Devin Alexander Recipes

 

Ring in the New Year with these healthy recipes.

 

 

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Devin Alexander's Skinny Chocolate Hazelnut Mini Pretzels recipe

Skinny Chocolate Hazelnut Mini Pretzels

I always make sure I am NOT hungry and that my body is fully hydrated before starting any baking. I love having Glaceau Smart Water by my side for sipping instead of mindless eating. On days that I really have the munchies, I might even chew gum as not to overeat treats.

4 (4 dipped pretzel) servings

Ingredients:

 
  • 1 ounce (approximately 16) Snyders of Hanover Mini Pretzels
  • 2-3 ounces dark chocolate chips or chunks (or chocolate chips sweetened with zero-calorie natural sweetener)
  • 2 tablespoons hazelnuts (you can use any nuts you love and find on sale if you care more about them being “nutty” than actually hazelnut), finely chopped
  • Coarse pink sea salt, to taste

Preparation:

 
  1. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
  2.  Add the chocolate to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Melt it on high for 45 seconds. Stir the chocolate (even it if doesn’t look melted). Continuing microwaving it for 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between each interval until melted and smooth, being careful not to burn it.
  3.  Dip half of a pretzel in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Place it on the lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle hazelnuts over the chocolate-dipped half and then a few flakes of sea salt.
  4.  Continue the process with the remaining pretzels.


Olé Chicken Breasts

This dish is exceptionally easy to make and worth every second. That said, there is one thing to note: be careful when checking the chicken for doneness. The tomatoes will likely drip into the chicken. If you cut into the chicken or poke it with a fork to test for doneness, be sure it’s not the liquid from the tomatoes making the chicken look pink even if it’s not.

Makes 2 (1 topped chicken breast) servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt-free Southwest or Mexican seasoning, to taste
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup Hunt’s canned, drained, diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup Lucerne Reduced-fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 8 very thin jalapeno rounds, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped, or more to taste (optional)

 

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. On a plate or cutting board, rub the oil then seasoning and salt over the chicken breasts to evenly cover them.
  3. Place a small ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken side by side to the pan so it does not touch. Cook the chicken just until it is golden brown on the outsides, 1 to 2 minutes per side
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and top each chicken breast evenly with about 2 table­spoons of the tomatoes, followed by about 1/2 of the cheese, then jalapenos. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken until it is no longer pink inside and the cheese is melted, 5 to 9 minutes. Top them evenly with the cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. 

Devin Alexander's Olé Chicken Breasts recipe


Devin Alexander's Spinach, Pink Grapefruit Pomegranate Salad recipe

Spinach, Pink Grapefruit Pomegranate Salad

Pomegranates and Grapefruit are in season in the winter and beautifully replace summer berries to give salads a pop of color and a burst of flavor! Both are so yummy in January, not to mention that they tend to be less expensive than at other times of the year.

Ingredients:

 
  • 3 cups O Organics Baby Spinach (make sure your spinach is very dry or you’ll have a soggy salad), loosely packed, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 large (about 2 ounces) pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
  • ¼ medium or ½ small avocado, cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 ounce (about 3 tablespoons, not packed) crumbled light goat cheese or goat cheese, divided
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils (seeds), divided
  • 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons store-bought, light champagne vinaigrette or light balsamic vinaigrette, to taste
  • 4 ounces grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon

Preparation:

  1. To a medium mixing bowl, add the spinach, ½ of the grapefruit, the avocado,
  2. Half of the cheese and half of the pomegranate arils. Spoon the dressing over top and toss the salad.
  3. Mound the salad mixture on a plate. Arrange the grapefruit sections evenly around the edges of the salad. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and pomegranate arils over the top. Arrange the sliced chicken, shrimp or salmon over top.
  4. Enjoy immediately.


Grilled Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt-free Mexican seasoning
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 3 to 4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 (8-inch diameter) almond flour, casava flour or whole wheat tortilla
  • 2 ounces Lucerne Reduced-Fat Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 tablespoon whole green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon green jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, or more to taste
  • fresh salsa, to taste

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Preheat the grill to high.
  3. Mix the Mexican seasoning and salt in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over the chicken. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
  4. Place the chicken on the grill and turn the heat to medium, if possible. Grill it for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside. Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until cooled, and then coarsely chop it.
  5. Place the tortilla on a nonstick baking sheet. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over half of the tortilla, followed by the chicken, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and finally the remaining cheese. Fold the bare half over the filling. Bake for 4 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
  6. Use a spatula to transfer the quesadilla to a clean, dry cutting board. Slice it into 4 wedges. Then transfer the wedges to a plate and top with salsa to taste. Serve immediately. 

Devin Alexander's Grilled Chicken Quesadilla recipe


Devin Alexander's Cold Weather Comfort Smoothie recipe

Cold Weather Comfort Smoothie

This smoothie is a GREAT drink to make quickly before going to the gym on cold winter days or nights. The banana provides energy while the protein helps with muscle growth. And it’s so much more satisfying than drinking an ice cold smoothie before heading out into the cold or snow!

Makes 1 (about 16 ounce) or 2 (8 ounce) servings

Ingredients:

  • ½ small yellow (only a few spots; not brown) banana
  • 8 ounces Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
  • 2 tablespoons Silk Caramel Creamer
  • 1 scoop your favorite caramel or vanilla protein powder (I prefer whey or egg protein powder over pea protein for a more decadent smoothie)
  • Cinnamon, to taste (optional)
  • Caramel-flavored zero-calorie natural sweetener, to taste (optional)

Preparation:

  1. Add the banana, almond milk, creamer and protein powder to the cup of a mini-blender or jar of a blender.
  2. Blend on high until smooth and slightly frothy.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and heat until just warm, adding the cinnamon or caramel-flavored zero-calorie natural sweetener, if desired.
  4. Pour it a heat-proof (18-20 ounce) mug or divide it among 2 (10-12 ounce) mugs for sharing. 

 

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Wholesome Eats Made Easy

 


Apple Peanut Butter Zoats a la Crème in a bowl next to Two Good vanilla yogurt. Devin Alexander Recipe.

Apple Peanut Butter Zoats a la Crème

Ingredients

Makes about 3-1/4 cups; about 2-3 adult sized portions or 4-5 child sized portions

  • 1 large (about 11 ounces) Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes (8 ounces of cubes)
  • 1-1/2 + 1/4 cups Silk Whole Fat Next Milk, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated zucchini (peeled only if your kids won’t eat “green”)
  • 3 tablespoons O Organics® Old Fashioned Cream Peanut Butter*
  • 1 cup O Organics® Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon O Organics® Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup to 1 cup Two Good Vanilla Low-Fat Greek Yogurt, or to taste
  • Open Nature® or Signature Farms® Chopped Walnuts, to taste (optional)
  •  

*When purchasing peanut butter, always look for one that lists only “peanuts” or “peanuts and salt” on the ingredient list

Preparation

  1. Add the apples, 1/4 cup of the milk and the cinnamon to a medium saucepan; place the pan over low heat (the liquid can lightly simmer, but not boil). Cook the apples, uncovered, stirring them frequently until the apples are soft or crisp-tender, to your preference, about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add the grated zucchini to cheese cloth (use a clean, lint-free dish towel if you don’t have cheese cloth) and squeeze as much excess moisture from the zucchini as possible. Set it aside.
  3. Meanwhile, add the peanut butter to a small mixing bowl or large glass measuring cup. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1-1/2 cups of milk, creating a smooth liquid. Set the mixture aside.
  4. When the apples are as tender as desired (if you like a bit of “bite” to your oatmeal, cook them less than if you want it to be a bit more like a warm apple pie), remove them from the pan and set them aside.
  5. Add the zucchini to the pan and return the pan to the heat. Stir the zucchini constantly, just long enough to cook all the excess from it – you do not want it to brown. Pour the peanut butter milk over the zucchini and add the oats, vanilla and salt. Cook the oatmeal to the desired consistency.
  6. Turn the heat to low and gently stir the apples into the oatmeal. Continue cooking, if necessary, until the apples are warmed, or spoon it into serving bowl(s). Store any remaining zoats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, re-heating it just before serving.

To Serve:

Top the zoats with about 1/4 cup of yogurt per cup of oats, dolloping it in the center of the bowl. Enjoy immediately!


Pumpkin Ricotta Rollups

Ingredients

Makes 2 rollups

Rollup

  • 2 slices Signature Select® Nuts & Grain Bread
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin pie sandwich spread (see recipe below)
  • 1/4 homemade ricotta (see ingredients and recipe below; or sub store-bought ricotta cheese)
  •  

Pumpkin Pie Spread

  • 1/2 cup Signature Select® 100% Pure Pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons O Organics® 100% Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon O Organics® Pumpkin Pie Spice
  •  

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

  • 4 cups (1%) milk
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  •  

Preparation

Rollup

Place bread slices on a cutting board with the shorter side of the bread closest to you. Using a rolling pin (you can you use a meat mallet or heavy pan if you don’t have a rolling pin), flatten the bread as much as possible.

Pumpkin Pie Spread

Stir the pumpkin, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl or re-sealable container until well combined. Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Makes 1/2 cup.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

  1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and place the pan over low to medium heat. Slowly heat the milk, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until it reaches 200° F (it should be hot and just barely bubbling – if it starts to boil, remove it from the heat).
  2. Remove the pan from the heat.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. It should be somewhat curdled. If it is not, add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice.
  4. Line a mesh strainer with cheese cloth (use multiple layers if using the type that looks more like a net and has holes or a lint-free dishtowel if you don’t have cheese cloth). Place it over a small mixing bowl. Carefully pour the milk mixture into the lined strainer.
  5. Stir it gently to evenly release the liquid. Then let it drain for 10-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency you desire (it will get thicker as it sits), OR gently squeeze it in the cheese cloth to release moisture more quickly.
  6. Transfer the ricotta cheese to a resealable container.
  7. Enjoy it immediately or refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days.

Makes about 1 cup.

To Serve:

Spread half of the ricotta evenly over the bread slice. Then spread 1/2 of the pumpkin evenly over the top. Starting at the end closest to you, gently roll each to create a roll. Repeat to make a second rollup. Then slice each into 5 slices crosswise to make pinwheels.

Pumpkin Ricotta Rollups. Devin Alexander Recipe.

 

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