Devin Alexander: What I'm Cooking Now

Note that including the 1/4 cup of brown sugar blend (1 tablespoon per serving) makes it taste like a yummy dessert but also adds 5 grams of sugar per serving. You can make a few servings with the sugar blend and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days to use when a chocolate craving hits. For breakfast, I'd recommend sticking with a zero-calorie natural sweetener.

Makes 4 (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon pecan) servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other unsweetened vanilla nondairy milk)
• 2 tablespoons zero-calorie natural sweetener (such as stevia or monkfruit)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened, reduced-fat shredded coconut (use any unsweetened coconut if you don't have reduced-fat on hand)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Combine the oats, milk, sweetener, cocoa powder and coconut in a resealable plastic container. Refrigerate the oatmeal mixture in the covered container or divide it among 4 (8-ounce) mason jars and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (or up to 2 days).

2. Remove the oatmeal from the refrigerator and top with the pecans just before enjoying (divide them evenly among the mason jars if using).

Nutritional information: 280 calories; 12g fat, 2.6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat; 0mg cholesterol; 95mg sodium; 350mg potassium; 37g carbohydrate; 8g fiber; 1g sugar; 9g protein; 285mg phosphorus

Sriracha-Mayo Roasted Turkey Breast

This recipe is a perfect stuck-at-home entrée because you can make it for dinner and then use the leftovers as lean deli meat — with a fraction of the sodium of pretty much any deli meat you'd find in a grocery store.

Sriracha has become super trendy in recent years. You may see it here and assume that this dish will be too spicy for you. But just give this one a try. There are only 2 teaspoons of sriracha on a 2-pound turkey breast, and it's mixed with mayo. I promise that this turkey has just a hint of a kick. The mayo helps keep the breast nice and tender, and the sriracha provides a mild and delicious flavor.

Makes 6 (about 4-ounce) servings

Ingredients

• Olive oil spray
• 1 (2 1/4-pound) bone-in turkey breast half
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mist a 9-by-9-inch casserole or baking dish with oilve oil spray.

2. Place the turkey breast on a cutting board and remove all of the skin and any visible fat. Using a fork, poke the meat 25 times evenly over each side as deeply as the tines of the fork.

3. In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise and sriracha until well combined. Place the breast, bone side up, on the cutting board and, using a pastry brush (or your fingers if you don't have one), rub about 1/3 of the mayonnaise mixture evenly over the meat (don't rub it over the bone).

4. Flip the breast over and place it in the prepared baking dish. Brush the remaining mayonnaise mixture evenly over the top and sides. Without touching the turkey, carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of the pan (this will help keep it moist).

5. Cook the meat until a thermometer inserted into it reads 175°F and it is no longer pink inside, about 35 to 50 minutes.

6. Remove the turkey from the oven and loosely tent it with foil for about 10 minutes, to allow the juices to redistribute (the breast will continue cooking to reach 180°F while standing). Transfer it to a cutting board.

7. Slice the turkey into thin slices, cutting on a diagonal and against the grain (if you plan on using leftovers as deli meat, slice only the portion you are about to eat, then refrigerate the remainder and slice it as thinly as possible before eating).

Nutritional information: 170 calories; 3.5g fat, 0.8g saturated fat, 0g trans fat; 90mg cholesterol; 180mg sodium; 270mg potassium; 1g carbohydrate; 0g fiber; 1g sugar; 33g protein; 250mg phosphorous

Mediterranean Hot-and-Cold Brown Rice Salad

This recipe is perfect for times when you don't want to run to the grocery store frequently. To create a super satisfying dish, cook a pot of brown rice, add whatever leftover lean protein and fresh veggies you have, and then pick an ethnic style. In this case, I combined hot brown rice with leftover lean grilled chicken, kale, red bell peppers and onions, then enhanced it with common ingredients you'd find in a Greek dish. If you don't have those on hand, swap in the Mexican equivalent (such as black olives for the kalamatas, part-skim queso fresco for the feta, cilantro for the basil). Voilà! You have a lean, delicious dinner the whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked short-grain brown rice (reheated if necessary)
• 4 ounces lean grilled chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (can be hot or leftover)
• 1 cup slivered kale leaves
• 1/3 cup (1-inch matchsticks) red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped whole green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette
• 3 large basil leaves, slivered

Add the rice, hot or cold chicken, kale, bell pepper, onion, olives, half the feta and the basil to a small mixing bowl. Drizzle the dressing over top and toss the salad. Mound the mixture in a rimmed salad bowl. Top it with the remaining feta. Enjoy immediately.

Nutritional information: 468 calories; 20g fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat; 53mg cholesterol; 568mg sodium; 48g carbohydrate; 6g fiber; 7g sugar; 30g protein

Happy-Tummy Greens Juice

We've heard it over and over again: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” And, yes, to keep your immunity strong, it's important to consume the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables. Yet such a small percentage of we Americans actually do so. I love this green juice because it's refreshing and gives you real veggies and fruit. Plus, ginger is known to both reduce inflammation and support cardiovascular health.

Makes 1 (about 12-ounce) serving

Ingredients

• 1 medium (about 5 to 6 ounce) Granny Smith apple, cored and seeded
• 1/3 medium cucumber (about 3 ounces), ends trimmed
• 3/4-inch cube (about 1/3 ounce) fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (OK to leave on some stems)
• 6 ice cubes

1. Cut the apple, cucumber and ginger into quarters. Add them to the jar or pitcher of a high-powered blender, along with the spinach, parsley and ice cubes. Blend on high for a few seconds until the ingredients start to combine.

2. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender and continue to blend until the mixture is completely smooth.

3. Transfer the juice to a 14- or 16-ounce glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice, if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Nutritional information: 110 calories; 1g fat, 0.2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat; 0mg cholesterol; 80mg sodium; 870mg potassium; 25g carbohydrate; 6g fiber; 14g sugar; 4g protein; 90mg phosphorus