MIA

Sorry I’ve not posted in so long, 3 little one’s sick, one broken collar bone, mommy is sick and working long hours. More posts to come this week and a new camera. Yay!!;;!;

Homemade dark chocolate chip muffins

 

Even though I try to avoid carbs I have 3 little boys and a husband so I try to make things that they love, but try to make them a tad healthy so…. And we use homemade jam to top if they want instead of butter or just enjoy plain.

3 cups whole wheat flour (very careful not to overmeasure)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, room temperature preferred
1 cup  granulated sugar
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup  canola oil (or vegetable oil/melted coconut oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 375- Spray your mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, gently toss together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until all dry ingredients are combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined. Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla. Mixture will be pale and yellow. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together by hand with a wooden spoon. Avoid overmixing. Gently mix until all the flour is off the bottom of the bowl and no big pockets of flour remain. The batter will be VERY thick and somewhat lumpy. Fold in dark chocolate chips.
Divide batter among muffin tins, filling to the top. Bake at 375F degrees for 11-12 min until tops are lightly golden and centers appear set.
Allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes in pan before enjoying. These store great at  room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.

Grilled chicken breasts with goat cheese veggie topping

2/3 chicken breasts marinated
I used just a blend of herbs and olive oil
1 green pepper chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 shallot chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup mushrooms
2 tbs olive oil
1 log of cream cheese
So I just grill the chicken breasts and set aside or cook while cooking veggies
Heat olive oil in saute pan and add shallot and garlic, saute for 2 min, add peppers and mushrooms, when softened to your liking add veggie mixture to goat cheese.  Top each chicken breast.  This is delicious and has a lot of healthy fats.

Quinoa breakfast bars

So I started making these for a quick alternative for breakfast, they are healthy, delicious, full of protein, customizable and freeze well.

1 cup Rolled Oats
1 cup uncooked red  or white quinoa
1/2 cup any kind Of nuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
¼ teaspoons salt
½ cups natural peanut butter
¾ cups Honey – I use honey that’s locally grown
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
3 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
The next step is optional I have done either or keep in mind they freeze a little nicer without the chocolate , or they are a little more portable per say.
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil optional

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread oats and uncooked quinoa on a cookie sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
Place the toasted quinoa/oats mixture in a large bowl and add nuts and cranberries.
In a medium saucepan, combine salt, peanut butter, honey, oil and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and once it hits a boil immediately remove from heat. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats mixture and combine until the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish, pressing it down into the pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 2 hrs.
After the mixture has cooled, pour the dark chocolate chips and final 1 tablespoon of oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, and continuing until smooth. Cut the mixture into bars. Dip each bar in the melted dark chocolate and set on parchment paper to harden. Then I freeze then in freezer bags in groups of two or three.

Mexican chicken soup

1 store bought rotisserie chicken

2 tbs evvo

1 onion diced

2 tbs minced garlic

1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 green pepper seeded and finely chopped

1 red pepper seeded and finely chopped

1 cup low fat shredded Monterrey jack cheese

chopped cilantro if you want

salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan heat the evvo. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and peppers and cook for another 2 minutes . Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, salt and pepper into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your shredded chicken. In a serving bowl add a mound of shredded cheese. Ladle soup over cheese. You can add some lime juice to this and or cilantro and some crunchy tortilla strips on top.  But if you want to avoid carbs skip the tortilla strips.  This is another great no carb option and freezes really well.

No Carb Quiche

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed,drained and chopped

5 eggs beaten

2 cups light sharp cheddar

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
3. Heat evvo in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess liquid has dissipated.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir. Scoop into prepared pie pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes 

This meal is a great meal to portion out, great protein source and great to freeze and reheat.

Seafood and gastric sleeve

For me I can’t go wrong with seafood since my surgery.  I sometimes have trouble with chicken so my go to meal when we go out is almost always seafood and a side of veggies or a small salad.  A real easy meal to make for dinner is to just get some plain frozen tilapia or haddock or even cod and add your own seasonings.  Chris and I love to drizzle some evvo on then throw some fresh chopped garlic and spinach on top and a little salt and pepper throw it in the oven.  You can add garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, some parsley and Italian seasonings.  You can really put what you want on any of these kinds of fish, they are so versatile and easy to digest.  You can saute some shrimp and add your own seasonings and just throw them over some veggies.  I often buy crab and add it to my salads for lunch. There are so many good recipe’s out there to try so start cooking.

Ground turkey and quinoa stuffed peppers

This meal is filling, delicious, and freezes great.  For sleeve people I cut them in half and freeze, half fills me up.  Full of protein and veggies. 

1/2 lb ground turkey
1 cup quinoa
6 bell peppers cut in half and seeded
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup spinach or kale
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 onion chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

I cook the turkey beforehand just saute it with the onion and garlic.
In another pan heat up the olive oil and saute all the veggies together till  they are just about done they will cook more in the oven.
I also pre cook my quinoa in large batches just follow the directions on they package.
Mix the veggies, ground beef and quiona together and I just start filling the peppers don’t overstuff them.  Top with a little sauce  bake for fifteen minutes and then add the cheese.

Pre heat oven to 350 and line a deep pan with foil, add peppers and bake for about
20 minutes. Remember after about 15 add cheese and cook for five minutes more.

Healthy turkey Italian meatloaf

This is a great meal once you can start having more solid foods and it freezes great, and comes out super moist.  Also you can make this in your crock pot.  Yes meatloaf in your crock pot.

1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey
1/2 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 green pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tbs reduced fat Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup shredded asiago cheese

Reserve about 1/3 cup sauce
Combine sauce and egg stir in onion, pepper, bread crumbs , parmesan, garlic and black pepper.  Add ground turkey and shape into a loaf.  Place aluminum foil in crock pot one piece front to back and overlapping and the same across the middle.  Cover and cook on low for 4/6 hours spread reserve sauce and asiago cheese on top and cook fifteen minutes longer.

Goat cheese fake potatoes mmmm

I know if you have had gastric sleeve or are going to, mashed cauliflower is recommended on the diets list here is a little way to spice this up. ..

1 head of cauliflower
1 4oz log of herbed goat cheese
Black pepper to taste

Place cauliflower in a large microwave bowl with enough water to just cover the bottom of the bowl.
Cover bowl loosely with a paper towel and steam cauliflower in microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes; drain. Make sure it is tender
Place drained cauliflower in a food processor with goat cheese and puree until completely smooth; season with black pepper.