Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

This was one of the first chicken recipes I made when I started really cooking in 2008. Did anyone else get the Everyday Food magazines from Martha Stewart? I was obsessed with them! They, along with Food Network, taught me how to cook. I miss that awesome little magazine so much!! This was from their January 2008 issue. Before this, I had been leery of cooking chicken because I was raised vegetarian, but this recipe won me over because of it's simplicity, bold flavor, and healthy ingredients. It's a little spicy for the kids, so  just save a breast for them and stick with salt and pepper or maybe a little paprika on theirs. :)

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

Brownie Batter Overnight Protein Oatmeal

I am totally in love with overnight oats. And brownies. And most batters of sweet origin. I got a thing for protein, too. Winning.....

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsweetened almond milk (or low fat milk of choice) 
• 1/2 cup Plain low fat Greek yogurt (or mashed banana, or pumpkin) 
• 2 tbs Unsweetened cocoa powder (or more, to taste) 
• 1/8 tsp Salt 
• 2 tbs Baking stevia or 1/4 cup sweetener that measures like sugar 
• 1 cup Old fashioned oats 
• 1/4 cup Protein powder or Chocolate Shakeology

Mix all the ingredients together and divide into two mason jars or bowls with lids. Let sit in the refrigerator over night and enjoy cold in the morning, or microwave for 30-60 seconds to warm.

Turkey Burgers

I've looked around in my local grocery stores and I can't find an organic turkey burger. I was enjoying the Jennie-O frozen burgers, but I try very hard to make sure my meats are organic, so I had to make a change. This is a simple as a homemade burger gets. And truthfully, it tastes WAY better than Jennie-O. :)

Ingredients:

• 1lb organic ground turkey, as lean as you can find
• 1/2 C salsa
• Additional spices optional: garlic powder, chili powder, italian spices, salt and pepper etc.

Mix the ingredients together well. Shape into 4 patties and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes per side until cooked through. 

Eggs-n-Oats

The foundation of a healthy clean eating breakfast is a wholesome carb paired with a protein. I'm sure most of you can relate when I say I just don't have the time to cook oatmeal and eggs and then proceed to sit down and eat said oats and eggs!! So here's a little combo dish. Its as easy as microwaved oatmeal but it includes the eggs right in the same bowl. Don't be weirded out, its totally awesome and you don't taste the eggs!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C quick oats
• 1 C water
• 1/2 C egg whites from a carton or 3 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Stevia to taste (optional), I used one packet of Truvia
• optional: 1/2 chopped apple, maple syrup (if you don't use stevia), chopped walnuts

Pour the oats, water, egg whites, cinnamon and stevia in a bowl. Microwave for one minute. Add the apple if you are using it and stir. Microwave another minute. Stir again. Continue to microwave in 30 second spurts, stirring in between until the desired fluffiness is achieved. (I usually go 2 rounds of 30 seconds). Add additional toppings now, and feel free to get creative (above I used pomegranate seeds)!

5 Ingredient White Chicken Chili

This soup (yeah, it's really more of a soup than a chili) is the bomb. As easy as it gets and delicious to boot. The recipe comes from Gimme Some Oven.

Ingredients:

• 6 C chicken broth
• 4 C cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 C salsa verde 
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Bring all the ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Top with avocado for some healthy fats. :)

P.S. I also did this in the slow cooker....I placed two big raw chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker and dumped the rest of the ingredients on top. I cooked it on high for 3 hours or so. I shredded the chicken once it was cooked through. So stinking easy!!

Tabasco Braised Chicken

This is a great recipe that came together so fast! Some nights you just want to open a bunch of cans and dump them in a pot. This is the recipe for those nights!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds skinless chicken thighs (can definitely be made with chicken breasts!!)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes, including juice
• 2 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans, including juice
• 2 cups kale
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco (use 1/2 Tbsp if serving to kiddos)
• ½ cup water

Put half the oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Cook half the salt and pepper seasoned chicken, browning both sides (5-7 min a side), set aside and cook the other half of the chicken. Once chicken is cooked, set it aside, reduce heat to medium and add onion to pot, cooking until soft (4-5 minutes). Add tomatoes with juice, garbanzo beans with juice, kale, Tabasco (I used 1/2 TBSP and it was just right for my 3 year old, you can always add more to your personal dish) and water. Nestle chicken back into pot, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Let simmer for 25-30 minutes to meld flavors.

Serve over rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta. Enjoy! ;)

Lentil Tacos

I am so incredibly happy I ran into this recipe from crumblycookie.net. I have always been scared to cook with lentils (and I was raised vegetarian, you'd think it was my second nature) probably because the few times I tried the lentils didn't cook thoroughly (I can now attribute that to not enough liquid) but THIS RECIPE WAS SO EASY!!! Its super high in protein and fiber, its perfect for a wholesome, meatless meal AND its gluten-free and vegan! LOVE IT! Did I mention it's kid friendly, too!?

I also learned a priceless trick from this site about how to cook with corn tortillas so they don't crack. About 8-10 minutes before you are going to serve the tacos, place a damp dish cloth on a cookie sheet,  layer the tortillas on top, and then cover with another damp cloth. Pop the whole shebang in the oven at 200-225 degrees for 10 minutes. You will have soft, malleable, AWESOME tortillas!

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 10 taco-sized corn tortillas
• toppings: cheese, avocado, salsa, tomato, lettuce, greek yogurt, hot sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil. Once slightly brown (8 minutes), add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and stir together until fragrant (1 minute). Add the lentils, salt and broth and simmer covered 25-30 minutes until lentils are soft. Remove cover and let cook an additional 6-8 minutes until the lentil mixture thickens. Mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon to break up the lentils. Place lentils on tortillas and dec out with your favorite toppings! Add a side salad for a complete meal. ENJOY!!

Lemon Protein Bars

These bars come from Jamie Eason's recipe. With a few tweaks, I've made them 100% clean and they are SOOOOO good. I will make these over and over and over!! The high protein content make them great for people that are trying to build muscle (that SHOULD be everyone!) because they keep you full and support muscle growth and recovery. I used the generic vanilla whey isolate protein powder from The Vitamin Shoppe. I'm so excited to have found this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 C oat flour
• 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• the zest of one lemon
• 1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 Cup baking stevia
• 1 C applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in a larger bowl and stir in dry ingredients. The batter will be thin! Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pan and bake 23-30 minutes (done when a toothpick comes out clean from the center). Cut into 16 squares and ENJOY!

Tilapia Burger

We LOVE seafood in this house, and these burgers were a nice change from our usual baked fish. They were super easy and since I used the frozen tilapia I had in the freezer, they were a snap to whip up. You can probably substitute most fish for the tilapia, but just remember, the fishier the fish, the fishier the burger. :) This recipe makes 6 burgers.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh (or frozen and thawed) tilapia
• 2/3 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Place the fish in a food processor to chop it up as finely as you'd like. Place the fish in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. With your hands, form patties and place on a medium hot skillet sprayed with a little oil. Cook 3-4 minutes on both sides until brown and patty is cooked through. Would be yummy dressed up like your favorite burger! I had mine with spinach, tomato, onion and avocado. Delicious!!

Clean Chips and Guacamole

So it's Superbowl Sunday and what else is on our minds besides football and SNACKS (confession: snacks and beer are my favorite part, no doubt)!?! No brews for me today since I'm working, but snacks? You bet. And here's my favorite clean, easy and quick snack to whip up when I'm craving something salty.

Ingredients: *This makes enough for 2-3 people

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2-3 Tbsp your favorite salsa
• a squeeze of lime or lemon
• 2 whole grain tortillas**
• Salt
• McCormicks Fiesta Citrus seasoning
• oil in mister, or Pam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the tortillas into triangles (a pizza cutter is perfect for this) and lay them in a single layer on a baking pan. Spray the tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt and McCormicks seasoning. I like this seasoning because its salt and preservative free so I can control the amount of salt I sprinkle on. You can sub your favorite taco seasoning or even chili powder! Bake the chips until lightly brown and a little crispy (they crisp more as they cool), about 7-8 minutes, but keep an eye on them after 6 minutes. To make the guacamole, just mash the avocado up, add salsa to taste and spritz with lime or lemon juice for a little zing!

**These are my new favorite tortillas! Tumaro's brand "Ancient Grain" flavor. For two tortillas, its only 120 calories and you get 10g of protein! I found these at Wegmans (I'm in Western New York). 

Quinoa Kale Cakes

I have been eyeing this recipe on my Pinterest "Eat" board for the longest time! I was going to make tilapia burgers tonight but forgot to take the fish out of the freezer, and I just HAPPENED to go shopping today and had all the ingredients for these little gems, so I decided fate had won and it was time to give them a whirl!

Ingredients (easily doubled for a family, but made as below this yields about 8 palm sized patties):

• 1 1/2 C cooked quinoa
• large handful of baby kale or kale chopped up
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP dried parsley (or 1/8 C of the real stuff if you have it around!)
• zest and juice of half a lemon
• 3 green onions or 1/2 a small white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (I'm sure regular bread crumbs would work okay too, but panko give the patties a lighter consistency.)

Directions:

Stir the eggs, cheese, cumin, salt, parsley, lemon juice and zest, onions and garlic in a bowl until well mixed.

Next, fold the panko into the egg mixture.

While the quinoa is still warm from cooking (or you could even microwave left over quinoa until its nice and hot), stir in the kale to wilt.

Then fold the quinoa/kale mixture into the panko/egg mixture. Heat a little oil on a frying pan over medium high heat. Form patties with the mixture and place on the warm pan. Cook on each side until brown, roughly 5 minutes.

I served my cakes over a kale salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado slices and a little Italian dressing. Bryce (my 3 year old) ate his plain and loved them! 

The original recipe was found at www.makingitwithdanielle.com.

Crock Pot Chili

It's 5 degrees today, with a windchill of -20!!! It honestly looks like the Tundra out there! In all my years in Western New York, I can't remember it being quite this frigid. Even my dog refuses to go outside to do her business. Can't blame her!!

Even though it's like the Arctic outside, there is something very comforting and peaceful here at home. The doors are tightly shut, the heat is up high, and with a driving ban in effect for the county, there isn't any pressure to run errands. There is something about being forced to slow down and stay inside that makes you reflect on all the comforts you have right in your own home. Comfy clothes, warm blankets, heat, food in the fridge and most importantly, family. It is actually a welcome day of rest and coziness. :)

We were lucky to know the bad weather was coming so when I planned out my meals for the week I purposely put crock pot chili on the menu for today. I thought the warm smell would fill the house and make it feel even cozier, and sure enough, it did!

When it comes to chili, I make mine meat-free by habit, but ground turkey, beef or chicken can definitely be substituted for my Boca crumbles. I happen to love beans so I always include them, but you could substitute frozen corn or veggies for the beans without any problem!

Ingredients:

• 1 package Boca crumbles (or any ground beef substitute)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, I went for the mild since my son will be eating this too
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2-1 c water, depending on how thick you want the chili

In about 1-2 tbsp of water, sauté the peppers and onions over medium heat to soften. Add all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low 4-5 hours. You can crank it to high and cook it for closer to 3 hours if you are like me and sometimes forget about dinner until closer towards the evening. This is delicious topped with a dollop of greek yogurt sprinkled with a little 2% cheddar cheese.  Its awesome eaten straight out of the bowl, over baked tortilla chips, wrapped in a burrito, or even over pasta for chili-mac. Left overs store great in the freezer!

3 Ingredient Protein Pancakes

These are the easiest and healthiest pancakes I have ever made! They are my go-to when just plain old eggs don't sound appealing. Sometimes I have a hard time eating the protein I need in the morning because that usually means something heavy, and honestly, that doesn't always sound appetizing. These are perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth but are guilt free and super easy to make! :)

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 small ripe banana
• 1 TBSP flax meal (not the seeds, make sure its the meal so the seeds are broken down!)
• Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice

First mash up the banana in a bowl. Next, add the eggs to the bowl and whip together. Finally add the flax meal and let sit while your pan heats up. I like to use coconut oil to grease the pan. Add a small amount of the oil to the pan once it's warm and pour the batter into whatever size pancakes you would like. The batter will be thinner than normal pancakes.

Don't undo all the good you just did by pouring on syrup and slathering on butter!! I like to sprinkle berries on the pancakes, the sweetness is just right!

Breakfast Oatmeal Bake

We are having a lazy morning here! Fridays are our day to relax together and we usually stay in our jammies until the afternoon! I was in the mood to do some baking and since I haven't gone shopping in awhile, I was left with frozen food and pantry staples to work with. I've been eyeing this baked oatmeal recipe for awhile and luckily I could use all frozen fruits!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1/4 c chopped walnuts, divided
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (use the real stuff!!)
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp melted and slightly cooled butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 2-3 bananas (mine were frozen since I peel and freeze all my ripe bananas that I won't eat in time, and they worked just great!)
• 1 cup of frozen berries, I used blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 1 1/2 or 2 qt baking dish.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl (cute mini helper optional). Then combine the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup. Line the bottom of the baking dish with the bananas and sprinkle with half the berries.

Next, layer on half the nuts and the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture over the dry.

Finally, sprinkle on the remaining berries and walnuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes, although mine took 35 minutes since I used a 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Makes 6 servings. And it is AWESOME!! This recipe came from sohowsittaste.com.

Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I grew up a vegetarian so I wasn't exposed to beef until I was in my twenties. I found it to be delicious, but it just never sat with my stomach. So although I don't have anything against beef (raised humanely), I personally don't eat it.  Veggie burgers have come a long way in the past 20 years, but unfortunately like most convenience foods, they are filled with chemicals and garbage that just isn't necessary to consume. So I've been on a mission to find an easy to make veggie burger and this guy is my winner! It's quick, easy, nutritious, filling, and kid friendly!! I stumbled across it on Pinterest and it was linked to eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com.

Mix together in a bowl:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa 
• 1/2 cup mashed cooked chickpeas 
• 2 Tbsp water + 2 Tbsp ground chia seeds or egg replacer or 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce OR Bragg's Liquid Aminos 
• 1 tsp dried basil leaf 
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf 
• 1/2 tsp gr cumin seed 
• 1 tsp gr coriander seed 
• 1/2 tsp paprika 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 4 Tbsp tapioca flour OR wheat flour 
• Salt & pepper to taste

Form patties by hand. Spray frying pan with oil and cook on medium heat until browned on both sides. I like my burgers on an Ezekiel bun with avocado, tomato, lettuce and onion or chopped up in a salad!

Pumpkin Protein Bars

These are my favorite homemade protein bars yet! They turned out fluffy, just sweet enough, and the BEST part....my three year old loved them!! I found the original recipe at melaniemitro.com, but I made a few changes based on what I had on hand.

Mix the following in a bowl:

• ½ C. Succinate (any natural sugar will do, but Succinate can be found in the natural foods section of most grocery stores)
• 1/4 C. applesauce
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. ground clove

(I didn't have cloves or ginger on hand so I used 1 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in place of the spices above and it turned out great)

• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 - 15 oz. can of raw pumpkin
• 2 C. oat or whole wheat flour
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• ½ cup almond milk
• ½ C. chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan with oil. Pour mixture into greased pan and bar for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. If you'd like to add chocolate chips, it would probably be delicious! To keep it lower calorie, I would sprinkle on a handful of mini chips just before baking. Makes 24 squares. Perfect for an afternoon snack with coffee. :)

Overnight Oats

This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes. It was given to me by a fellow Beachbody Coach and I'm totally hooked on it. It's so easy to throw together and the ingredients are inexpensive!

In a bowl or jar with a lid, combine:

• 1/2 C. Old fashion oats
• 1/2 C. Almond, soy, etc milk

Let this sit overnight in your fridge.

In the morning when you are ready to eat, add to the mix:

• 1/2 C. Cottage cheese
• A big handful of fruit or berries
• 1/2-1 tsp natural sweetener (agave, honey, sugar) to taste
• Optional: sprinkle with chopped nuts for some extra crunch and a dash of cinnamon for some spice

I know, the cottage cheese is a bit of a surprise, right? But it's delicious in there! And it's a necessity to make this a complete meal with carbs AND protein. I don't always have time to cook eggs in the morning so this is a perfect way to get everything you need in one bowl.
I usually prep these at night in ball jars with some extra room, then in the morning I throw the rest of the ingredients in the jar and take my breakfast to go! I hope you enjoy this fast and easy breakfast as much as I do!

Chicken salad, all cleaned up

I don't know about you, but I struggle with lunch every day! I am usually so busy throughout the morning I don't have much time to think about lunch and before I know it, it's already 1 or 2 o'clock and I haven't eaten yet. Before I put much thought into my nutrition, I used to be a sub fanatic! Nothing was more comforting that a sub from the local deli, layered with greasy cheese and fattening mayo all loaded on a big white roll. I truly can't imagine the calorie count of one of those!! Now my lunches are much lighter and I no longer get a 2 PM food hangover!! Here's a great example of an easy, healthy lunch that you can prepare to stave off those pizza and sub temptations!

Chicken salad:

• Four chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 
•  Non fat Greek yogurt
• Green onions
• 1 avocado
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh lime juice
• Finely chopped cilantro (if you like that kind of thing ;))

  

Mix together the chicken and avocado first. Add a scoop of the yogurt at a time until it is creamy enough for your liking. Add the rest of the ingredients to taste! Super easy and very delicious! Try this on a piece of Ezekiel bread toast and you've got yourself a clean and quick lunch. :)

Turkey muffins

I'll be honest, I wish this awesome recipe had another name. But whatever, these guys are DELICIOUS! Filling, easy, and tasty. The whole family will enjoy this snack!

Ingredients:

• 2lbs ground turkey or chicken
• 3 egg whites
• 1 c. quick cooking oats
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried yellow mustard
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks finely chopped
• 1/2 small zucchini grated

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin well with olive or canola oil (have you invested in a mister yet?? It's one of my favorite kitchen tools!). Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, fill the muffin tin with scoops the size of racquet balls. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. Dip in organic ketchup, because it's awesome!! I've modified this recipe from Jamie Eason's (one of my heroes!) 12 week Livefit program recipe.

Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

This is one of my go to recipes when I'm craving something sweet, especially after dinner. It's a clean version of cookie dough that will leave you feeling satisfied and GUILTLESS!  I found this recipe at melaniemitro.blogspot.com :)

Combine the following in a bowl:

• 6 oz plain Greek yogurt (yes plain! Vanilla has added sugar, avoid it!)
• 1 Tbsp nut butter (have you tried cashew butter yet!? It's my personal favorite! But peanut or almond butter works just as well). The ingredients in your nut butter should only be the nuts and salt. No added sugar!
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Small pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp mini chocolate chips

Enjoy this awesome treat, and lick that spoon clean!! ;)