorite recipe involving this wonder seed.

High Protein White Smoothie

July 27, 2012



Sometime in life in order to move forward you have to take a leap of faith. Depending on the choices you’re facing it can be either a big one or a small one.

When it comes to food it’s rarely a big one. Even if it might take some courage to try a snake meat shred soup or monkey brains (yuk!) the worst that can happen is that you’ll spit it out or just get nauseated. No biggies.
So what I’m asking you today is to take a leap of faith and try this smoothie. It’s made with an unconventional ingredient: cannellini beans. But you’ll have to trust me when I say that you won’t taste them, and that this is an awesome smoothie.
A smoothie with the highest protein content ever. But that’s not all. The proteins come from all different sources: legumes, dairy, nuts, and protein powder. Also, since we’re not using fruits or juices it’s pretty low in sugars hence it can make a great alternative if you have friends and/or relatives that need to keep their blood sugar low.

Carrot Orange Protein Smoothie

June 19, 2012

Carrot Orange Protein Smoothie


This is the quintessential summer smoothie. It's supercharged with vitamins A and ß-carotene (which converts into vitamin A in the body). As you probably already, know Vitamin A is not only essential for vision, it's THE nutrient for maintaining a healthy skin.
Carrot juice, orange juice and peaches. Three incredible sources of Vitamin A. What do you want more?

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

June 14, 2012

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
I went ahead and make you a perfect post-workout dinner for tonight.
Except I ate it. All. It was too good to resist.
So eventually if you could make your own post-workout dinner...I think that it would definitely be best.
I’ll tell you what to use, how to cook it and the reasons why you should do it. But I won’t go as far as cooking it. Because I will eat it and it would be same story all over again.
First off, we’re talking frittatas here. They fill your belly. If done the right way and with the right ingredients they’re nutritious and good for you.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it’s always the right time for a good frittata.
After a rad workout that’s when they are the best choice, as they provide all the nutrients necessary for a speedy recovery.
THIS FRITTATA is everything and all the above, in just one simple recipe.

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
Quinoa. Isn’t it THE PERFECT post-workout food? With zucchini. Very thinly sliced...AWESOME! Then some garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil chopped. ARE YOU JOKING? Plus egg whites (or eggs). PURE BLISS.
This dish has all the qualities an athlete holds dear: proteins (quinoa and eggs: hello?), complex carbs, vitamins and all kinds of nutrients.
All in all THE PERFECT POST-WORKOUT FOOD. And if you think I’m overusing ALL CAPS, wait until you’ll cook this. I’m positive you’ll become an ALL CAPS kind of person too.

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
Quinoa, Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata                                        Print this recipe!

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 gr cooked quinoa (you’ll need around ½ cup uncooked quinoa)
10 egg whites (or 5 whole free-range eggs)
2 large zucchini (or 4 medium), very thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
handful fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat a large skillet (or saute pan) over medium to high heat and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and saute’ for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and saute’ for another minute. Add the zucchini, salt, pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the off heat and add the fresh basil.
In a medium bowl mix the eggs (or egg whites), the quinoa, the zucchini mixture and Parmesan cheese.
Deglaze the pan you used for the zucchini with 1/4 cup of water, scraping any brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Drizzle the pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Now you have two options:
1) cook the frittata over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Turning the frittata upside-down halfway through with the aid of a lid.
2) Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You want the eggs to cook but not to bake all the moist out of your frittata.
You can serve it warm, at room temperature or cold.

Nutrition facts

This frittata yields 500 calories, 18 grams of fat, 36,5 grams of carbs and almost 60 grams of protein.
Meaning that one serving has 120 calories, with 4.5 grams of fat, 9.1 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of protein.
However, if you’re using whole eggs instead of egg whites the whole thing has around 700 calories, with 36.5 grams of carbs, 49 grams of protein and 43 grams of fats.

Homemade Fruit Jellies (A Perfect Pre-Race Snack)

June 10, 2012



Saturday I was packing my stuff for Sunday’s race and I was pretty amazed by the amount of energy gels I carry with me.
Energy gels are a perfect “energy option” for endurance athletes as they deliver a good amount of nutrients in one tidy package. Truth to be told, they bring sugars, maybe in a complex form, but still sugars. And there’s nothing wrong with that since sugar will fuel your muscles.
That is why, back in the days when energy gels were not so popular athletes used to much on small candies (hard and soft) which are a good source of simple carbs.

Lately, sport nutritionists recommend to munch or chew snacks that are close to whole foods as possible and tp avoid ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes and chemical stuff not easily identifiable.
Since the energy gels are packed with stuff with names I can’t even spell, I thought to myself: why I don’t I try to make some homemade candies that I can use before training/races?
I gave it a thought and realize that my best option was to make some fruit jellies.
Fruit jellies are basically fruit and sugar in a “form” that it’s super convenient to carry.
I used some organic strawberries, apricots and loquats that I had in the fridge. But you can use any other combination.


Mixed Berry Protein Smoothie

June 5, 2012

Mixed Berry Protein Smoothie


Warmer months are all about smoothies. At least for me. I gorge myself on them throughout the day. First one in the morning and at least another one in the afternoon when I’m done with training.
Usually with breakfast I prefer the all-fruit ones. It goes without saying it, I always (always, always) add at least one scoop of protein powder.

Mixed Berry Protein Smoothie

Spicy Chicken with Guacamole on Roti Sandwich

June 4, 2012

Sandwiches make for a very big part of our meals. I try to avoid them as much as I can because of the bread and the sauces and the cured meats...but I have to admit that they are a very handy and convenient way to eat. You can carry them with you everywhere and they do not require any flatware nor dish to eat.
And as there are situations in which you just can’t avoid eating sandwiches, I decided that the best thing to do was to make my own and stuff it with the best possible “IronYou” approved ingredients.




Broccoli and Chickpea Vegan Patties

May 24, 2012

Sometimes you have to try and try and try recipes in order to perfect them. This was the case with these vegan patties. I took a recipe, tried it, good but not fantastic. Change it several times. Good but never amazing.
However, hard work and dedication always pay-off because at the 23rd attempt I succeeded.
This tested final version is rad.




White Bean Protein Bundt Cake

May 15, 2012

Do you know the feeling when you come across a recipe and you instinctively know that it’s great one?
Well that was the case for me when I first saw the White Bean Bundt Cake recipe on JoytheBaker.
I never thought in my life that it would have been possible to bake a cake from beans (I know, how provincial of me).
Also, I never thought it would be possible that the resulting cake would actually taste unbelievably good.
Finally, I never thought that I could manage not only to bake that cake but also to made few tweaks to make it more IronYou proof.
But no matter what I thought because this protein cake is R-A-D!




Crunchy Nut-Raisin Granola Bars

May 5, 2012

Crunchy Nut-Raisin Granola Bars


Munching a granola bar during training it’s one of the best things in the world. They're crunchy, delicious, and packed with energy that can propel you throughout your routine. 
Granola bars are evidence that sportman also enjoy a good snack, it’s not only about sweat and tears.  
I have to confess, I’ve tried almost all granola bars available on the market, and I have some favorites.
However, there’s nothing quite like making your own. My absolute favorite homemade granola bar is this Crunchy Nut-Raisin bar.

Double Chocolate Protein Muffins

April 29, 2012

Double Chocolate Protein Muffins
I’m very picky when it comes to chocolate muffins. I almost like only those that my friend Matt’s Nanna makes. They’re truly unbelievable: fluffy, comforting, decadent and (of course) packed with calories. Nanna still lives in Tennessee, hence I can have her awesome muffins only when we go visit.
However, I wanted to create an “IronYou” version of them. That’s why I called up Nanna and kindly asked her for the secret recipe. She gave it to me but made me swear that I would not reveal it. I’m planning on honoring such promise. What you’ll find below it's the healthier version of Nanna’s double chocolate muffins.

The Best Tofu Burger

April 17, 2012

Until recently I never bought into the whole tofu burger thing. I mean, can two words be that far apart?
Burger: not very healthy, but delicious, juicy, tasty...in a word, AWESOME.
Tofu: healthy, but blunt, crumbly, tasteless...in three words, NOT REALLY awesome.
Yes, I must confess it: I’m struggling quite a bit with tofu. I mean, great nutrition facts but the taste takes out all the fun from eating (...and for this statement I truly apologize with all you tofu-lovers).
Try asking to a friend/colleague: “Shall we grab a burger for lunch?” -> reaction: smile and probably a “I’m down for it!
Now try asking him/her instead: “Shall we have some tofu for lunch?” -> reaction: puzzled face and probably a “Really? Tofu?
I believe that time has come to reverse this train of thoughts, and prove that tofu can be a good and fun thing to eat. And nothing works better in accomplishing such task than creating a tasty tofu burger.
Now, I’ve tried at least 20 different recipes (I’m not kidding) and, none was up to par with the real thing. Fortunately, I found this one on myrecipes. I tried it and it was pretty damn good.
However, I did made some changes, not only to make it more “IronYou” proof, but also to give it a more meat-like taste.




Flourless Protein Chocolate Cookies

April 6, 2012

Dark chocolate is my go-to treat, as long as it’s +70% I can’t resist it.
So you can imagine how excited I was when I came across a recipe for Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies @DivineBaking. The original recipe calls for no flour, butter or oil; just egg whites, cacao, chocolate and sugar.
It’s a pretty genius recipe to begin with, but from an IronYou prospective maybe a bit too high on sugars. That’s why I made few tweaks to ease up on that. I also threw in some protein powder to make it more compatible with my “eating standards”. Few attempts were needed but in the end I was able to come up to a pretty good balance.
Making these cookies is not hard, but it does get messy. The cacao powder flies everywhere in the kitchen, and you should be also willing to get your hands dirty. I baked them together with my girlfriend and we did have a lot of fun (for all the above reasons).
They’re really good: dense, fudgy and delicious. As long as you love dark chocolate these cookies are a no-brainer.




Raw Chocolate Pudding

March 26, 2012

Raw Chocolate Pudding



I love this pudding for a bunch of reasons:
1) It’s uber-easy to make
2) It’s raw
3) It's vegan
4) Tastes great
5) Packed with nutrients
6) If you add protein powder makes for a perfect post-workout food
I'm positive that after reading this list you’ll be convinced to give it a try. You honestly should, because it’s really worth it.
Just five ingredients: bananas, unsweetened cocoa powder, chia seeds, vegan milk and protein powder (if you feel like).
It takes less than five minutes to "assemble". I like to make it before going to training so that it’s ready by the time I got back home. It’s a great substitute for the post-workout protein smoothie but can also be served to your guests as a sweet treat. And believe me no one would be able to guess that this awesome pudding is also so healthy!

Raw Chocolate Pudding