Tofu Burger Recipe

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Be sure to seek out the firmest tofu made from organic soybeans you can find. Also, I suspect you could grill these, they seem like they’d hold together. The next time around I’m going to try it. If anyone else gives that a go before I do, let me know, and I’ll update the recipe.

1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry, then sliced
2 large eggs
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g fine dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55 g cashew nuts
1/2 cup / 2 oz /55g sunflower seeds
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55g sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon shoyu or soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

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Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture comes together and is free of most chunks, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice if needed.

Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and use your hands to press and form into round but flat-ish patties.

Pour the olive oil into your largest skillet over medium-high heat, and arrange as many patties as you can without crowding. Cover, and cook turning once, until deeply browned on both sides. Roughly ten minutes. You want to make sure the middle of the patties cook through. If the pan is too hot you’ll burn the outsides before the middle cooks up, so be mindful of that.

Makes 8 tofu burgers.

4 flour tortillas (6 to 7 inches in diameter)
1 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. canned diced green chiles
1/4 c. canned whole kernel corn
2 tbsp. thinly sliced scallions
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 med. avocado, diced
1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz.)
1 c. shredded lettuce
1/2 c. bottled salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the flour tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until heated through.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rice, beans, green chiles, corn, scallions, cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss to mix.

3. Divide the rice and bean salad evenly among the warm tortillas. Top each with 1/4 of the diced avocado, 2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup shredded lettuce and 1 tablespoon salsa. Roll up and eat. 4 servings.

Found this amazing looking trail mix recipe on Mark’s Website that I had to share with everyone. Check it out. A great combination of salt and sweet ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup each raw walnuts, almonds, and pecans
• 1/2 cup each raw pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup or less raw honey
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roughly chop nuts and mix with seeds, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread on a cookie sheet or rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper, and sprinkle with half of the salt.

Toast in the oven for 2-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to be sure the nuts and seeds are merely toasted, not burned (keep a watchful eye).

Take pan out of the oven and let cool, then add the remaining salt and drizzle the honey over the top. Toast in oven for another 5 minutes, stirring often (I keep my oven cracked for this). Remove from oven, mix thoroughly with apricots and cranberries and let cool.  It will be clumpy and sticky like granola when done. You should end up with 12- 14 quarter-cup servings (approximately).

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• salt
• ground black pepper

Once you read the title, I bet you started to taste it. I know I did. Here is the recipe and a few pictures to top it off. For my caribbean readers, this is very similar to banana fritters and well worth the sleep coma on a Saturday or Sunday morning. You work hard during the weak, you deserve it.

Almond Banana Pancakes are slightly delicate so you’ll want to keep the size fairly small and wait until the edges are nicely browned before flipping them. This shouldn’t deter you from trying the recipe – the delicate texture of Almond Banana Pancakes is the very thing that makes them so irresistible. If you’ve tried pancakes made from almond or coconut flour and find them slightly grainy, you’ll really love the silky, airy texture of these cakes. The flavor is sinfully close to banana bread; add a little vanilla and cinnamon to the batter if you really want to get decadent.

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas
1 egg
1 heaping tablespoon of almond butter

Instructions:

Mash the bananas, add the egg and mix well.

Stir in the almond butter, adding more than a tablespoon if you want a more pancake-like texture.

Warm butter in a pan and pour batter into small cakes.

Brown on each side and serve warm.

I search high and low for recipes that will not only fulfill your dietary requirements, but will challenge you to think differently and combine foods that pack a punch. In my search, I ran across this recipe, called “No-atmeal” (pronounced “Note-meal), which actually contains no oatmeal (hence the name). It’s a blend of pecans, walnuts and a dash of flaxseed is warmed up with almond milk custard, mashed banana and almond butter to create a wholly satisfying hot cereal. The texture is rich and so is the flavor, especially when you add warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and a topping of fresh berries and almond milk. Just thinking about eating No-atmeal for breakfast is guaranteed to coax you out of bed in the morning.

Ingredients:

1 small handful of walnuts
1 small handful of pecans
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny)
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
1 handful of goji berries or fresh berries

Directions:

Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and almond milk (the original recipe uses a blender) until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.

Stir in the nut mixture. Microwave or gently warm on the stove until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. In both cases, stir the mixture frequently as it cooks.

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. Lick the bowl clean!

Often, athletes will go out the night before to get their pre-race meal at a local restaurant, but you’ll have much more control over exactly what is being put into your body if you prepare your own food at home. In addition to being more conscious about the nutritional content of the food you’re consuming, preparing your own meals the night before can also be a fun and relaxing experience to enjoy with your fellow competitors. These recipes are budget-friendly, the ingredients are easy to find in any local grocery store and are very clean in regards to nutritional value. Simple and easy is the way to go before putting in some serious mileage on the pavement. Also, don’t forget to wash these delicious dishes down with plenty of water.

Marathon Meal: Grilled chicken with olive pesto salsa Genovese

Serves four
4 pieces of 8 oz grilled chicken breasts served with salsa Genovese (recipe below)

Salsa Genovese
1 gallon of green olives, pitted, rinsed and pulsed in a food processor
2 bunches of mint, stemmed
1 bunch of rosemary, stemmed
1 bunch of basil, stemmed
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 lemons, juiced
1 cup of capers, drained and rinsed
1 cup of pine nuts
Olive oil to cover

Instructions:
Place all the ingredients except the olives in a blender and puree till smooth, then fold together with the olives. Season to taste with salt and pepper, serve over chicken breasts grilled or baked in the oven.

Marathon Salad: Whole grain and wheat berry salad

Serves four
1/2 cup wheat berries
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup white raisins
1/4 cup dried apricot
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

Wheat berry and whole grain salad instructions:
Cook all grains separately with water or chicken stock. Drain and cool to room temperature. Toss with remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Serve with grilled chicken, turkey breast or lean fish such as snapper or halibut.

These simple, nutritious and flavorful dishes are easy enough for any athlete to prepare before a big event. The point of preparing these dishes is to have the energy to complete the race, not spend the night before racing around. Remember: no fuel, no engine!

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil (about 24)
• 3 ounces goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. (You should have about 24 slices.) Lay out on large platter; season with salt and pepper.

2. Place a sun-dried tomato on each slice, then top each tomato with a pinch of goat cheese. Sprinkle tops with chopped chives, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil; serve.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (16-ounce) can lima (or butter) beans, drained
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 4 ounces tub-style fat-free cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 3/4 cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Farmers markets filled with fresh-picked produce loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Celebrate a return to lighter, healthier fare with this crunchy, veggie-packed Chicken Taco Salad recipe from the Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook. Tip: For the freshest produce in town, click here for farmers markets near you: http://www.localharvest.org/

This crunchy, Mexican-inspired salad is sure to please, as it combines freshness and flavor. Whether you try it as a meal or as a side dish, you’ll love the taste and the crunch.

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken *** (173 g) 6 oz.

Coconut oil or butter 1 tbsp

Onion (thin sliced) 1/4 cup

Tomato 1/2 cup

Corn (frozen or canned) 1/4 cup

Fresh Spinach 3 cups

Whole wheat tortilla chips 1/3 cup
or brown rice chips (crushed)

Aged white cheddar (grated) 1/2 cup

Instructions:

Saute chicken. Set aside to cool. Add oil (or butter) and onions to hte pan, stirring frequently until onions are lightly browned, then add tomato and corn. Cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Coimbine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle one serving of your favorite dressing on the salad and serve.
Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Calories: 526

Fat: 21g