Protein Cherry Yogurt Scones

2 grains, 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 protein

As promised, I am sharing the scone recipe I tried today! I found the recipe on the Fage yogurt website, and it was a total hit!

“THIS IS THE BEST SCONE I’VE EVER HAD….PERFECT!” – Sergei (There you have it folks, this recipe is better than the boxed and store bought scones we’ve tried!)

Instead of using cranberries I used dried cherries and golden raisins. On the next batch I added a cup of oats and made oatmeal raisin scones. The combinations are endless so feel free to make your own and share what you tried!

Cherry Orange Yogurt Scones

Recipe adapted from: fage.com

2 cups of flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup FAGE Total Classic
1 egg
¼ cup butter, melted*
2 tsp orange zest
½ cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine first four ingredients in one bowl (dry), and the sugar, yogurt, egg, butter, and zest in a separate bowl (wet). Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold in the dried cherries. Make a circular shape with the dough and cut into 8 pieces. Bake scones with at least an inch of space between them for ~15 minutes.

*Can be substituted with Earth Balance

What kind of scones would you like?

Sweet Bean Red Thai Curry

1 fat, 2 grains, 1 protein, 1 vegetable

Eggplants go well with bok choy. Kidney beans go well with sweet potatoes. Everything goes well with red curry. 

You’ll love this modification to the classic. I didn’t have any coconut milk in the pantry so I made my own version.

The spices in curry, specifically turmeric, cleanse the digestive system and the liver. Here are some quick facts:

• Red curry boosts the immune system.
• UCLA studies show a chemical found in turmeric reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Curry spices can help ward off the common cold by triggering the body to produce extra mucus and reduce inflammation in nasal passages. 
  

1 tsp vegetable oil [1 fat]

1/2 sweet potato, chopped [1 grain]

2 baby bok choy, chopped [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 japanese eggplant, chopped [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 cup kidney beans [1 grain, 1 protein]

1 shallot

1/2 tbsp red curry paste

1 tbsp plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup coconut water

1/2 tsp cornstarch

chili powder and ground ginger

>> Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the sweet potato. In a separate bowl, combine coconut water, cornstarch, yogurt, and red curry paste. Once the potato gets some color, add the bok choy and eggplant. After about a minute, add the beans and curry mixture. Reduce to a simmer. Add a few shakes of chili powder and ground ginger. Let simmer about 3 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked through. Top with chopped shallot. Serve over rice, with naan, or enjoy as is.

Will April Showers Bring May Flowers ? // Pineapple Tofu Stir Fry

2.5 fats, 1 fruit, 2 grains, 3 proteins, 2 vegetables

Happy April! I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys; it’s juicy, tangy, naturally sweet and salty.

But let me back track a little. Over the winter I bought a 4 lb bag of frozen pineapple chunks from Costco. I’m almost at the end, but still have a little left. I like to eat them right from the freezer, but decided to switch things up and incorporate them into my stir fry. Do you have any pineapple recipes to share for the last of my bag?

Fun Fast Facts:

• Pineapple has very good anti inflammatory benefits because of its enzyme bromelain.
• Pineapple grows as a result of of many flowers whose flowerets have joined around the core.
• Hawaii is the world’s largest producer of pineapple.
• Traditionally, pineapple was used as a diuretic and a labor inducer.

For stir fry:

1 cup brown rice, cooked [2 grains, 1 protein]

1 tsp coconut oil [1 fat]

3/4 cup fresh or frozen greens (I used a broccoli, edamame, green bean mix) [1.5 vegetable]

4 oz. tofu [1 protein, 1/2 fat]

1/3 red bell pepper [1/2 vegetable]

1/2 small onion

~ 1/2 cup chopped pineapple [1 fruit]

1/4 cup egg whites (opt.) [1 protein]

6 cashews [1 fat]

For sauce: 

2 tbsp pineapple juice*

2.5 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp minced garlic

>> Combine all ingredients for the sauce, except cornstarch, in a dish. Dry tofu with a paper towel and dice it into a bowl. Cover with 2 tbsp. of sauce and set aside to marinade about 5-10 mins. Add cornstarch to the remaining sauce and mix until smooth. Heat skillet with coconut oil and sauté onions. Add the tofu until it has browned. Add vegetables and cook 2 minutes. Add the brown rice and egg whites. Cook an additional 2 minutes and serve. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, and cashews.

*To get pineapple juice, I simple microwaved the frozen pineapple chunks for about 30 seconds.