Roasted Broccoli & Red Pepper Cheese Toast

It seems a little silly to even post this recipe as a blog post, because it is so simple.  But sometimes, simple is best.  And hey, it’s Monday, right? We need a no-brainer to help us ease into the week.

 So here you go, a healthy, veggie heavy cheese toast recipe.  If you have leftover roasted vegetables from last night’s dinner, this could be ready in as little as 10 minutes.  I would eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Enjoy!

Roasted Broccoli & Red Pepper Cheese Toast

Serves 4

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

2 red peppers, cored and sliced

1 – 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Zest of one lemon

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

4 thick slices whole wheat bread

4 ounces aged goat or sheep milk cheese, like a young Manchego

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the broccoli and red peppers on a rimmed sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, lemon zest, salt and red pepper flakes.  Toss the vegetables together to coat and then place the sheet pan in the oven.  Roast for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are deep golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Place the bread in a toaster and toast until medium-brown.  Place the toast on a baking sheet and divide the roasted broccoli and red pepper between the pieces of toast.  Top each piece with 1 ounce of cheese.  Place the toasts in the oven and cook until the cheese is bubbling and browned, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional sea salt, if desired. 

Enjoy! 

What I Ate Wednesday

A little while ago, my friend and colleague Sharon Palmer, who just came out with her second book, Plant-Powered for Life (stay tuned for a giveaway later this month!) tagged me to participate in “What I Ate Wednesday, RD edition." Through blog posts, registered dietitians are asked to share what they eat on a typical week day. My days are always different, but here’s a little peek into some of the foods I love.

Breakfast: Breakfast is without a doubt, my favorite meal. I change it up often; it could be eggs with sautéed spinach, oatmeal with chia seeds and dried fruit, peanut butter and banana toast, or leftovers from dinner! On this day, I had a whole grain waffle hidden by a heaping spoonful of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I stir vanilla and cinnamon into mine) with frozen, thawed mixed berries and a sprinkling of slivered almonds. I pour the juice from the frozen and thawed berries over my waffle, too – it acts as my syrup. I enjoy every bite.

Snack: Lisa and I have an ongoing joke that I need to carry snacks with me at all times. To keep my brain buzzing and my energy up during the morning, I like to have a snack before lunch. On this day, I had a small bowl of blackberries and handful of walnuts (I ate a few before I remembered to take the photo!) – they really are nature’s perfect finger foods!

Lunch: On most days, I like to have a big salad for lunch to get in a healthy dose of veggies. Here’s one of my favorite go-to lunchtime salads: arugula, a little bit of farro (or whatever whole grain I have cooked and ready to go), a small cucumber, cherry tomatoes, ½ of a chopped red bell pepper, two hard boiled eggs, and a spoonful of Basil Pesto from Trader Joe’s.

Snack: Our contributing blogger, Jaime recently wrote about my love iced tea in the late afternoon. She knows me too well! Here’s a typical snack: veggies with a spoonful of hummus and of course, my iced tea! I also had a few Way Better Snacks (in Sweet Potato).

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Dinner: On this particular day, I went on an early evening hike with a friend and we stopped off at Eat Real Café before heading home. It’s one of my favorite spots in my community. I ordered the Cali Wrap, which is made with grilled chicken, quinoa, red onions, tomatoes, kale, arugula, and artichoke pesto. It comes with a side salad, too. Their house garlic chia dressing is the best!

Dessert: I would say that most of the time I have something sweet after dinner whether it’s a small serving of dark chocolate (I had two small squares on this day), a tiny serving of ice cream, or even just candied ginger. To me, it’s all about portions and eating in a way that helps to keep me feeling good, happy, and nourished.

The WIAW Dietitian Tag! #WIAWRD

This blog post is a part of a ‘dietitian tag’ to see what other registered dietitians from around the world really eat!

To carry on this tag all you need to do is:

1) Copy and paste this section (marked within the ******) to the bottom of your WIAW blog post.


2) Tweet/Facebook the link using the hashtag #WIAWRD (What I Ate Wednesday Registered Dietitian).

3) Add your blog post link into the section below.


4) ‘Tag’ 2-3 other dietitians to carry on the tag via email!

We tag:

Caroline Kaufman

Jaime Ruisi (RD To Be!)

Previous WIAW Blog Posts (add yours here along with where you’re from!):

Nic’s Nutrition – Weekend Edition (West Yorkshire, UK)
Gemma Critchley, Dietitian Without Borders (Liverpool, UK)
Nic’s Nutrition – Week Day Edition (West Yorkshire, UK)

Helen West, Food & Nonsense (Uluwatu, Bali)
Diana Chard, Bite My Words (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Mark McGill, Glipho (Ottawa, Canada)

Debra Riedesel, CycleDiet.com, Sensitive Dietitian’s Kitchen.com (Iowa,Florida, New Jersey, USA)
Aaron Flores, Balance Variety and Moderation RDN (Los Angeles, CA)

Michaela Ballmann, Wholify (Los Angeles, CA)

Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Blog (Los Angeles, CA)
McKenzie Hall, Nourish RDs (Los Angeles, CA)

An InLinkz Link-up

Grape, Walnut & Feta Quinoa Salad

Our biggest tip to eating well is planning ahead. And with our busy schedules these past few months, planning ahead has been more important than ever. Having healthy snacks and meals on hand, is the best way to prevent those mid-morning and mid-afternoon sugar lows. (You know the ones – you get so hungry, you reach for anything in sight!)

Packing meals and snacks with you, sets you up for success, not setbacks.

  

This recipe below was developed by our wonderful contributing blogger, Amanda. It’s delicious, easy to pack, and nutritionally sound: it’s full of protein, fiber, healthy fat, and fruit. It definitely gets the RD seal of approval.

Grape, Walnut & Feta Quinoa Salad

A couple of weeks ago we featured a recipe for Roasted Grape Flatbread – showing the versatility  of grapes (they're no longer just for snacking!) This recipe also features grapes, which prove to be a sweet surprise in this savory salad.

Ingredients:

3 cups dry quinoa

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette (this one by Cynthia Lair of Cookus Interruptus is our favorite)

2 cups grapes, cut in half

1 ½ cups walnuts

1 bunch chopped basil

¾ cup feta cheese (optional)

*It can also be served over bed of chopped arugula for a serving of leafy greens.

Directions:

      1.      Cook quinoa in 6 cups water, until water is fully absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.

      2.      Cool cooked quinoa in refrigerator for 2+ hours.

      3.      Stir in balsamic vinaigrette.

      4.      Mix in all other ingredients.

Makes 10 servings.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love.

Cheers to National School Lunch Week

We always hear breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what about lunch? Lunch is the glue that holds the day’s events together. Without it, we’d have nothing...nothing in our stomachs that is. Have you ever tried to learn algebra on an empty stomach? (Warning: Don’t try this at home). A hearty lunch provides us with the fuel we need to keep our bodies and our minds going strong! We decided this mid-day meal deserves a celebration, which leads us to National School Lunch Week. Research has proven that proper nutrition affects school performance. Kids need adequate energy for academic achievement.

We all have a routine before the school day begins. Wake up. Get ready. Grab a bite...And run! The homemade school lunch is often left in the dust, neglected, with no return. A grab-and-go bagel, lunch from the cafeteria, and a take-out dinner sure is convenient. There must be some kind of solution that fits in this time crunch. So, we sat down with Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian, to discuss the super easy and nutritious lunches she packs for her two children. 

1. Do you pack a lunch for your kids or do they buy lunch at the school cafeteria?

Sometimes I pack a lunch, other times they eat at the cafeteria.  When my sons were younger, I packed a lunch every day, now that they’re in high school the prefer eating in the cafeteria.

2. What goes into packing a lunch for your child? (Thought process, preferences, nutrition?)

I always try to make it as healthy as possible, while still providing their favorite foods.  For example, my kids have always loved peanut butter sandwiches, which I think is a great, heart healthy, high-protein plant-based meal.  There is one brand of whole wheat bread that they have always loved, so I make sure to keep it on hand.  And then I include little portions of wholesome foods, such as grapes, bananas, nuts, whole grain pretzels, granola bars, raisins.  I try to stay away from the chips and low-nutrient snacks.  

3. What is your child’s favorite school lunch?  

When I pack a lunch, it’s a peanut butter whole grain sandwich, with grapes, an organic oatmeal granola bar, and popcorn.  

4. Do you plan your meals for the week in advance?  

No, I keep their favorite lunch ingredients on hand so that I can make it up quickly.  

5. What does your typical shopping list look like?  

I always maintain my pantry basics, such as whole grains, legumes, olive oil, spices, pasta, tomato sauce, canned fruit.  And then I add fresh ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables every week I’m at the store.  

6. What ingredient can you not live without during the school week?  

 Peanut butter!  

7. What snacks do you pack with your child’s lunch?

I find granola or nutrition bars that I like, based on their nutritional profile. These are great to tuck into backpacks when kids are hungry between meals.  I also love to get the little pouches of nuts.  

8.  What is your go-to meal for the week?  

For meals, I love to do an Indian meal once a week—my kids love it!  Samosas for appetizers, a curry dish for entrée, and a cucumber salad, served with brown basmati rice.  

9. Do you pack a lunch for yourself? If so, what does it usually consist of? 

Sometimes I need to pack a lunch, so I make a nut butter whole grain sandwich and pack fruit or veggies, such as snow peas or carrot sticks.  

10. Do you have any favorite food brands?  

I love Amy’s products, as well as Kashi.  I like some of the Morningstar plant-based foods.  I also like to look for store brands, such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods 365, because they can be less costly.  

11. Does your child eat breakfast every morning before leaving the house for school?

Yes.

12. What does a typical breakfast look like?  

They like whole grain breakfast cereal flakes with milk.  They also like frozen waffles on busy school days.  On the weekends, I make homemade waffles or pancakes, “monkey” bread (whole grain biscuit with cinnamon), hash browns.  

13. Do you believe quality meals are important for school success?

Yes, definitely!  They’ve been shown to improve athletic and mental performance.

14. What is the hardest part about making breakfast or packing lunch?  

Being creative; kids tend to like the same things!  Also, finding things that are non-perishable that won’t spoil during the day.

15. Do you have trouble incorporating vegetables into your child’s meals?

It’s always a challenge, especially in packing non-refrigerated meals.  I try to include more fruits during the day, and the vegetables at other times.  

16. What would you like to give your kids for lunch that they disapprove of?  

Green leafy vegetables!

Thanks Sharon!

And here are 7 Healthy School Lunch Options for those way too busy to do anything days.

Cheers to National School Lunch Week!

By our wonderful contributing blogger, Jaime Ruisi!

Back-to-School (or Take-to-Work) Lunch Ideas

Back-to-school season is officially upon us. And in the nutrition world, this means everyone is talking about fun & healthy ways to create back-to-school lunches.  But, packing a lunch isn’t just a good idea for kids – it’s great for adults too! We’re big fans of packing our own lunches and snacks at home because we can rest assured that the food we'll be eating is delicious, nutritious, and completely satisfying.

Whether you're heading back to school, need ideas for lunches to take to work, or... are going on a one hour car ride and have a tendency to be overly prepared (note the picture below), here are some of our favorite back-to-school (or take-to-work!) lunch ideas.

#1. Be creative with leftovers! Make last night's roast chicken into a chicken sandwich, and turn roasted veggies into a roasted veggie salad.

#2. Raw veggies are nature's perfect finger food. Include a dipping sauce to make snacking more fun. Ideas include avocado smashed with Greek yogurt, hummus, or a cucumber-yogurt dip.

#3. Try making your own whole grain pita chips. Cut up whole grain pita bread into small triangles, cover with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Cook in the oven at 350 until they come out crispy.

#4. Homemade trail mix. Need we say more? Some of favorite ingredients: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate chips and dried tart cherries.

#5. Take a spin on the classic PB & banana sandwich. Spread some nut butter on a whole wheat tortilla and wrap up a banana. Its way more fun to eat this way. You could even cut this into slices for some cute PB & banana “sushi.” Kids will love it.

#6. Thirsty? Brew some homemade iced-tea. Freeze lemonade in ice-cube trays the night before and toss the frozen cubes into your tea. It helps keep the tea cold while also adding a hint of sweetness.

#7. Cookies are A-Okay occasionally, but don't forget fruit as a dessert! Super sweet fruits like strawberries, mangos, and peaches make a delicious end to lunch. You can even dip them in dark chocolate for a special treat!

#8. Candied ginger is our other favorite way to end a meal. It's just the right amount of sweetness and also helps with your digestion.

#9. Consider packing your own cloth napkin and reusable plastic ware. It's good for the planet (and you'll look so sophisticated).

#10. Don't forget about snacks throughout the day either. Pack some homemade granola or muffins for snacks in-between meals.