80--- Lobster Basil Alfredo over Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sometimes you've just got to switch it up.  My belly can't handle much pasta.  But sweet potatoes? Bring it.  And they add so much flavor and fabulous texture to your meal.

You may substitute any shellfish in this meal.  I just happened to have lobster on hand.  Odd.

Lobster Basil Alfredo over Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4

SWEET POTATOES
2 sweet potatoes, washed well and cubed into 1" cubes
Olive oil spray
Dashes of salt and ground black pepper

LOBSTER ALFREDO
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
10 fresh basil leaves, finely minced
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
Dash ground black pepper
6 oz lobster tail meat, cooked and chopped (or use shrimp if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 420 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet liberally with olive oil spray.  Spread sweet potato cubes evenly and spray with additional olive oil spray.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cubes are soft and lightly browned, tossing halfway though cooking to prevent burning.


While potatoes cook, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and milk.  Stir until mixture comes to a simmer.  In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and remaining chicken broth until no lumps remain.  Reduce heat to medium, then add cornstarch mixture and whisk continuously until well mixed.  Continue to mix until mixture returns to a simmer, then add in basil, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Whisk until thickened (to coat the back of a spoon), then add in lobster meat.  Reduce heat to low and heat meat through, 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously, adding in more milk if mixture thickens too much.

To serve: Spoon 3/4 cup alfredo mixture over 3/4 cup sweet potatoes.  Sprinkle with additional cheese, salt and pepper, and basil if desired.

Nutrition Info per 1 serving: 426 calories, 14.5 g fat, 34.5 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber

80--- Flaxey, Nutty, Oatey Blueberry Pancakes

Because everyone needs a pancake every now and then.

And because walnuts, oats, and blueberries are all AMAZING for you.  Bring on the fiber!

Flaxey, Nutty, Oatey Blueberry Pancakes
Makes 7-8 five inch pancakes

3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup fresh (or frozen defrosted) blueberries

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Whisk in milk and olive oil until just combined.  Gently fold in blueberries.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Drop 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet and allow to cook until bubbles form on the top.  Gently flip with a thin spatula, and cook on the other side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer pancake to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm.  Repeat making pancakes until batter is gone.

Serve with your favorite toppings!

Nutrition Info per two 5-6" pancakes: 327 calories, 15 g fat, 11 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

New WOW Workout Of the Week

www.breakingmuscle.com

Are you ready for some INTERVALS?  I am! 

I taught this class TWICE on Monday.  Yep- I was super tired but it's all for the love of group fitness.

Intervals are excellent for calorie burn, and studies have shown increased fat loss from high intensity intervals.

I LOVE INTERVALS

30 seconds with each exercise, give yourself 10 seconds to switch between exercises.  Each set of two exercises is repeated four times before moving onto the next set.  You will need dumbbells and a step (optional).  The entire 7 sets should take you about 45-50 minutes to complete.

1. High knee runs/ Push-ups (challenge yourself!)

2. Squat jump/ Plank row (alternating sides)

3. Burpee + jumping jack/ Weighted squat

4.  Skater jump or step jump (if you have one)/ Shoulder press

5.  Mountain climber/ Bicep curl 

6.  Plank jumping jacks/ Alternating curtsy lunge

7.  Roll to jump up/ Upright row

20--- Double Chocolate Double Coconut Cookies

I admit, I'm still a bit sketchy on coconut oil.  I know that it contains more medium-chain triglycerides and is plant-based, so therefore the saturated fat content may actually be somewhat healthful (in moderation).  But after decades of information telling us that it has harmful effects, I'm slow to fully pull the trigger.........I will, however, begin to incorporate it in small doses.

I feel that fats are very similar to fruits and veggies: For the most benefit, you should consume a variety.  Coconut oil will bring a bit of coconut flavor to what you cook in it.  It's delicious in Thai food!  

Here's my first attempt at using it to bake with.  Make note- you can't treat it like butter! It melts faster (hence refrigeration of this dough) and is more crumbly and slightly more difficult to work with.  But the end result is delicious!

Double Chocolate Double Coconut Cookies
Makes 20 cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil (yes, it's solid at room temp)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut, pulsed in a food processor to chop finely
1 1/2- 2 Tbsp water

Use a mixer to combine coconut oil, sugars, egg, and vanilla until creamy.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients with the wet, adding a small amount at a time.  When well-mixed, add in chocolate chips and coconut.  With mixer running, add in 1 1/2 Tbsp water until combined.  Test dough to see if a ball can be formed (but not super wet).  If dough does not stick together, add remaining 1/2 Tbsp water and mix.

Form dough into 20 even balls and place on a plate.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place dough balls on a baking sheet 2" apart.  Bake on the middle rack for 8-10 minutes.  The center of the cookies should be slightly uncooked.  Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow cookies to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

GUEST POST in Celebration of National Nutrition Month- from the mouth of a Dietetics student!!

Nutrition is a growing academic field and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share some words with you from a dietetic student on the Future of Nutrition.

Please welcome Natalie to Eighty Twenty!

 

Hi everyone! My name is Natalie and I am a second year dietetics student. I am honored to be guest posting on Lindsay’s wonderful blog: eat8020. To celebrate the end of National Nutrition Month, today I am going to talk to you about a challenge and a goal for dietitians in the future. 

A challenge future dietitians face is keeping up with all of the new nutrition information emerging. From studies on saturated fats, gluten, plant oils, and many more, there is so much learning to do.  Nutrition is a field that is constantly changing due to new research coming out.  As a dietitian, and even now as a student, it is very important to keep up and focus on the information that is evidence-based. Since dietitians are the “food experts”, we have to be able to determine which facts are valid and which facts lack supporting research. All of the contradicting information out there can make it hard to figure out what to believe and where to start. 

This leads me to a goal many future dietitians face: making nutrition information easier to understand. It can be confusing trying to figure out what to eat. Many people don’t understand how a certain nutrient can affect so many processes in the body. A goal for many dietitians is to explain nutrition concepts to clients/patients without overwhelming them. Dietitians are there to help you and want to make information simpler so that it is easier to comprehend and use in everyday life!

 Dietetics is a growing, exciting field and I can’t wait to learn even more! Thank you for reading my blog post and I hope you enjoyed National Nutrition Month!

Things That I Know

Wondering where your WOW Workouts of the Week have gone?  They will be back.....but I've got some recipes for you to try this week............

1.  This lemon & thyme flavored water! You know me and flavored water- sign me up! 

2. Three words.....Spaghetti... squash... enchiladas.  Check out my spaghetti squash tacos too while you're at it! 

3.  A new flavor of overnight oats? Bring it! This Fabulous Fig version looks amazing.

4.  Homemade V8? Genius! Naturally tasty and lower in sodium (lower than even the low sodium version).

5.  These lentil and kale burritos with roasted red pepper ranch sauce were pretty much made for me.  Maybe they should be called Lindsay Burritos.  You know, just to simplify it. Yummo.

6.   This looks dangerously good.  Shrimp in a pot pie? Yes 'um.

80--- Asparagus, Caramelized Onion, and Egg Tortilla Pizzas

Tortilla pizzas are a go-to in my house weekly.

Sometimes I am boring and top them with roasted vegetables and marinara.

But then there's other times.............

Asparagus, Caramelized Onion, and Egg Tortilla Pizzas
Serves 3

3- 10" flour tortillas 
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and steamed
1/2 tsp salt, divided
Dash ground black pepper
1 Tbsp pine nuts
1 clove garlic, pressed and minced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil, divided
3 eggs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut steamed asparagus spears in half crosswise.  Set the tips aside and place the stems into a food processor along with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, pine nuts, and garlic.  Mix until a puree is formed, adding a bit of water if necessary to form a thick saucy consistency.  Set aside.

In a skillet, heat remaining 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until golden brown, reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning (~10 minutes). 

Place tortillas onto a baking sheet. On each tortilla, spread 1/3 of the asparagus pesto, 1/3 shredded Parmesan cheese, 1/3 of the asparagus tips, and 1/3 of the caramelized onions.  Crack one egg onto each pizza, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until tortilla is rigid enough to transfer directly to the baking rack.  Transfer each pizza and cook for additional 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until each pizza is golden brown and egg is cooked through.

Remove pizzas from the oven, slice, and serve.

Nutrition Info per 1 pizza: 344 calories, 16 g fat, 21 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber