Cyd Notter

Author and Nutrition Educator, Founder of The "Plan A" Diet™

Flexible Sheet Pan Dinners

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I received an article today about one pan meals that are ready in 40 minutes. I’m interested!

I’d never heard of a Sheet Pan Dinner (or ‘tray bake’ according to the article). But I can certainly see the benefits!

By combining an uncooked grain, freshly cut veggies, a can of beans or peas, spices, and veggie broth/water on a baking tray, you can have a complete, nutrient-filled meal in 40 minutes. Add in your favorite sauces or dressings if desired, as well as optional nuts, seeds, or nutritional yeast.

Here’s the entire article (along with recipes) on the Forks over Knives website.

I was leery that my baking tray would hold 3.5 cups of liquid, so I did a test and it surely does. I typically use a silicone baking sheet liner (or at the very least, a piece of parchment paper) when roasting or baking, but that may not be necessary with this type of dish. I plan to make the “curry and rice” recipe first, but the flexibility of Sheet Pan Dinners offers countless possibilities!

Minimal effort, minimal clean-up, flexible recipes, and foods which are packed with protein, calcium, and other vital nutrients. What’s not to love?

P.S. Want to make quick, Roasted Veggie Pasta? Watch my video here on how to roast the veggies – without oil! Then serve the roasted veggies over whole grain pasta which is topped with a healthy pasta sauce (Aldi has oil-free, organic pasta sauce for under $2 a jar). Everyone loves it!

Let me know if you try the Sheet Pan Dinners (or the Roasted Veggie Pasta)!

Other helpful resources:

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Need a gift idea? A signed copy of The “Plan A” Diet would be a great stocking stuffer!

 

My Top 6 Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

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The fall season is flying by and Thanksgiving is upon us! If you like pumpkin as much as I do, it’s time to get cooking because pumpkin is only in season for a short time.

I love all things pumpkin (well, almost. I’ve never made pumpkin pasta, so the jury is still out).

By the way, do you know the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? Canned pumpkin typically contains one ingredient: cooked, pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling, however, can include a mixture of cooked, mashed winter squash that’s flavored with spices like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, and a sweetener.

Pumpkin desserts and pumpkin chili are on my favorites list for today! The following tried-and-true recipes get a thumbs up at our house; here they are in no particular order:

Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf – Absolutely delicious! This loaf is dense, chocolatey, and moist. Add a few non-dairy chocolate chips or walnuts, if you’d like. I usually make ‘mini-loaves’ of this recipe for gift-giving.

Pumpkin Walnut Raisin Cake – A yummy, spicy cake that can also be made into bread or muffins.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins – This one has been in my collection since 2009! I’ve been making it ever since – it’s that good.

Pumpkin Chili – With most pumpkin chilis I’ve tried, you really can’t taste the pumpkin. This recipe provides a slight taste of pumpkin, and the fire-roasted tomatoes give it a nice kick (but not TOO hot). Delicious as-is, or you can serve it over a baked potato or sweet potato.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Someone brought these to our potluck back in 2015, and they’re great if you enjoy a cake-like cookie. The recipe calls for 1 cup of non-dairy chocolate chips, but I use much less and still have lots of chips in each cookie. Do as you wish!

Impossible Pumpkin Pie – What’s great about this recipe is that the entire thing is made in the blender, and the crust forms on its own as it bakes! I use a 7 x 11 glass Pyrex baking dish which doesn’t need to be sprayed with oil, and also let it bake about 15 minutes longer than suggested. The pie will “set up” in the fridge.

Need a Whipping Cream to top that pie? Try this easy recipe:

Combine these ingredients in a blender:

1 15-oz. can of pears (in water or juice), drained but save the juice.                                                                                      1-1/2 cups raw cashews, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.                                                                                                                      Blend at high speed until very smooth, adjusting texture by adding more nuts or a bit of pear juice. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

PS: Here’s another crowd-pleasing dessert: How to make Raw Apple Crumble

 

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EASY Plant-Based Recipes for Busy Holiday Months

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We’re officially in the season of dread for those trying to stay on-track with their diets. The 63 days from Halloween to New Year’s Day is typically when we give ourselves unspoken permission to over-indulge…it’s the holidays, after all!

Plus, it’s hard to stay diligent when you’re surrounded by candies, baked goods, and high-calorie beverages.

So what can you do? Two things come to mind:

  1. You can make your “holiday game plan” now. By planning out a few targeted goals, you can still enjoy the holidays without compromising your health. Read more about it here.
  2. Don’t add to your stress by planning elaborate meals during the week. Eat simply by making these quick, easy meals which are featured in The 21-Day Meal Plan.  Another way to save time in the kitchen is by batch cooking once or twice a week. Watch this video for my batch cooking suggestions.

Remember, surviving the holidays is not about deprivation! It’s about forming a strategy to eat healthy, delicious foods while avoiding the temptation of all those high-calorie, high-fat weight- and health-busters. As an extra bonus, you’ll avoid the guilt AND the bloat when the holidays are over. 🙂

A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but naive people keep going and pay the penalty. (Proverbs 27:12, EHV)

 

Great Christmas gift! Order a signed copy of the book 🙂

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Score a Win-Win with that Leftover Halloween Candy

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Have you heard about the national Halloween Candy Buy Back (HCBB) program? It was started back in 2005 by a dentist, Dr. Chris Kammer, with the goal of getting the surplus candy ‘off the streets’ and reducing the over consumption of sugar by children. 

Not only does the program “buy back” the candy, the collected treats are then sent to our troops abroad as a token of appreciation for serving to keep us safe.

 

Since the time HCBB was founded, dental offices across the nation have responded in increasing numbers, and hundreds of tons of candy have been collected over the years. HCBB has been featured by dozens of local news outlets and was even featured by Diane Sawyer on ABC News. 

Dental offices generally pay the kids $1 per pound for the candy (usually a 5 lb. limit), and then send it to Move America Forward or Operation Shoebox, organizations who sort/package/ship it to the troops abroad along with other necessities. 

Not only do the kiddos benefit from eating less sugar and getting a lesson in generosity, the troops abroad get a nice treat as well. Definitely a win-win!

To find a participating dental office near you who’ll buy back your candy, go to the HCBB website and type in your zip code. 

When you’re given a box of candy, don’t gulp it all down; eat too much chocolate

and you’ll make yourself sick. (Proverbs 25:16, MSG)

Can Weight Loss Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer?

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In light of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I’d like to share some very interesting facts that Dr. Kristi Funk presented on a recent YouTube interview hosted by Chef AJ.

Dr. Funk is a breast cancer surgeon who happens to be extremely energetic and passionate about what she does!

Here are a few things she covered:

  • Red flags for the BRCA gene mutation; when to be tested, and what it means it you have it
  • Being overweight is the highest preventable risk factor. Think of your weight at age 18, and then consider these statistics according to your current weight: Those who gain under 8 pounds stay at normal risk; a weight gain of between 8-14 pounds increases breast cancer risk 25%; a weight gain of 14-29 pounds = a 60% risk increase; over 29 lbs = a 90% increased risk.
  • That’s because fat cells contain/lead to increased estrogen levels.
  • BUT, anyone that loses weight can reverse the trend.
  • Which foods are so anti-estrogen that they block cancer? Whole SOY foods, because of the genistein content. She recommends daily consumption (and shares all the soy stats).
  • Ground flax seed are also super cancer fighters, because of their LIGNAN content; lignans are anti-estrogen.
  • Broccoli (raw or lightly steamed) – the sulforaphane is another powerful cancer fighter.
  • Cacao powder – at least 70% cacao – a breast cancer superfood.
  • Alcohol should be reduced or eliminated – even moderate drinking raises cancer risk.

I highly recommend watching the entire video!

She shares the weight gain statistics “not to PANIC anyone, but to incentivize them.”

At the time of this writing, there are three seats left in my “Intro to Safe, Permanent Weight Loss” being offered through Joliet Junior College (online using Zoom). The class will be held November 16 from 6:30 – 8:00 CST. Read more about it here and consider joining us!

PS: Be sure to check out this FREE class, too: 3 Reasons Dieters Regain the Weight