SoCal Inspired: Raspberry & Mango Guacamole

Raspberry & Mango Guacamole

I have just begun my summer adventure in Southern California! Beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and warm weather. I feel like I'm in paradise! I especially love the farmers markets. Each market is guaranteed to have a colorful selection of  fresh fruits and vegetables.  What a wealth of inspiration for Noms McGee!  And so, I made this Cali-inspired guacamole dip.

Ingredients:
2 small avocados, peeled and chopped
10 raspberries, sliced
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 lime, squeezed
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of black pepper


Directions:
1. In a bowl, mash the avocados with a fork.
2. Add raspberries and mango. Mix well.
3. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper.

Scoop up some guacamole with whole grain crackers, whole wheat pita bread, or freshly sliced vegetables. Serve as an appetizer for a summer barbecue or spread onto your favorite sandwich.

Noms for National Dairy Month

National Dairy Month is a time to celebrate all the tasty dairy varieties! Milk, yogurt, cheese...what's not to like? Not only does it taste good, but it's good for you! Dairy builds strong bones, aids in blood pressure control, and helps maintain a healthy weight. According to the USDA, Americans aren't consuming enough dairy. I can't remember the last time I drank a full cup of milk.  I have yogurt for breakfast and put milk in my oatmeal, but is that really enough?  The Dietary Guidelines recommends 3 cups of  low-fat or fat-free milk products per day.  Every problem has a solution, right?  And so, I created a list of some refreshing and delicious snacks to help you (...and myself) consume more dairy this month!

Milk & Berry Parfait
Yogurt is so yesterday.  Build your favorite parfait with a cold glass of milk!

In my parfait, I added strawberries, chopped walnuts and almonds.  Raisins and blueberries are great to throw in too for a little extra sweetness! Add dark chocolate chips to satisfy your late night cravings.

Spoonable Smoothie

Spoon it or sip it for equally beneficial nutrients!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen mango

1 banana

1/2 cup frozen spinach

1 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup apple sauce

In a blender, mix all ingredients together.  Add ice and let blend until you find the perfect consistency. Add more applesauce to your liking for a silkier product.

Makes 2 smoothies

Oven Baked Banana Split Oatmeal

Welcome to the first day of summer!

Meet my sister, my other half...

Hear that? The incredibly repetitive and annoying song that is ever so inviting and charming coming down the street? Yup, you guessed right. It’s the ice cream truck filled with everything that is equally as terrible and appealing as its music: Fireworks, Creamsicles, Flinstone’s Push-ups, Fudge Bars, and my personal favorite, chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.  

It’s the first day of summer and I feel like I am 5 years old again, ready to run out my front door and dart into the street to catch the ice cream man’s attention. Only this time, I trip - metaphorically speaking.  Is an ice cream sandwich worth the immense amount of calories? Yes…what! No! What tastes better than ice cream pressed between two chocolate chip cookies? Brittany, stop.  Skip dinner? Yeah, right. I will continue this conversation with myself for a minute or so until my mouth stops drooling, and I can once again function as a reasonable human being.

If only ice cream could be healthy. Summer is just looking like a tease to me – a reminder of everything I can’t enjoy. Well, isn’t that an awful way to enjoy the few months of being a beach bum and a student without a care in the world? So, to really have it all, I proposed a challenge to my fancy dietitian of a sister, Jaime.

Challenge accepted.

She did it, and she did it well.  She made the most delicious and nutritious frozen yogurt. Man, am I done tripping over the ice cream man. Take it from a kid and give this recipe a shot:

Oven Baked Banana Split Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup skim milk
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (1/2 cup) scoop greek frozen yogurt
1 tsp. honey

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mash banana.
3. In a separate bowl, combine oats, milk and walnuts.
4. Spoon half the oatmeal mixture into a ramekin.  Fill the ramekin with the mashed banana.  Then, top it off with the rest of the oatmeal.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
6. Top it off with frozen yogurt and honey.

Serve up a sweet breakfast or scrumptious summer dessert. Enjoy!

Oat-rageous Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Oat-Rageous Chocolate Coconut Cookies

My sweet tooth was uncontrollable last night so, I was inclined to make cookies. I scavenged through my kitchen in search of the perfect ingredients. Whole wheat flour. Check. Oats. Check. This wasn't going to cut it. I hit the grocery store and it all became so clear.  It was obvious. I needed chocolate. With that said, what's better than coconut and chocolate? There it was! An oat-rageous chocolate-coconut cookie.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup oats
1 egg
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 handful of dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and oats. Add the egg and mix well.
3. Pour the milk into the bowl and stir until all dry ingredients are moist.
4. Add all remaining ingredients including walnuts, raisins, coconut, and dark chocolate to the bowl.  Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Spoon 2-tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Welcome to Noms McGee!

Let me tell you a little bit about myself..

I am a New York girl, born and raised.
I have a twin sister, Brittany who judges and evaluates all of my recipes.
I am a senior at Long Island University, Post majoring in Nutrition.
I am FINALLY graduating this December, 2013 (phew.what a journey).
I love...love...love to write.
I ran my first half marathon this past May. It was AWESOME (if only I came in first).
Breakfast is my absolute favorite meal. There is nothing in this world like a delectable egg sandwich.
I am a creature of habit and tend to stick to eating yogurt, peanut butter, and oatmeal (so, you will find a lot of these ingredients in my recipes). Stock up now!

I'll leave you with that for now.  By the end of the summer you will know all of my joys, quirks, and flaws.