FitFEST Cooking Demo Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites

Last week, UC San Diego FitLife put on FitFEST, an annual celebration of all things FitLife.  It is a two-day event featuring a sampling of many of the classes and workshops FitLife has to offer, including cooking demonstrations put on by the FitLife Dietitian, who just happens to be yours truly.

One of the biggest challenges to eating well that people share with me is a lack of time--a lack of time to shop for healthy foods, a lack of time to prepare food at home, even a lack of time to sit down and eat a meal.  Keeping this in mind, I developed my own twist on some quick and easy energy bite recipe.  It is a no-cook, simple recipe, with ingredients that can be easily and inexpensively purchased.  All items ingredients bought for this recipe were found at Trader Joes (we are no sponsored or supported by Trader Joes in any way).  These bites are jam-packed with whole grains, filling fiber, powerful protein, and satiating healthy fats.

Check out this quick and delicious recipe for an easy snack on the go!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites

image source: naturalchow.com

Yield: ~20 energy bites

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup oats
• ½ Cup peanut butter
• ¼ Cup agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp flax seeds
• 1 Tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp almond slivers 
• ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries 
• 1/3 Cup shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
2. Roll and compress the mixture into 1 inch rounds
3. Refrigerate for 2-3 minutes until firm on a plate and transfer to an airtight container.
4. Refrigerate and enjoy for up to 1 week.

I would love to read about your healthy snack ideas and recipes, please share some of your favorite nutritious and delicious snacks in the comments below.  Better yet, swing by my open office hours to chat about healthy snack alternatives on Wednesdays 2:30-3:30pm in the UCSD RIMAC weight room.

Easy Healthy Meal: Salad in a Jar

Looking for a quick and easy meal to prepare ahead of time in bulk so when you're in the midst of a hectic day, you have a pre-made meal ready to go?  Well, Salad in a Jar may just be the healthy answer you've been looking for.  This tasty meal can be customized, made in advance in bulk, and won't break the bank.  Plus, making salads in mason jars doesn't take up a lot of room in the fridge and won't take up a lot of room in your bag--not to mention they look appealing too!

The trick is to follow the steps to make sure your salad stays fresh.  First, add the dressing at the bottom of the jar, next the hearty bits, typically some cheese and a protein source like beans, grilled chicken, or tuna.  Strategically placing the hearty bits on top of the dressing creates a barrier between the dressing and the next layer, which are the lighter bits, and trust me, you don't want them to get soggy.  The lighter bits are generally your source of whole grains (brown rice, whole grain pasta, or my personal favorite, quinoa) and also chopped up pieces of veggies.  Second to last, you stuff in some mixed greens on top and finally any extras like chopped up herbs and nuts.  To get started, try the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe, below.  Then, get creative and explore different ingredients to satisfy your own taste preferences.  There are a world of delicious possibilities.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad 

Add each ingredient in the order listed into a mason jar. 

Dressing: 

2 Tbsp Lemon Vinaigrette (*recipe below) 

Hearty Bits:

1⁄4 cup feta, crumbled

1⁄4 cup garbanzo beans 

Lighter Bits: 

1⁄2 cup cooked quinoa

1⁄4 cup tomatoes, chopped 

1⁄4 cup red onion, chopped 

1⁄4 cup cucumber, chopped 

On top, greens: 

1⁄2 cup mixed greens

Extra Ingredients:

1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped 

1 Tbsp cup pine nuts 

Screw on the lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

*Lemon Vinaigrette 

(will make enough for 3-4 mason jars) 

Juice from one large lemon

1⁄3 cup olive oil

Few grinds of black pepper

Pinch of salt

Stir or Shake all ingredients together in a container. 

image source: http://www.thekitchn.com/