Can cookies be healthy? { Recipe for vegan, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies)

January 29, 20181 Comment

Can cookies be Healthy?

Gluten free, vegan chocolate chip protein cookies

I am a big fan of moderation. If you want the cookie, well then eat the cookie. But what if you want a cookie every single day? If that is the case then it might be helpful to have a healthier alternative.

Something that:

Can help take the edge off a craving.
Something bite-sized.
With a little healthy fat.
And a little punch of protein.

These tasty morsels fit the bill.

Double chocolate protein cookies

Keep in mind, these cookies are tiny. That is by design. The goal was something to help take the edge off those cookie cravings. Not a full-on indulgence. Got make the real thing for that.

The only knock on these tender morsels, is they do not keep. I do not advise doubling the recipe and making a big batch. Since they are made with protein powder they tend to dry out after about 24 hours.

These babies are tender and cake-like straight out of the oven.

Now I made these in the food processor, but you do not have to. A hand mixer will work just fine. And if you want to skip your arm workout this week, you can probably stir by hand even.

However, have you ever baked with a four-year-old? If so, then you know the drama of when they can’t keep the hand mixer deep enough in the bowl and you find yourself scraping the dough off the ceiling. (true story!) The food processor contains the mess for you! (So if you happen to be cooking with kids, give it a try. It helps with clean up! And they love pressing the button. )

So, can cookies they be healthy? Well… let’s just go for healthier. If the cookies never even make it into the oven and you eat the whole bowl of dough while standing in your kitchen, well then no. You would have been better off eating ONE the real thing.

But just one tidbit has only 83 calories with 4 grams of protein. If you just need a little something then these guys are for you!

Alright, enough chatter lets get to it.

Healthier Vegan, Gluten Free Mini chocolate chip cookies

¼ cup almond flour

2 Tb Brown Rice Flour

2 Tb coconut oil, melted

2 Tb honey

2 tsp natural peanut butter

1/2 cup Garden of Life Vegan Vanilla protein powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ unsweetened cashew milk (or milk of choice)

2 Tb mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy life Vegan chips)

Preheat oven to 350.
Line baking sheet with parchment
Add all ingredients Except the chocolate chips to the bowl of the processor.
Mix until thoroughly mixed.
Fold in mini chocolate chips (I imagine pecans or walnuts would be great too!),
Scoop out one heaping tablespoon and roll into a ball. The dough will not be normal cookie dough. You will have to form it into a ball.
Then gently press into the middle to make a cookie like shape.
Bake for 6-8 minutes until the edges are just set. They won’t look done.
Move to a cooling rack to cool.
Enjoy!

**to make the double chocolate ones add 2 Tb Cacao powder. You may need a splash of more milk.

Makes 12 bite-sized cookies.

Each cookie has 83 calories 5 grams fat, 7 grams carbs, 4 grams protein

gluten free, vegan

Easy Egg White Frittata. {Low Carb, Low Fat, High Protein}

October 25, 20171 Comment

Easy like Sunday morning low carb low-fat frittata

Before we get going, I have to get something out of the way.

Carbs are not bad.

Fats are not bad either.

There are no bad foods.

(Go ahead and reread those. I’ll wait. It’s important)

Now, this recipe is low in both carbs and fat not because you should avoid them but so it customizable for any meal plan.

Need more carbs with your breakfast? Pair with a side of fruit or sprouted grain toast.

Need more fat with your brekkie? Then have some avocado with it. Or even a slice of bacon.

Now that we got that out of the way let’s get to it.

Easy like a Sunday Morning Frittata

3 oz, Canadian Bacon, diced
25 cup, shredded cheddar cheese (use fat-free or low fat if YOU want to keep the dish lower in fat)
4 oz, Tomatoes chopped ( I like to use cherry)
2 Cup Zucchini grated
24 ounces, Egg White (if you wish to add whole eggs, remove 2 oz of whites for every whole egg)
¼ cup fresh basil, torn

Preheat oven to 350.

Grate the zucchini. I like to use the grater attachment on the food processor, but a box grater will also work. Once grated place in a strainer and toss with 1 tsp kosher salt. Set aside while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Using a paper towel run the inside of cast iron skillet with olive oil.
Heat pan over medium-high heat. When hot add diced Canadian Bacon.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites.
Using a paper towel or a tea towel, squeeze out all the excess water from the grated zucchini.
Add tomatoes and zucchini to skillet.
Allow veggies to cook for about 3 mins.
Pour whites in the skillet.
Sprinkle cheese over the top
Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. It is down when the middle is fully set.
Remove from oven, let cool for at least 5 min and top with torn basil.
Eat and enjoy!

Nutrition info for ¼ the skillet: 145 calories gram fat, 4 grams carbs and 26 grams protein

Low Carb and Low fat

Quick and Easy Turkey Tenderloin

October 19, 2017Leave a comment

Are you burnt out on the same old boneless skinless chicken breast? How about trying out some turkey?

Hold up! Before you leave, I’m not talking about the tasteless, bland ground turkey or the dried out bird from the holidays. I’m talking about turkey tenderloins.

Quick and Easy Turkey Tenderloin

Wait, what? The turkey has a tenderloin?!

The tenderloin is the thick cut of meat from between the breasts. Since that muscle doesn’t get much use, it is more tender than the rest of the bird. I find it is similar to chicken in texture, but with more flavor. And just like chicken, it is highly versatile! Pretty much any recipe that you would use chicken in you can sub with turkey tenderloin. Grill, roast, stir fry, breaded, pan fried, stuffed, you get the idea.

The tenderloin is a quick cooking very lean cut of meat. It has 8% more protein than chicken breast and depending on how you prep it, it can be ready to eat in just a few minutes. 3 ounces of cooked turkey tenderloin has only 120 calories, 1 gram of fat and 26 grams of protein.

The biggest (only?) knock on turkey tenderloin is, just like the whole bird, it does dry out if overcooked. So make sure you use a thermometer. You’ll want to cook it till it reads 160, then let it rest for 10 minutes (to finish cooking).

Below is my favorite super quick and easy way to make it. Be prepared to see more recipes incorporating turkey tenderloin in the coming months. I’m envisioning maybe an Asian inspired stir fry and a fall-ish dish with roasted squash, Brussel sprouts, and pomegranates?

Quick and easy Turkey Tenderloin

2 Lbs. Turkey tenderloin

3 Tb Soy sauce (use Tamari if gluten Free)

1 Tb Dijon Mustard

2 tsp Poultry seasoning (or rosemary, sage and thyme)

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp Salt

Preheat broiler to high, and move rack to 4 inches below heat.
Remove turkey from packaging and blot dry with paper towels. Place on a cooking sheet lined with foil.
Season meat liberally with salt and garlic powder.
In a small bowl mix soy sauce, Dijon mustard and herbs.
Pour half sauce over the turkey. Flip turkey and pour on the rest.
Insert thermometer in middle of the tenderloin.
Place in oven and broil for approximately 20 minutes, flipping half way through cooking
Remove turkey from oven when it reaches 160 and move to cutting board and let rest for 10 mins.

how to

Arroz Con Pollo (dairy, egg, wheat free): A perfect post workout meal

April 13, 2017Leave a comment

When my oldest kiddo was just a small fry, he fell in love with this entrée from a local Mexican restaurant. In order to keep from having to visit this restaurant weekly and to keep from going broke (that place was expensive!), I worked on recreating that beloved dish at home. I even managed to lighten it up. The absolute best thing about this dish, well other than the fact my kids adore it, is that makes a ton. You can easily double the recipe and it saves beautifully.

This meal makes for an excellent post workout meal. Think of your standard post workout chicken and rice just amplified in the taste department. I am in the camp that you do not have to be slamming a chalky protein drink as you walk out of the gym. You can sit down and chew a real meal, as long as you eat with in 2 hours of working out and it contains a good source of carbs and protein.

Chicken and rice is a go to post work meal for many. After an intense workout our bodies need to replace their fuel and work on rebuilding damaged tissues. The rice in this dish provides carbohydrates that help to replace muscle glycogen used up during intense exercise. And the chicken provides protein to aid in muscle synthesis. If your train for endurance (long runs anyone?) or have goal of increasing muscle mass this meal is even more important.

Plain chicken and rice can be a little bit boring in the taste department. This recipe fixes that for you. It calls for saffron, which can be a pretty pricey, you can replace that with turmeric.

Depending on your feelings about rice you can either make this with white or brown rice. You just need to adjust for the cooking time. If you are feeling confused about which rice is the healthier choice, keep your eyes peeled for a new article to drop next week discussing the pros and cons of both.

Arroz con Pollo can make for an excellent post workout meal or an anytime meal.

Arroz Con Pollo. (Dairy, Egg, and wheat free)

2 pounds bone in chicken, skin removed. (I like to use breasts, but legs would work too).

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 tsp olive oil, divided

½ large onion, chopped

2 med carrots, diced

½ red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tablespoon paprika

1 cup brown or white rice

2.5 cups of water

1/8 tsp saffron (or replace with turmeric)

1 cup peas, frozen

Remove chicken skin and pat dry. Season with ½ tsp salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or deep sided skillet over medium high heat. Brown chicken on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm
Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, carrots and red pepper and ½ tsp salt. Cook until softened, 5 minutes.
Add garlic, paprika and rice. Stir and cook or about 2 minutes.
Add water, saffron, and ½ tsp salt. Return chicken to the pan, nestling it into the rice. Be sure to add any juices from the plate. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook, covered until the chicken is cooked through, rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. About 45-60 minutes for brown rice and 20-30 white rice.
Remove from heat and stir in peas. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

One serving is 1/6 the recipe. It provides: 309 calories, 34 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams protein and 6 grams fat.

YOU ARE SIMPLY THE

Chicken, Bacon and Potato Soup

January 24, 2017Leave a comment

This is a perfectly warm and comforting soup, without all the carb and fat you usually get in a potato bacon soup. It’s is so light you probably will still be able to have some crusty bread with it (if you are into that sort of thing). However, I felt the soup was plenty filling without the bread. The high protein content (35 grams per serving) helps keep you feeling full and satisfied while still being low in fat and carbs.

Comforting chicken, potato and bacon soup.

Make sure to use bone in chicken thighs. The bone helps keep the meat tender and not dried out. If you can’t find any bone in thighs with the skin already removed, just remove it yourself. Slip you finger between the skin and the meat, and tear off. It can be slippery; I find grabbing the skin with a paper towel helps. Using kitchen shears, cut off any remaining hunks of skin or fat. Before serving, you will gently remove the thighs with a slotted spoon. They will start to fall apart so you have to be gently. Remove the bones and any cartilages and return to the slow cooker.

The whole recipe only takes 4 hours in the slow cooker on low. Unfortunately, you do need to tend to it after 2 hours (to throw the potatoes in). But it is a great meal to make when you are going to be busy in the house doing other things.

Chicken, Bacon and Potato Soup

4 bacon slices, chopped

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, remove the skin.

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp oregano

½ kosher salt

2 large leeks, thinly sliced

4 carrots sliced

4 celery stalks, sliced

4 cups unsalted chicken stock

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 thyme sprigs

12 ounces baby potatoes

2 huge handfuls baby spinach

Cook bacon in a large skillet, till nice and crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pan
Season chicken thighs with seasonings (garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt) Place in skillet and brown. Approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove and place in slow cooker.
Add carrot, leek and celery to pan and sauté for 5 mins. Then move to slow cooker.
Add chicken stock and bacon to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.
After 2 hours add potatoes and cook on low for another 2 hours.
Remove chicken and pull meat from the bone. Shred and put back in slow cooker. Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Info for 1/6 the recipe: 256 calories 7 grams fat, 15 grams carbs, 35 grams protein

Inspired by a recipe in Cooking Light Magazine.