This momma doesn't have a lot of time to make a fancy breakfast dish, and you probably don't either. So, this is literally my cheat version of quiche in THE most simple recipe ever. And, by the way, I rarely ever follow recipes, so this one includes many of my substitutions should you need or want to experiment for yourself!
Taco Chili
With the colder temperatures, my tummy and body have been craving warmer and heartier foods. I had these ingredients in my pantry and fridge, tossed them together and was very pleasantly surprised. I've made it two more times since. The leftovers heat up great!
Ingredients:
1 lb grass fed organic ground beef
1 tbsp of coconut oil (or your preferred cooking oil)
i sweet onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
Dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into bite size pieces
2 zucchini, halved and diced
1 15oz organic can of 3 bean medley (kidney, pinto, black)
1 packet of organic natural taco seasoning (you are welcome to make your own but I was being super quick/lazy)
Salt and pepper to taste
- Heat coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat
- Add onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir frequenty
- Once onions start to be come softer, add the sweet potato and mix well. Turn up heat of stove to medium
- Put zucchini in pan and combine all ingredients well. Next place pan lid on top and let veggies cook
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan, brown the ground beef
- When beef is done and veggies are cooked through, mix beef into veggie pan
- Add beans and taco seasoning, mix well. Place lid on top and let simmer for 2-5 minutes stirring as needed
Easy-peasy, healthy AND delicious! Enjoy!
Sugar and Gluten-Free (but still delicious!) Banana Bread
This is a super simple and great way to use your overripe bananas! They are a great gift or make an awesome quick treat, dessert, bfast or snack! Enjoy!!!
Ingredients:
4 extremely ripe bananas (very important for them to be overly ripe or the bread will not be sweet enough)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut flour (don't sub any other flours, recipe won't turn out right)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
*optional add-ins- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, raisins, etc
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix all ingredients, except for optional add-ins, in a bowl and mix thoroughly until combined well
- Stir in your optional add-ins
- Pour into a lightly greased bread pan
- Bake for 45 to 60 mins, until center is is set and top is golden
"Fancy" Frittata
Ingredients:
Olive oil
5 eggs
4 egg whites
1 medium to large sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
1 clove chopped garlic
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper
Optional: 1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese
Swig of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
- Set oven to 400 degrees
- Heat a large, oven-safe skillet to medium heat
- Add a swig of olive oil, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Stir until fragrant
- Add cubed sweet potato to pan with olive oil and stir on and off for about 10 minutes or potato is cooked through
- Beat eggs and egg whites together well. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Layer cooked potatoes evenly on bottom of pan. Pour eggs on top of potatoes in pan and sprinkle goat cheese evenly
- Turn heat down and let egg mixture cook for 6-8 minutes until edges have hardened/browned slightly. Check frequently to avoid over cooking
- Place pan in oven for 10 minutes or until eggs are cooked through
Taste Like a Restaurant Crockpot Split Pea & Ham Soup
Ingredients:
1 16 oz package of split peas (rinse well)
1- 1/12 pounds of ham shanks
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup celery (include leaves)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
5 cups of chicken broth
- Layer ingredients in crcockpot in order listed above, pouring in broth last
-Cook on low 8-10 hrs or high 4-5 hrs until peas are very soft and ham falls off the bone
-Shred meat and discard of bay leaf
This is such an EASY recipe but truly so delicious and a real crowd pleaser. What an easy thing to make for a group of people coming over for dinner! Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Spaghetti Squash Crust Quiche
Ingredients:
1 medium sized cooked spaghetti squash, you will use 2 1/2 to 3 cups of it's meat for this recipe
2 tbsp butter (or coconut oil or ghee)
6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup coconut or almond milk
1 bunch of green onions chopped, about 1 cup
1 tomato thinly sliced and halved
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1/4 cup goat cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Add 2 tbsp butter to 2 1/2 - 3 cups spaghetti squash meat and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste
- Press spaghetti squash into a crust form in a pie dish, patting up the sides and across the bottom
- Bake 8-10 minutes, until slightly crispy and golden. Set aside
- Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together
- Pour mixture on top of spaghetti squash crust. Add green onions and goat cheese throughout, evenly. Place tomato slices on top decoratively (You can get super creative with your fillings!)
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until eggs baked through and golden browned. Enjoy!
"Spaghetti" Dinner
Fall is my favorite season! I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves, and it doesn't hurt that squash is in season. If you haven't tried spaghetti squash either as a substitute for pasta or as a side, you're missing out!
Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
1 lb (big package) of sliced button mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp of minced garlic (I love garlic)
1 cup halved cherry/grape tomatoes
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese, your taste buds can make the call
(This can be omitted, makes for a creamier, lactose having sauce) 2 sun-dried tomato, basil laughing cow cheese wedges
- With the tip of a knife, pierce squash in about 5 places
- Place on paper towel in microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes, or until squash has softened
- When cool enough to handle, cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Remove the spaghetti-like strands of squash with a fork, set aside and cover to keep warm.
- Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a single layer of mushrooms and cook for about 5-7 minutes until mushrooms become brown on one side
- Stir in onion and garlic, cook until onions are softened
- Add tomatoes and cheese until cheese is melted and bubbly
- Spoon sauce over spaghetti squash and eat up!
Crockpot Cashew Chicken
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces 1-2 cups frozen or fresh broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup carrots, sliced 1/2 cup unsalted cashews 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup soy sauce or liquid aminos 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon ginger paste 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
-L ayer chicken, cashews and vegetables in the crockpot - Combine remaining ingredients except water and pour over chicken in crockpot -Add water or broth if necessary so mixture is almost completely covered -Cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low
Breakfast Egg Muffins
Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork/turkey/chicken breakfast sausage
Diced veggies of your liking. We used muhrooms and spinach
1 dozen eggs
Olive oil or coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Crumble and brown sausage in a frying pan, sauté veggies in same pan
- In a medium/large bowl scramble one dozen large eggs and season with salt and pepper.
- Liberally grease the cups of one muffin tin with oil. You can use muffin/cupcake paper cups if you'd like
- Place equal amounts of browned sausage and veggies in the bottoms of the muffin tins
- Pour the scrambled eggs evenly (almost to the top of the tin) on top of the sausage
- Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Use a knife to loosen the egg muffin from the sides of the pan
Taming Summer Health Saboteurs
While most of us thrive in the longer days and warmer weather, for some, it just means more kids at home, more packing for vacations or travel, and less time for health and fitness. However, health comes in many shapes and sizes, and may include some things that can normally be overlooked. Here are some suggestions and tips to overcome the summertime blues:
1) Workout in the morning: It is cooler. It is much more likiely you will finish the whole thing before your day starts to explode. You will have more energy. For something different, consider doing an interval where you run around a park and in between rounds you complete 10 push-ups, 10 squat jumps, 10
2) Avoid excess alcohol: With summer come the margaritas and patio conversations over a glass of wine. Alcohol can disrupt sleep and metabolism. Choose decaf coffee, or sparkling water with lemon to stay hydrated while you remain in the social scene. You'll need more water in the summer to keep up with the hotter temps too, so fill your water bottle in the morning and keep it with you at all times.
3) Schedule your activities around your friends or kids: Choose to meet your friend or spend quality time with kids while hiking, biking, swimming, or going on an adventurous picnic (get take out food from your local deli for easier planning). Stay intentional about moving a much as you can throughout the day. It is shocking how much simply moving a little more throughout your activities of daily living can add up for calorie burn!
4) Put your workouts on your calendar even when you go on vacation. Leaving your workouts up to fate is not a good idea. Have a plan for every day to make a little time for you, or get the family in on the action with you. It is also a good idea to put your meals, or perhaps some food choices on a planner too. If you know you are going to go to a restaurant where you will go off your normal eating style, then plan around that with increased fiber, veggies, probiotics, or even increased digestive enzymes to help you metabolize the meal.
One of my favorite new quotes that I just came across sums it all up pretty well:
"A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction." -Rita Mae Brown
Set your intentions and then commit to action.
No Dairy, Gluten, Grain, Sugar Ridiculously Easy PANCAKES!
These are too good to be true. They are overwhelmingly easy to make and so tasty! You could get creative with the toppings and fillings; they are very crepe like! These are very likely going to become a staple in my house!
Makes about 14 pancakes
Ingredients:
2 medium size bananas
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut oil (or butter)
Sliced cherries and strawberries
- Add bananas, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla to blender. Blend for at least 2 minutes.
- Heat pan to medium heat and add about a tablespoon or so of coconut oil
- Once oil and pan are heated, pour mixture directly from blender into pan to create about 2-3 inch pancakes (I fit 4 in a pan at a time)
- Let cook almost all the way through before flipping. They will bubble through and should not be too hard to flip. Note that they will be darker than "regular" pancakes
- Once all pancakes are made, toss the sliced fruit in the heated pan and stir frequently until fruit is heated. Serve ontop
No Guilt "Nachos"
We had these last night for dinner and, wow were they awesome! I was skeptical at first but they were so delicious and left me feeling perfectly satisfied! Feel free to get creative with your toppings. We had salsa, guacamole and beans on the side, yum!!!
Ingredients:
1 pound grass fed beef
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
Handful of black sliced olives
Handful of sliced peperoncini
Optional sprinkle of parmesan cheese
About 12 mini sweet peppers
- Brown meat in pan and season with garlic through cumin
- Cut stems off of mini sweet peppers, then halve them and remove seeds
- Fill the peppers with the cooked beef and add the toppings you desire
- Place them on a baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes
Give these "nachos" a try, you won't be disappointed!
Strawberry Lemonade
Last weekend, my friend, Megan, made this delicious, refreshing beverage at a BBQ. It was SO GOOD! Give it a try!
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups lemon juice (about 8-10 lemons)
8 cups water
3/4 - 1 1/4 cup raw honey (depending on how sweet you like your lemonade, you can also use Stevia if you prefer it)
1 pint strawberries, washed and stems removed
- Throw everything in the blender then strain. That's it!
- Serve chilled or over crushed ice (or both!)
If you can manage not to drink it all, freeze this yummy lemonade into popsicles. What a healthy and perfect hot Summer day treat!
Quick Banana Breakfast To Go For 2!
This recipe is so yummy and so easy! Breakfast is so important in firing up your metabolism, managing hunger throughout the day, and can help reduce binging later in the day.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder
2 bananas sliced
1/2 cup old fashioned (gluten free) rolled oats
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds raw
- Combine/stir together all in microwave bowl
- Heat in microwave 3 minutes
- Enjoy hot or cold
5 strategies to transition your mindless eating into a healthy habit
Food can certainly be a passion, goodness knows we Americans can easily mindlessly eat just about anything, anytime. Dr. Brian Wansink has done extensive research on mindless eating, and he offers 5 strategies to transition your mindless eating into a healthy habit.
- Focus on One Goal: Trying to do too much at once leads to failure. Focus on one thing at a time like eating more vegetables, snacking less, or reducing your food intake after 8pm.
- Select Three Changes: All goals need baby steps and action plans to reach them. For instance, if you want to eat more vegetables, the strategies you will use to accomplish will be to purchase at least 4 different types of vegetables at the store, eat vegetables first at every meal, and eat at least one vegetable as a snack.
- Form a Simple Plan: Get ready by having a list of the things you will need, or a checklist to mark off what you have accomplished each day. Schedule in your changes whenever possible.
- Execute the Plan: Get support and accountability by making your goal public to those you trust. Track your progress and celebrate your milestones!
- Maintain the Plan: Brian says, "plans that don't change eventually don't fit." Even if your plan works brilliantly for months, life happens, and sometimes you have to make adjustments. Be ready for them and be flexible enough to learn and adjust as your body needs it.
From http://mindlesseating.org/what_can_i_do.php. The Mindless Eating site is full of awesome ideas to help you reduce your mindless eating and help replace it with health mindless eating. It's nice to think you can go on autopilot and still healthy!
Honey's Delicious Dahl Soup
Restoration Fitness member, Honey, is a wonderful cook! We were lucky enough for her to share her lentil dahl soup recipe. Give it a try, it's SO delicious! Thanks, Honey!!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup masoor dal red lentils, picked through for stones
2 cups water
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 serrano chile, sliced in 1/2, optional
Tempering oil (bagaar):
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
Generous 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika or bafaat powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile, if using, and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
- Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
- In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don't get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little - that's the blooming and it's exactly what you want. Don't let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
- Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don't get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.
Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake
Ingredients:
Extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil or olive oil
5 eggs
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
7 tbsp coconut milk
7 tbsp almond milk
A handful of finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, savory, thyme, oregano
1 medium red onion, finely minced
1/2 lb bone-in ham, diced
1 head of broccoli, steamed and chopped
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and brush with olive oil or coconut oil a 7 x 4 pan or individual ramekins.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sea salt until pale yellow and frothy.
- Sift and fold in the almond meal and coconut flour, and give it a few stirs
- Stir in the coconut milk and almond milk
- Add your chopped herbs and mix until combined. Set aside the mixture
- Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, add some olive oil or coconut oil. Sweat the red onions until soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the egg mixture
- Pour the batter in the pan or ramekins
- Scatter the chopped broccoli and ham throughout the egg mixture evenly
- Bake 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden and set
- Serve warm or at room temperature
St. Patrick's Day Gluten Free Soda Bread
Don't let your desire to maintain a gluten free lifestyle slow you down this St. Patrick's Day. Try out this simple and tasty gluten free treat!
Ingredients:
2 C Almond Flour 1/2 C coconut flour (can use all almond flour instead) 1/4 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 C raisins 2 Eggs 1/4 C coconut or almond milk 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
- Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl
- In another bowl mix all wet ingredients
- Mix wet ingredients into dry. Add more milk or flour as needed to form a slightly crumbly dough
- Form dough into a disk shape then using a knife cut an X shape across the disk
- Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees
Very Simple and Delicious Roasted Eggplant
It took me awhile to attempt cooking eggplant. I found them to be slightly intimidating and I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Thankfully, I got over that! Here is a very easy, quick, and tasty way to roast an eggplant.
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease (Pam, olive oil, etc)
- Slice the eggplant half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters. Cut each quarter in half to make a two shorter pieces
- Place the eggplant skin side down onto baking sheet. Brush each piece with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
- Roast in oven 25-30 minutes or until softened and golden brown
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice
Ta da! Nothing hard or scary about this eggplant recipe. You can add them to rice or pasta dishes. Or eat them as a side to any meat entree. I even like to dice them up and add the cold leftovers to salads.
Crockpot Tomato Basil Bisque
Ingredients:
28oz Canned Petite Diced Tomatoes in Juice 1 Cup Finely Chopped or Processed Celery 1 Cup Finely Chopped or Processed Red Onion 1 Cup Finely Chopped or Processed Carrots 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil (Fresh Basil can be Substituted) 2 Cups Beef Broth (Chicken or Vegetable Broth can be Substituted) 2 Cups Tomato Juice 1 Teaspoon Salt, 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder 1 Can (Approx. 13 oz) Coconut Milk
-Process Celery, Red Onion, and Carrots in blender or food processor
-Add all ingredients to slow cooker and combine
-Cook on low for 6-8 hours
-Blend soup until smooth (Or leave as a chunky soup if desired)
As you can see, I diced up avocado and put some on top. Yum!!!!