Go bananas with chocolate & tofu pudding

For all of you wondering what the surprise ingredient in this smoothy and silky chocolate & banana pudding is? TOFU!! I know. It's not beets, dates, figs or brussel sprouts but still something a little different.

Tofu is full of protein and calcium and protects against a variety of health conditions including heart disease and cancer. It is a vegetarian staple that is also becoming mainstream with meat-eaters as well. It is helpful for energy and building muscle.

You can't go wrong with chocolate and banana is a very good addition to help make this pudding creamy and hard to resist. This recipe is quick, delicious and full of many great health benefits. Go bananas!!

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup/60ml unsweetened almond milk
• 3 tbsp/45ml cocoa powder
• 1x12.3-oz box Silken Lite Firm Tofu
• ½ tsp/2.5ml real vanilla extract 
• 2 very ripe bananas (thaw slightly if using frozen bananas
• scant pinch sea salt

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff lightly with a fork and set aside.

THREE: Heat a large skillet on high. Add steak and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
FOUR: Drain and wipe out skillet; heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until onions and soft and translucent. Sprinkle flour over top of mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, nutmeg and ½ cup cheese; stir until combined.
FIVE: In a 4.8-qt casserole dish, combine steak, onion-mushroom mixture and rice; mix well. Spread mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Nutrients Per 1-Cup Serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium 113mg, Total Carbohydrates: 26g, Sugars 5g, Protein: 25g, Fiber: 3g

A quick & super-easy casserole that's great for a busy schedule

Life has been extremely busy lately, if I'm not running around between work and school I have been at the hospital visiting my new baby niece. Still, I can and have to find time to put together a delicious and healthy meal to give me energy for the day.
I stumbled across a super-easy casserole recipe while browsing a special Classic Comfort Foods edition of Clean Eating magazine. I'm a huge fan of mushrooms so this was a no-brainer choice for me!! As well, of course it is difficult to say no to comfort food.
This recipe features sirloin steak, your choice of mixed mushrooms and low-fat Swiss cheese. MMM. Exactly what you need when your life is hectic and you can't quite figure out sometimes whether you're coming or going!!
The added bonus of this recipe, if you want to make this recipe vegetarian, you can swap out the steak for even more mushrooms. They're an ideal, low-calorie way to add "meatiness" to any dish. Mushrooms also help lower cholesterol and may reduce the risk of breast cancer and diabetes. Even great to give your immune system a boost!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 lb top sirloin steak, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1-inch thick strips
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups slice mixed mushrooms (TIP: Try a blend of porcini, portobello and trumpets)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded low-fat Swiss cheese, divided

Instructions:

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TWO: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups water to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff lightly with a fork and set aside.

THREE: Heat a large skillet on high. Add steak and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
FOUR: Drain and wipe out skillet; heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until onions and soft and translucent. Sprinkle flour over top of mixture and stir to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add pepper, nutmeg and ½ cup cheese; stir until combined.
FIVE: In a 4.8-qt casserole dish, combine steak, onion-mushroom mixture and rice; mix well. Spread mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

**Nutrients Per 1-Cup Serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium 113mg, Total Carbohydrates: 26g, Sugars 5g, Protein: 25g, Fiber: 3g

Snack Attack?!? Why not grab a snack that's high in protein.

If you're anything like me, you look forward to your daily snacks. Those little in between treats that get you through to your next meal. They can be healthy, satisfying and taste great without throwing you off your goals. A protein bar with peanut butter will definitely give you that little extra energy and the oats are great for helping lower your cholesterol.

Feel free to add in cinnamon or raisins for extra flavor and texture. These protein bars are low in sugar but taste great.

TIP: Buy expensive items in bulk (such as oats) and pre-portion them into single-serving containers to grab an on-the-go snack.







Ingredients:

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 scoops protein powder (vanilla or cookies n' cream flavors work best)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

ONE: Knead all ingredients in a large bowl.

TWO: Line a square baking pan with waxed paper. Spread dough into pan using a spatula. Optional: Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on top.

THREE: Freeze for 30 minutes.
FOUR: Remove from freezer. Cut into bars.

**Nutrients Per Serving: Calories: 230, Total Fat: 10g, Sodium 20mg, Total Carbohydrates: 21g, Sugars 3g, Protein: 15g, Iron: 2g