Buckwheat Pancakes

Buckwheat PancakesGoal: Mass gain

When To Eat It: Breakfast

How To Make It: Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together oil, egg and soymilk and add to dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Spoon batter onto skillet and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Serve immedi-ately, garnished with blueberries and sugar-free maple syrup.

Makes Two Servings
›› 1⁄2 cup buckwheat flour
›› 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
›› 2 tsp. baking powder
›› 2 Tbsp. Splenda
›› 1⁄2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
›› 3 Tbsp. macadamia nut oil
›› 1 egg
›› 11⁄2 cups vanilla soymilk
›› Fresh blueberries
›› Sugar-free maple syrup
›› Nonstick cooking spray

Nutrition Facts: (per serving, without berries or syrup): 551 calories, 15 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate, 26 g fat, 4 g fiber

Crock Pot Bean Bourguignonne

Crock Pot Bean BourguignonneBourguignonne means “in the style of Burgundy,” one of France’s most famous food and wine regions. Most Bourguignonne dishes are beef braised in red wine, which intensifies other flavors in the dish, but we’ve substituted beans for the beef in this easy-to-assemble crock pot meal.

Crock Pot Bean Bourguignonne serves up to 6 people

INGREDIENTS
2 cans (15 oz. each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
11/2 cups dry vegan red wine (such as Frey Cabernet Sauvignon)
6 oz. canned tomato paste
1/2 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place beans, mushrooms, onion, potatoes, carrots and celery in a 4-quart crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; add bay leaf. Stir to coat vegetables.

2. Pour wine over mixture in crock pot. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste and water; pour into crock pot and stir.

3. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve.

NUTRITION FACTS
(per serving):
230 calories
12 g protein
44 g carbs
0 g fat
11 g fiber
10 g sugar
992 mg sodium

Garlic seared broccoli

Garlic seared broccoliINGREDIENTS

2 tsp. olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups broccoli florets (1⁄2-inch pieces)
1⁄2 cup water

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic for one minute, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
2. Pour water over broccoli, cover and steam for two more minutes. Stir and serve.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):

44 calories
2 g protein
5 g carbs
2.5 g fat
1 g fiber
0 mg cholesterol
20 mg sodium
0 g sugar

Cook it in five minutes or less by:
>> Steaming – place in a steamer over boiling water
>> Sautéing – sizzle in a skillet with a dash of oil
>> Flash dunking – drop florets into 1 inch of boiling water, scoop out when bright green

Roma Tomato Pasta

Roma Tomato PastaWhen you’re dying for carbs, this healthy dish delivers – with flavor to spare

Whole grain foods are often perceived as being healthy, but not particularly tasty. The carbs associated with pasta dishes often get a bad rap, too. But the right carbs, in the right amount and at the right time, are as important to building muscle as consuming protein. Additionally, modern whole grain pastas are much more flavorful, have a much better texture, and contain many vital nutrients. The USDA, in fact, recommends that people eat at least three servings of whole grains, such as those found in pasta, every day.

This month’s recipe will show you that, with the right ingredients and simple preparation, whole wheat pasta can taste great and fit into a lot of muscle-building diet plans, including carb cycling and carb back-loading.

What you’ll need
• Large pot
• Kitchen knife
• Spatula
• Wooden spoon
• Sauté pan (approx. 12 to 14 inches)

Ingredients
½ cup red onion, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 tbsp chili paste
1 cup roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
3 cups whole wheat pasta, cooked
2 cups watercress, chopped
½ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Optional: low-fat shredded cheese

Directions

1) In a large bowl, toss onion, parsley, garlic, vinaigrette, chili paste, tomatoes, and grape seed oil; mix well. Over medium-high heat, pour the mixture into a large sauté pan, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent, stirring continuously.

2) Bring water to a boil in a medium pot (large enough to accommodate about 3 cups of cooked pasta). Cook pasta until it reaches the desired tenderness. Drain, and set aside until sauce is finished. You can add a splash of grape seed oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking.

3) Once the onion-tomato mixture has cooked, remove half the liquid and add cooked pasta and watercress. Cover and reduce heat to low. Allow pasta-vegetable mixture to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes; remove from heat and uncover. Portion to bowls and finish with mint and basil. If desired, you can also sprinkle a little low-fat cheese on top. To boost the protein content, add a couple of slices of grilled chicken.

Yields: 6 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories 101, Carbs 17g
Protein 3g, Fat 3g

Ginger Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Ginger Teriyaki Pork TenderloinMakes Two Servings
>> 1-lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed
>> 11⁄2 Tbsp. roasted garlic teriyaki sauce
>> 11⁄2 tsp. cornstarch
>> 1⁄4 tsp. ground ginger
>> 6 oz. pineapple juice
>> Nonstick cooking spray

Start: Cut tenderloin into half-inch-thick slices. Flatten slices with the palm of your hand. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat until hot.

Cook: Add pork and cook three minutes on each side or until browned. Combine teriyaki sauce and remaining ingredients in a small bowl and add to pork in skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for three minutes.

Serve: Remove pork from skillet, then spoon extra sauce over meat.

NUTRITION FACTS
(per 8-oz. serving):
312 calories, 48 g protein, 15 g carbs, 6 g fat, 0 g fiber

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Omelet

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato OmeletIf you can find them, top with an assortment of heirloom cherry tomatoes for a touch of color, flavor and antioxidant variety.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 large egg whites (or 1 cup egg substitute)
2 Tbsp. fat-free milk
2 Tbsp. chopped chives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add asparagus and cook three minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Lightly coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. Whisk egg whites, milk, chives, salt and pepper in a small bowl until soft peaks form.

3. Pour half of egg mixture into skillet; cook three minutes or until almost cooked through. Place half the asparagus and cheese onto half the omelet. Fold omelet in half and cook two minutes more.

4. Place omelet on a plate and garnish with cherry tomatoes. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with remaining egg mixture, vegetables and cheese.

TIP: If desired, sauté tomatoes for 3-4 minutes in 1 tsp. olive oil before topping the omelet.

NUTRITION FACTS
(per serving)
189 calories
23 g protein
11 g carbs
6 g fat
4 g fiber
6 g sugar
579 mg sodium

Walnut Pesto

Walnut PestoMakes four servings

>> 1 cup fresh basil
>> 3-4 cloves garlic
>> 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts
>> 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
>> 1⁄4 cup olive oil
>> 1⁄3 cup water
>> 1 lb. penne pasta
>> 2 cups chopped raw zucchini

Start: Combine the first six ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water if needed to obtain a creamy consistency.

Cook: Boil penne according to package directions. Drain.

Serve: Toss penne with pesto sauce. Top with zucchini, tomato and a few basil leaves.

Nutrition Facts

(per serving): 646 calories,
21 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate,
22 g fat, 6 g fiber

Fast Tip:
To increase the protein content of this meal, add some cooked shrimp or chicken breast to the finished recipe.