This One's a Healthy Dish

  

...and easy to boot! We all want to eat healthier and we all want our cooking to be fresh and tasty, but not hard to make. Now comes a cookbook that combines healthy eating with easy to-make-meals. Ellie Krieger, who wrote the cookbook Whole in One, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about what makes it different. Ellie told Tonia that every single recipe is a nutritionally complete meal that can be made in one pot, pan or skillet, no further cooking required.  She also promises these great tasting dishes can be made from ordinary ingredients!  One example is Brussel sprouts, which she says can be combined with sunflower seeds and sage-brushed chicken for a delicious dinner!

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons hulled, unsalted sunflower seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/3 cup diced red apple (1/4-inch pieces; unpeeled)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet, and then toss them with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the salt. Roast (middle rack) for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are deep golden brown, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Meanwhile, place the sunflower seeds on a small baking sheet, place in the oven (lower rack) and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool.

Whisk together the remaining tablespoon of oil, the vinegar, mustard and honey in a liquid measuring cup, to form an emulsified vinaigrette.

Once the Brussels sprouts are done, transfer them to a serving bowl. Toss with the apple, sunflower seeds and dressing; serve right away.

Cookies: Fully Loaded

No options necessary with these breakfast cookies. But instead of a sugar crash, you'll get sustained energy throughout the day and a real fill-up before you hit the road. Registered dietician and author Marisa Moore stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her new cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen and recipe for loaded breakfast cookies. She says there's a lot here to like, including a short ingredients list that's very healthy. Marisa told Tonia she uses roasted and salted sunflower seeds to give the cookie a

crunch and the dried cranberries to add some chewiness. She says because there's not much in the way of sugar, but plenty of fiber and protein, these cookies will fill you up and not slow you down! Great for breakfast or a snack!

• 4 ounces dried cranberries
• roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup almond butter (or sunflower butter, or peanut butter)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a half baking sheet with oil or line with parchment.
• Blend the dried cranberries with hot water in a small food processor or blender until a thick paste forms.
• Place the puree in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the oats, brown sugar, almond butter, cinnamon, and salt until a dough forms. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough, roll, then flatten 12 small cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet. 
• Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown on the bottom and fragrant. Enjoy warm or let cool on a cooling rack before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days.