Gluten-Free Protein Crepes

These simple, grain-free protein crepes can be sweet or savory and also make a great gluten-free wrap substitute!

INGREDIENTS

Makes four very large crepes or two servings, perfect for sharing!

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 2 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

DIRECTIONS

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. You can coat your pan with cooking spray if it needs it.
• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend them until thoroughly combined. Alternatively, you can combine the ingredients in a large bowl and use your immersion blender to blend them.
• Pour the batter into a hot skillet and swirl it around to create a large, thin circle.
• Let the crepe cook until bubbles in the batter begin to pop, gently easing up the sides every few moments, about three minutes or less. The crepe is pretty delicate at this point, but you will get the hang of it!
• Flip the crepe (it should be slightly golden) and cook the other side until it's firm when touched, another two minutes or so.
• Fill and enjoy!

This recipe was originally published in FitSugar.com

Healthy Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

Being pressed for time can make it hard to sit down and enjoy a healthy breakfast. Often what ends up happening is that we skip breakfast altogether or pick up a calorie-laden pastry from a nearby coffee shop. Not good since breakfast is essential for keeping metabolism consistent and energy levels stable.

Instead of skipping breakfast as you rush out the door, make one of these well-balanced, healthy meals the night before. Even if you can't sit down at the table to enjoy them, all of these meals are made to grab and go!  

Smoothies and Shakes 

One of the easiest morning meals to take on the go is a smoothie. Make one of these healthy smoothie recipes, featuring a mix of produce and protein in the form of yogurt, milk, or powder, the night before. Store it in the fridge, and grab your smoothie as you walk out the door.

Tip: Use a Blender Bottle, or something similar, to carry a smoothie during your morning commute. Each cup comes with a wire whisk-like ball that you can use to stir or shake ingredients with — perfect solution in case any ingredients have settled overnight.

Energy Bars

Save money by baking up a batch of energy bars to start your morning off with. These banana carob bars are packed with protein and whole grains — a great way to fuel the morning! If carob isn't your thing, try one of these other healthy energy bar recipes.

Frittatas

Making a frittata couldn't be simpler, especially since you can use whatever veggies or meat you have in your kitchen to do so. Here's a basic frittata recipe that will give you enough servings through the week.

Tip: Make a frittata on Sunday evening and portion it out in small plastic containers for the rest of the week. You can easily reheat a frittata in the microwave, but this dish is pretty tasty cold.

Pancakes

Pancakes are always a treat when fresh off the griddle, but if frozen correctly, they also taste good for days — even weeks — later!

First, make a batch of healthy pancakes using whole wheat flour and fresh berries; once the pancakes have cooled, they're ready to freeze. Separate individual pancakes with wax paper and store them in a large plastic container in the freezer. Reheat them later in the oven or microwave, or let them thaw overnight in the fridge and enjoy at room temperature.

Looking for a healthy pancake recipe? We are partial to these pancakes made with whole wheat flour and berries. If wheat and dairy aren't your thing try or this gluten-free vegan recipe.

Muffins and Bread

Skip the empty calories from store-bought and coffee-shop muffins and make your own instead. When done right, a muffin can actually be a filling and nutritious breakfast. This recipe for oatmeal pumpkin muffins is filling with a healthy dose of protein and fiber.


This article was originally published in FitSugar.com

Healthy Cocktail Recipes

Here’s a toast to the weekend! We all know by now that some of our favourite cocktails can shock us with their calorie content. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying a drink every once in a while. Try out these four relatively low calorie, but delicious, drinks if you’re heading out this weekend.

1. Classic Mojito

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 lime
• 3 sprigs mint
• 1.5 ounces light rum
• Soda water

Directions

• Put the sugar in a highball glass (or any 8- to 12-ounce glass), squeeze in the juice of 1/2 small lime, and toss in the squeezed lime shell.
• Add mint sprigs and muddle for a moment. 
• Then add the light rum and handful of ice, and fill with chilled soda water.

Makes 1 cocktail.


2. Ginger Fizz

Ingredients

For cocktail:

• 1-1/2 ounces ginger vodka*
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce ginger syrup (see below)
• Soda water
• Ginger slice, for garnish

For ginger syrup:

• 2-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup fast-dissolving sugar (such as superfine sugar)
• 1 cup freshly grated ginger

Directions

• Make ginger syrup: Bring water, sugar, and grated ginger to a boil. 
• Simmer for 10 minutes; let cool.
• Make cocktail: In mixing glass, add ice, ginger vodka, lime juice, and ginger syrup. 
• Shake vigorously; pour into a tall ice-filled glass.
• Top off glass with soda. 
• Garnish with a ginger slice.

Makes 1 cocktail.


3. Tequila Bramble

Ingredients

• 5 blackberries
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• Crushed ice 
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar
• 1/2 ounce of crème de mûre (blackberry-flavored liqueur)
• 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila

Directions

• In a rocks glass, muddle blackberries with lime juice.
• Fill the glass with crushed ice; add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. 
• Serve with a straw.

Makes 1 cocktail


4. Blood Orange French 75

Ingredients

• 3 blood oranges (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2 cups gin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon angostura bitters
• 2 750-ml bottles chilled Champagne

Directions

• Cut 1 orange in half through stem. 
• Cut each orange half crosswise into 6 slices; reserve for garnish. 
• Using small knife, cut peel and white pith from remaining 2 oranges; chop oranges. 
• Transfer chopped oranges with juices to bowl; mash with potato masher or wooden spoon. 
• Stir in gin, sugar, and bitters. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to release liquid. 
• Chill 4 hours.
• Pour scant 2 tablespoons gin mixture into each of 12 glasses; fill with Champagne and garnish with orange.

Makes 12 cocktails.




Cocktail recipes originally published on YumSugar.com

Bak Kwa Recipe & Nutritional Content

Calories in 1 sheet Bak Kwa – 45g
Energy: 176 calories
Protein: 12 g
Carbs: 18 g
Fat: 6 g

Does that suprise you? That BBQ pork contains more carbohydrates than protein? That’s because it’s loaded with sugar during cooking!

From Wikipedia:

Bak Kwa, or rougan is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky, made in the form of flat thin sheets. It is normally made from pork. Bakkwa is believed to have originated from a meat preservation and preparation technique used in ancient China that is still practiced in places with Hokkien influence.

In Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines bakkwa or ba gua is the most widely used name. Cantonese speakers use the term yuhk gn’, Anglicised version long yok, while in China and Taiwan the product is more commonly known as rougan. Commercially available versions are sometimes labeled as “barbecued pork,” “dried pork,” or “pork jerky.” Bakkwa is particularly popular as a snack in Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines. In Beidou, Taiwan, it is regarded as one of the three pork delicacies. 

Bak Kwa – Chinese Barbecued Pork – Recipe (Makes 8 pieces)

• 300gr pork mince 
• 90gr caster sugar 
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce 
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• Pinch of bicarb of soda 
• 1/2 ts light soy 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine 

Method

• Mix all the ingredients and leave in the fridge overnight. 
• Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper to fit in a standard (35cm-ish wide) baking tray then place the pork on top, patting out well with your hands. Lay a sheet of clingfilm on top then roll the pork out with a rolling pin until it is maybe 5mm thick, at which point it should pretty much cover the paper. 
• Slide the paper onto the baking tray and dry the pork in an 80C fan-oven for 45 minutes. 
• Remove, cut the pork into 8 and then place on the rack of a grill pan, so air can circulate around it for the final cooking. 
• Turn the oven up to 200C and cook the pork for 10 – 12 minutes, turning once, until is reddish-brown and starting to char around the edges. 
• Leave to cool for a few minutes then demolish in its entirety in 5 minutes flat.