Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Because it jump-starts your metabolism and keeps you energized. Whole grains are one such way to get your engines running, by filling your stomach and slowing digestion.
2-3 tbsp agave syrup (sub maple syrup or honey if you prefer, and how sweet you like your granola)
Preheat oven to 350* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all dry ingredients in a big bowl. Heat wet ingredients in a small sauce pan (or in microwave- I don't own one so I use stovetop) until boiling and immediately pour over dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon until dry mixture is completely coated. Pour mixture onto parchment paper and bake for 22 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool for another 15 minutes. Break up granola and keep stored in a glass jar. This makes just a little over 3 cups! Ea with milk, sprinkled over oatmeal, yogurt, fruit...or just straight out of the jar with a spoon
Incorporating spices like like chili, turmeric, and cinnamon to your food is an easy way to add calorie-burning properties to your next meal. Try this vegetarian mango tofu bowl recipe in addition to the spice element, it packs in many elements that will boost metabolism, like apple cider vinegar and protein-packed tofu and quinoa.
INGREDIENTS
Mango sauce:
* 3/4 cup organic apple juice
* 1 mango, pit removed
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1/4 cup coconut water vinegar or apple cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup sunflower oil
* 1/4 cup sugar free ketchup
* 1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
* 2 tbsp braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
* 1-2 jalapenos
* 1/4 tsp Himalayan rock salt
* 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
* 3 tbsp filtered water
* 1.5 tbsp arrowroot powder or 1 tbsp corn starch
Veggies + protein
* 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken, sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips or 2 blocks of GMO free firm tofu, pressed and cut into slices
* 4 medium onions , diced
* 3 cups snow peas
* 2 red peppers, diced small
* 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
High protein rice mix
* 4.5 cups water
* 1.5 cups brown basmati rice
* 1/2 cup red/white quinoa
* 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
DIRECTIONS
To make the sauce: add all ingredients but cilantro, water, and arrowroot in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 20minutes. Meanwhile, combine water and arrowroot in a small bowl. Once simmering is complete, add arrowroot mixture and whisk. Cook for 1 minute. Add chopped cilantro and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
To make protein: preheat oven to 375F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for chicken, or oil for tofu. If you’re cooking a bit of both, you can separate the sheet with a foil wall. Coat the tofu pieces in the mango sauce and bake chicken/tofu for 30-40 minutes until tofu is browning at the corners and/or chicken is cooked through with no pink.
To make veggies: Add coconut oil and onions to a large frying pan [I used cast iron]. Allow to cook for 3 minutes before adding remaining ingredients + 1/3 cup mango sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
For the rice mix: Add all ingredients to a rice cooker or large saucepan and cook until soft [about 30 minutes]
Throw it all together, pour some mango sauce on top, and you have yourself a delicious dinner!
Makes 6 rice bowls and ~3 cups of sauce
Warm Me Up
Here's another spicy lunch or dinner idea. In addition to the benefits of metabolism-boosting peppers black bean Chipotle Soup
recipe is packed with protein, which has also been proven to aid in boosting metabolism.
Vegetarian Chipotle Black Bean Soup
Follows these instructions to substitute a slow cooker for the Dutch oven in this recipe, decrease water to 3 cups. Cover and cook on high for about six hours, or until beans are tender.
Ingredients
For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 16-ounce package dried black beans
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used as a substitute)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the garnish:
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown. Add garlic, bay leaves, and cumin; sauté for just under a minute.
- Transfer mixture to 6-quart Dutch oven. Add beans, chipotles, water, and broth. Simmer on stove top until mixture reaches a boil.
- Turn off heat, cover, and remove from stove top. Place into the oven and cook at 275°F until beans are very tender, about three hours. Make sure to check on the beans while cooking. If they look to dry, add more broth or water.
- Remove Dutch oven from stove and transfer two cups of the bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Return puree to Dutch oven. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt, tomatoes, and cilantro
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