What's on Your RDs Plate?

Happy Friday and the 1st day of June, Good Lifers!

The week before Memorial Day weekend, some great friends of mine brought a new, precious little boy into the world! He looks like an angel and according to the new Mom and Pops, he’s been acting like one too – so far anyway. J



Liam Noble - isn't he the cutest?!



What does this have to do with food and nutrition?

Well, I signed up to help the new parents by bringing over some tasty eats. Having a newborn around can certainly throw a kink into what used to be your “normal routine”! There’s an awesome website resource available called Meal Baby – it’s an online FREE meal registry that creates a calendar for friends and family to sign up to bring meals to a family in need – read more about it here: About Meal Baby.

Since my friends are not picky eaters and frequently enjoy vegetarian, I signed up to bring a roasted vegetable enchilada casserole – something fresh, but also easy to freeze and save for later in case their fridge was already packed. As a small addition, I threw together some no-bake energy bites to serve as something quick and easy to grab up during some late-night or early-morning baby feedings.

Both recipes are chock-full of nutrients to nourish the recovering and breastfeeding Mama – and super tasty to boot! So naturally, I made enough for my own little family of 2 to have some for our own! J

Check out the recipes after the jump...

       

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks – try orange or yellow peppers too!
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks – or broccoli
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium onion, halved and slivered
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen



photo source

• 1/2 cup black beans, canned & rinsed
• 3 Tbsp. heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
• 9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
• sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.

2.    Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

3.    Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

4.    Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

5.    Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

                  Makes eight (1 cup) servings.                                                     

Be sure to check out the Enchilada Nutrition Facts Label that I created using The Food Processor recipe analysis program!   

                                Adapted from Perry's Plate

No-Bake Energy Bites

Ingredients:

·         1 cup (dry) oatmeal – old-fashioned oats are best

photo source

·         2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes

·         1/2 cup peanut butter

·         1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ – or both!

·         1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) – I used dark chocolate J

·         1 cup dried cherries

·         1/3 cup honey

·         1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed.  Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.  Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like.  (Mine were about 1″ in diameter.)  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25 balls.

Tip:      Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients!  Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter.  And you could also add in some whole flax or chia seeds for extra fiber and omega-3’s. I would caution against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.

Some other fun substitutions could include:

Ø  chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, cranberries, etc.)                              

Ø  chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds                         

Ø  other chips (butterscotch, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.) – but keep the portions moderate for less sugar and calories!                                               

Ø  other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)

Be sure to check out the No-Bake Bite Nutrition Facts Label that I created using The Food Processor recipe analysis program!

                                                                      Adapted from Smashed Peas and Carrots 

What are some of your favorite go-to recipes that you would enjoy making for others?



Love family.



Cheers to families both large and small,

Chloe RD and the GLC