Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Shake

I have been making quite a few protein smoothies lately.  Maybe it is the occasional 55 degree day that makes me think it is so balmy outside, i need to have a cold, refreshing shake.  Maybe it is because I want to have something good that will time me over until lunch.  Who knows.  I love them and they are so YUMMY!  My brain thinks I am having an actual shake but my brain knows that this is sooooo good for me.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein shake
serves 1

2 Tablespoons of PB2
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup of greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
a couple of hands full of frozen strawberries
1 scoop protein powder

Blend and serve!  This one rang in at under 300 calories.  DELISH!

Lower sugar cookies

I have made the basic cookie recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips hundreds of times.  There is a lot of sugar in those cookies.  My kiddos ask for some kind of dessert almost every night.  Sometimes, it is an actual treat, other times it is a "treat" that is a much healthier option.

These cookies are really yummy.  I was surprised.  I love sugar and these cookies hit the spot!  I didn't even feel bad when I had one....ok, fine.  I had 2.  I found the recipe here...

http://foodbabe.com/2013/04/18/does-your-cookie-need-all-that-sugar/

You can add whatever you want to them to make them your own like raisins, chocolate chips or cranberries.  I added dark chocolate chips (because dark chocolate is good for you).  :-P

Try them out!  See if you can fool your kids too.

Macaroni Casserole by Skinnytaste

Skinnytaste.com is an awesome site that has so many delicious recipes.  I have used it many times to do my menu planning for the next week.  Check it out!  You are sure to find so many things that you will love.

This is one of those meals that you can totally fool your family into thinking they are just having a rich and fulling casserole, but LOOK AT ALL THESE VEGGIES!!

This is also one of those meals that it is a good idea to make 2 and freeze one of them so you can just toss it in the oven when you are running around to basketball practice and gymnastics!  Easy peasy!  DONE!  Healthy meal on the table!

The recipe and directions can be found here.

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz can) petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups marinara sauce (I used my own homemade)
2 cups water
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Kosher salt
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz uncooked whole wheat elbows

Lighter Beef Stroganoff in the crock pot!

We have had some really chilly days these past few weeks and who doesn't love some comfort food?  Plus, you make it in the crock pot which makes it super easy.  I must add that it was torture smelling it all day long, though.  It smelled so good!  I made this beef stroganoff and we loved it!  It is lighter because we used egg white noodles you could also use brown rice noodles.

Click this link for the directions here.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1-pound) top round steak (1 inch thick), trimmed 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth 
• 1 (8-ounce) container low-fat sour cream 
• 2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)

Aisian Quinoa Salad

I found a really delicious new quinoa salad to make for my lunches.  I just LOVE all of the flavors in this salad.  I found it from two peas and their pod.  It is sooooo good.  I made it on Sunday and had it for lunch all week.  You could also add some shrimp to it and have it for dinner!

Click on the above link for the directions, but the yummy ingredient list is:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber

For the dressing:
1/4 cup lite soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Mint Chocolate Protein Shake

I was wandering around the kitchen the other day wondering what to have for lunch (very dangerous) and nothing was sounding good.  I opened the freezer and saw some of my daughter's frozen junior mints and decided to figure out how to make a mint chocolate protein shake (that was a close one because the junior mints were almost my lunch).

**helpful hint**In my house, if there are bananas that are about time to throw away, I will peel and slice them and put one banana each in a ziplock bag and toss it in the freezer so I can add them to my shakes.

Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
1 heaping tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup almond milk
3 oz greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
A quick splash of peppermint extract ( a little goes a long way)
1 scoop of protein powder

Zap it all in your blender and you have a protein filled delicious lunch or breakfast!!!!

Chicken with Mushrooms in a Garlic White Wine Sauce

We have been trying different recipes these last few weeks to try and broaden our healthy dinner choices.  You know, spice things up.  Tonight's dinner was soooooo good.  Even my husband LOVED it!  I mean, really loved it.  He loved it so much that he is excited to have it again.  

I found the recipe at Skinnytaste.com 

The ONLY change I made was that I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  I trimmed all the extra fat off of them and cut them into bite sized chunks.  After it was all cooked, we put the chicken and mushrooms over some brown rice.  DELISH!!!  

Almost spaghetti...

Today, I made some veggie filled spaghetti sauce.  I sauteed half a diced onion, a whole diced red bell pepper, and about a dozen mushrooms.  After they were tender, I added about 4 minced garlic cloves and cooked until fragrant (about 1 minute more).  Then, I added a 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes and a 15 oz can of tomato sauce.  I then added some basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Finally I sliced up some chicken sausage and let it all simmer

As if all of those vegetables weren't enough, I decided to make some spiralized zucchini and squash with my new little gadget (found on amazon for less than $10).  I like to fool my husband with things that I cook sometimes so I decided that I would make his dinner half whole wheat spaghetti, half spiralized zucchini and squash.  ;)   My dinner was all veggies though, no real spaghetti.  

After I spiralized the veggies, I sauteed them in a little misted olive oil until cooked through (just a few minutes).  I must say this was very yummy!  I make spaghetti squash every now and then, but I must say that I like this much better because these spiralized veggies kept their shape and texture and it was like actually having spaghetti.  I will make this all the time!  Even my husband liked it!  

I wonder what else I can spiralize....  ;)

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

We are having record low temperatures tomorrow and Tuesday and tomorrow starts my first official day of P90X3 and I am going to get back to planning my meals better.  This is going to be my lunch for the week!  I followed the recipe exactly for this Vegetarian Quinoa Chili except I added some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, oregano and coriander.

This recipe makes 15 cups of chili.  The nutritional information below is for 1 cup.  I had 2 cups for dinner tonight and it was delicious!

Cheesy Roasted Veggies

Looking for a yummy side dish for dinner tonight?  Try this!

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups cauliflower
1 garlic and cheese laughing cow cheese wedge

I roasted the veggies on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet (I even lightly misted the veggies) at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes or so.  The time will vary depending on how big your veggies are.  When they were done, I zapped the cheese in the microwave for about 15 seconds in a ramekin.  Then I mixed the cheese in with the veggies in a bowl.  I totally sat down and ate the whole bowl.  It was delish and only 130 calories.

Almond Butter Cookies

Look!  A cookie recipe that has no refined sugar or white flour!  Try these out because they were seriously good.  Even small children liked them.  :)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

1 large egg
1 cup unsweetened almond butter
1/3 c raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 c almond flour**
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

**If you do not have almond flour (I got mine at Trader Joe's) you can make it by zapping raw almonds in your food processor until it is a fine meal like consistency.  

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and then add the last 3.  This recipe makes 12 good sized cookies.  The Nutritional below is per cookie.  

Quinoa, Red Pepper, and Cucumber Salad With Avocado and Lime

Here is my salad for the week!  I am thinking this will be yummy in a wrap as well.  :) I adapted it from here.  

Kosher salt


1 cup quinoa


1 garlic clove, pounded to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt


1 large shallot, finely diced


1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced


Juice of 3 limes

1 medium red pepper, halved, seeded, and finely diced


1 English (seeded) cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)


1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish


3 ripe avocados, diced

Directions

1. Cook 1 cup of uncooked quinoa according to package directions.

2. Put the garlic, shallot, jalapeño, and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 

3. Put quinoa, red pepper, cucumber, diced avocado and chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Add garlic, shallot, jalapeno mixture.  Fold to combine.

Makes 5 servings

Apple Cider Vinegar

Before every meal I have been having a full glass of water with a couple of tablespoons of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar to aide in digestion.  It is rich in vitamins and minerals, eases digestion and washes toxins from the body.

If you feel like you are coming down with a cold, add it to your water and drink it 3 times a day.  It is an immunity booster.  I have read that it helps with lice, warts, and reverse aging.  There are so many uses for ACV.  What are some ways that you use it?

Breakfast Coffee Protein Shake

I love coffee.  I drink it A LOT.  This morning, I decided to make a protein shake with my morning coffee and it was DELIGHTFUL!

I made some coffee and let it cool while I was getting the kids ready so that it wouldn't melt my ice.  After it was cool, I added to my blender:

1 cup of coffee
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2-1 frozen banana
1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
2 handfulls of ice

Blend to your desired consistency and ENJOY!

**TIP:  I almost always have frozen bananas in my freezer.  When I see that my bananas are getting too ripe, I peel and slice them and put them in a baggie to toss in the freezer.  They work well in banana ice cream when I am craving something sweet at night too.  :)

Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Bites

Pinterest strikes again!  I came across these little numbers and at about 35 calories a piece, I couldn't help but make this apple pie tasting goodness!  I adapted the recipe from here.

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup quick oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 cup chopped apples

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.  Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

I plan on breaking a few of these up and putting them in my yogurt.  Oh my!!

Salt-Free Taco Seasoning

In an effort to lay off of the salt, I decided to put my laboratory goggles on today and make some homemade taco seasoning.  It is certainly less expensive than the packets you buy in the grocery store and you probably already have all of the ingredients to make it.  I just made a big batch so I could use it whenever I needed it.  Use 2 Tablespoons of it in your beef or chicken along with 1/4 cup of water for tacos or enchiladas.  Add a Tablespoon or two to some fat free sour cream or greek yogurt for a yummy dressing or dip or sprinkle it on your salad for a yummy kick!  The possibilities are endless!

Double, triple or quadruple this recipe and keep it in your pantry!

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Decadent Dessert

You know when you just NEED to have a treat?  Well, that was me last night.  I went all out.

I got 2 Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate baking squares and put 2 teaspoons of almond butter in between them.  The darker the chocolate, the less sugar, so be sure you are choosing your chocolate wisely.

It took me 10 minutes to eat it.  I savored it and it hit the spot.  It was so good.  Now, it was 205 calories of heavenly goodness, but it was a much better option than any of the other sugar filled treats that were racing through my brain.

Avocado Egg Pizza

This morning I decided to change things up a bit and made myself a breakfast pizza!  I put a multigrain tortilla in the oven at 350 degrees right on the oven rack until it was crispy (about 10 minutes).  Then I sprayed a pan with cooking spray and cooked an egg.  When the tortilla was done, I spread one laughing cow light garlic and herb cheese wedge and then half an avocado.  I put the egg on top and added some freshly cracked pepper!  DELISH!

Wheat Berry Salad

Have you ever had wheat berries before?  They are the whole wheat kernel, composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm.  They are a true whole grain.  This is what I have made for my lunch for the week.

I decided to add some wheat berries to some veggies to make the salad I found here.  Ir is so yummy and I LOVE the crunch of this salad.  It is very satisfying.

Serves 4

1 cup wheat berries, preferably the soft white variety
1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, cut lengthwise into thirds and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
the juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Soak the wheat berries for 8-16 hours.  Drain them in a fine-mesh sieve or colander. Pour wheat berries into a large saucepan, fill it about two-thirds of the way with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until grains are tender with some chew still left, about 1 hour. Drain, then run under cool water to bring wheat berries to room temperature. Drain thoroughly. Add the chopped vegetables.

"Baked" apples

As you may know from reading my blog in the fall, I love apples.  I go apple picking with the hubs and our kids every year.  I love apples baked/cooked in everything too.  It is a cold and snowy day here and I just needed a snack that would warm me up and make me think I was eating something that wasn't so good for me.  :)

I cored and sliced an apple and threw it in a Tupperware container that had a vent on the top.  You can use your own favorite container you toss your leftovers in.  If it doesn't have a vent on the lid, just don't close it all the way.  Once the apple was in the container, I sprinkled about 1/4-1/2 tsp of cinnamon over them, 1 packet of stevia and a hand full of raisins.  Then I added 1/4 tsp corn starch and 1 tablespoon of water.  I put the lid on, gave it a shake, vented it, and put it in the microwave and cooked for 2 minutes.

Yummy, pie-like deliciousness!