Meatless Monday: Guacamole Stuffed Tomato Poppers by the Nutrition Twins

Photo (c) The Nutrition Twins®

Happy Holidays and Meatless Monday! Join me in welcoming Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos, The Nutrition Twins®, twin sisters and nationally recognized registered dietitians and personal trainers and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. These health-wise women are here to share a snack-happy, party-perfect vegan recipe and amazing nutrition tips from their new book, which debuts in January 2014. Would you believe there's a food fix for puffy eyes??? Be sure to visit their website for details. You're gonna bookmark and share this sumptuous, smart post! :-) - Belinda

Guacamole Stuffed Tomato Poppers

Photo and recipe from The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure

These vegan poppers are the perfect party pleasers and make great appetizers.  They’ll fill you up with their nutrients and fiber so you won’t be ravenous and overdo it on the not-so-healthy party items.   They are so much fun to eat and when you pop one in your mouth a creamy flavorful burst explodes.  It’s hard to believe you get 6 grams of fiber from a serving of these creamy babies; yep, they’ll help to stabilize blood sugar and prevent energy crashes.  And the fat is coming from the “good for you fats” in the avocado. 

Prep: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 mashed garlic clove

20 cherry tomatoes

1 mashed avocado

1 juice of a lime

1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)

1 small diced mango

Directions

1.      Crush garlic and set aside for 5 minutes to release its healthy boosting effect.

2.      Wash cherry tomatoes and cut tops off. Carefully cut a sliver off the bottom to help them stand up. Be careful not to cut too deep to make an opening on the bottom. Using a melon baller or knife, scoop out the insides until hollow.

3.      In a bowl, mix together mashed avocado, lime juice, garlic and cilantro.

4.      Cut mango into tiny cubes so they will fit nicely in the cherry tomatoes.

5.      Gently stuff tomatoes with guacamole and serve as a healthy appetizer!

Did you know that one serving of mangos provides 100% of your daily vitamin C and 35% of your vitamin A, both important antioxidant nutrients? Vitamin C promotes healthy immune function and collagen formation. Vitamin A is important for vision and bone growth.

Serves: 4 (5 tomatoes per serving) 

Per serving: Calories 186; total fat 8 g; saturated fat 1 g; cholesterol 0 mg; sodium 17 mg; carbohydrates 30 g; dietary fiber 6 g; sugars 11 g; protein 4 g

Percent Daily Value:

Vitamin A: 28%      Vitamin C: 78% 

Iron: 7%                   Calcium: 9%

The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure and Guacamole Stuffed Tomato Poppers

We’d love for you to think of Veggie Cure as your go-to bible to help you get what you want in life when it comes to health, energy, or beauty! We’ve done all the scientific research work for you. We’ve purposefully laid out the book so you can easily zip on over to the chapter which addresses your specific goal. In each chapter you'll find our recommended veggie prescription— a discerning list of the most potent vegetables to give you what you want! Plus we clearly explain why those vegetables work their magic.

Each chapter also highlights several vegetable superstars – alongside delicious recipes which correspond to your veggie prescription. For example, if you frequently feel bloated and want to flush all of that puffiness that your body is holding, you’ll turn to “Beat the Bloat and Clean the Pipes.” When you get there you’ll discover which vegetables help you get rid of those swollen fingers and belly – and why. (Pssssst…. Two of our favorite anti-bloat veggies are fennel and artichoke!)  Next up, we’ll share temptilicious recipes to make with these veggies.   You’ll see options like Fennel Stuffed Potatoes, Golden Gazpacho in Petite Cucumber Cradles, Roasted Fennel, Rockin’ Ratatouille, Tomato Artichoke Pasta Bake, Artichoke Hummus, and Parmesan Baked Artichoke and their complete recipes in the back of the book. Choose a recipe, give it a try, and you’ll be well on your way to a flat stomach and puff-free eyes.

Regardless of your goal –or which chapter you turn to first—this  book takes you by the hand, guiding you step by step to a better, happier, healthier you.

What would you most like to add to your guacamole?
	Mango
	Jicama
	Red Onion
	All
pollcode.com free polls

Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos, The Nutrition Twins®, are twin sisters and nationally recognized registered dietitians and personal trainers and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure, Fire Up Your Metabolism and The Secret To Skinny. They are media go-to’s and have been featured as experts on major TV shows/ networks and popular press ranging from The Doctors, Good Morning America Health, Fox and Friends and Discovery Health to USA Today, Health Magazine and Vogue.  www.NutritionTwins.com

Vegetarian Holiday Recipes: Sweet Pepper Poppers Recipe by Stacey Adams

Need vegetarian holiday recipes for snacking and meals? Stacey Adams is back with her own Sweet Pepper Poppers recipe. Their bright colors and cheesy topping are perfect for holiday parties and football snacks! Whether you’re into Deepak Chopra and the ancient Ayurveda healing system or just looking for delicious hot food to warm your bones and celebrate the season, you’ll love these. Happy Holidays! <3 - Belinda

Hi all! This is another cold weather treasure that makes for awesome snacks on a football Sunday or a meal by itself. The ingredients in this recipe are mostly Tri-doshic friendly from an Ayurvedic standpoint. There are some potentially heating aspects of this vegetarian holiday recipe that might aggravate Pitta a bit; however, on a cold, blustery day in December, you can aggravate my Pitta anytime. :) So, here it is!

Sweeeet Pepper Poppers!!!

Photo & Recipe© Stacey Adams

Ingredients:

Photo Some Rights Reserved (c) SaucyGlo

12 Mini Sweet Peppers

They come in all the gorgeous red, yellow and orange colors of bell peppers, but are small and skinny. Unlike similarly shaped sharps, they are sweet and mellow.

1 cup fresh spinach

Photo Some Rights Reserved (c) AndyRobertsPhotos

1 cup freshly prepared (already cooked) couscous.

Note: 1/4 cup dry couscous makes about 1 cup cooked. If making from a box, save the leftovers for salads. It's delicious! Quinoa can be used, but I like the smaller size of couscous granules for this particular recipe.  

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup celery, chopped small

1/4 cup carrots shredded and lightly steamed

1/3 lb. crumbled and browned tofu

Or ground and browned turkey - I have some hard-core carnivores here. :)

1/3 cup plain yogurt        

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 small bunch parsley (optional, but sweet)

2 pinches sea salt

2 Tablespoons sunflower or walnut oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

ground black pepper corn to taste

I mill it straight onto the top of the finished product before popping in the oven.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice peppers lengthwise and remove seeds.

Note: I like to keep the 2 halves together by not cutting through the other side. Just cut a slit big enough to open the pepper and take out the seeds. :)

Place the peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Heat the garlic, salt, celery and oil in a pan. Sauté for a couple minutes. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, but still a lovely green.

Spoon the sautéed mix into the prepared couscous. Add in the steamed carrots, tofu (or turkey), yogurt, turmeric and most of the cheese.

Note: Keep a Tablespoon or two aside to sprinkle on top of the peppers after they come out of the oven for a little "cheese cap". This also serves to hide the veggies on the "inside" of the peppers for the picky, anti-veggie crowd. It’s a Mom trick. ;)

Stir up the couscous mix to evenly distribute everything.

With a teaspoon, spoon the mix into each of your little peppers. Be generous, but try not to overflow the little guys. Sprinkle your ground peppercorn on top.

Pop into the oven for 50 minutes.

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top for last couple minutes of baking, if "cheese caps" are desired.

Upon removal from the oven, garnish the tops by sinking little parsley florets into the tops of the stuffing. Be careful. They will be hot. Place the peppers on a serving tray, and garnish the empty spaces with a few more parsley florets. (It's all about the presentation, donchaknow?)

Report: The entire plate of 12 was gone in 15 minutes, including the plate I used to take the picture. You might want to double or triple this vegetarian holiday recipe. ;)

Happy Holidays and Healthy Eating, everyone. Stay warm! <3 – Stacey

Photo © Stacey Adams

  

Guest blogger Stacey Adams is a Bodyworker, Healer, Herbal formulator, Perpetual student and Mom. She is also the owner and operator of The Woman of the Woods Health Portal. Connect with Stacey on G+. For more information on the Ayurveda healing system, see her post, What is "Ayurveda" Anyway?

Visit Stacey’s previous guest post, Pan-tastic Potato Supper.