Slow Cooker Oatmeal

I saw this on Pinterest. It looks wonderful. and easy too.

Throw 2 sliced apples, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour 2 cups of oatmeal and 4 cups of water on top. Do NOT stir. Cook overnight for 8 - 9 hours on low.

Carrabba's Bread Dip

If you're like me, this is one of my favorite things. I could just eat the bread and dip. Well, here's the recipe. Thank you Andrea Nolte of Clean Living Recipes.

Carrabba’s Bread Dip Spices:
2 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions: Blend or chop all ingredients except olive oil & lemon. Stir in olive oil & lemon juice. Use 1 1/2 tsp. spice mixture added to 3-4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil.

Almond Macaroons

Almond Macaroons from Clean Living Recipes

It's National Cookie Day ♥

Almond Macaroons
makes 30 small

1 1/4 cups almonds, coarsely ground
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbs lemon zest
2 egg whites, beaten
1/4 cup raw honey
2 Tbs lemon juice

Instructions~
Preheat oven to 250℉.
Grind or chop almonds coarsely (this could also be done in a food processor, but be sure not to grind into a paste). Set aside.
Mix cinnamon and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
Beat egg whites and add to mixture.
Add honey and lemon juice and stir vigorously to blend thoroughly.
Add almond mixture and blend thoroughly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a teaspoon to scoop small portions of the batter onto parchment paper.
Bake 30 minutes.
Remove from paper with a spatula while still slightly warm.

*optional- add dried cranberries to mix or drizzle 85% dark chocolate lightly across top

Banana Bread

Here's a clean recipe for Banana Bread from Primally Inspired

No Sugar, No Grains, Easy and Amazing Banana Bread
 Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup coconut oil or grass-fed butter, melted
4 free-range eggs
1tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup organic coconut flour (do not substitute another flour – it will not work)
1 heaping tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
optional add-ins: 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, raisins, etc.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Throw everything together in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Pour into a lightly greased (use coconut oil or butter for greasing) bread pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until center is set and top is golden. Enjoy!
 *Your bananas should be extremely brown, almost to the point when you would throw them away or freeze them. If they are not overly ripe, your bread will not be as sweet and probably not taste as good. If you are using non-ripe bananas, you should add about a 1/3 cup of maple syrup to the batter.
 **I get my coconut flour here: http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/organic-coconut-flour-5lb.aspx
The coconut flour may seem expensive, but you never need a lot of coconut flour in recipes because it soaks up a lot of liquid. Most recipes only call for a ½ cup or less of coconut flour so this 5 lb bag will last a really long time! Also, you CANNOT substitute coconut flour for other flours and vise versa. It took me a long time to figure out coconut flour, but I think I finally have a good grasp on it now. The biggest mistake I made was thinking I could substitute coconut flours for other flour and it never worked or turned out right.

French Onion Soup

A delicious French Onion Soup from Prevention Magazine.

Serves 8. Prep: 15min Cook: 6hr 30min Total: 6 hr 45 min

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp trans-free margarine
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 8 slices crusty French bread
• 1/2 cup grated reduced-fat Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil and margarine in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute, covered, until soft. Add sugar and salt. Cook, uncovered, 15 more minutes. Stir in flour and cook 3 more minutes.
2. Stir onion mixture, broth, and wine, if using, in 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
4. Toast bread. Sprinkle with cheese, then broil until golden and bubbly. Serve soup topped with slice of toast.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES	304.1 CAL
FAT	7.8 G
SATURATED FAT	1.4 G
SODIUM	829.9 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	45.2 G
TOTAL SUGARS	5.7 G
DIETARY FIBER	2.5 G
PROTEIN	10.1 G

No Bake Oreos

Thank you Chocolate-Covered Katie. This recipe looks awesome.

No-Bake Oreo Cookies
Makes 30-34 sandwich cookies
(No refined sugar!)

• 1 cup walnuts (see nutrition link below, for substitutions) (120g)
• 1 and 1/3 cup pitted dates (I highly recommend Sunmaid, which are softer) (200g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp regular cocoa powder (or Dutch-processed for more of a “cookie” taste)
• coconut butter or raw cashew butter (see nutrition link below, for substitutions)
• optional: sweetener of choice, if a sweeter filling is desired

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor, and process until the dates are completely broken up. (I used a Cuisinart. For best texture results, don’t use a blender.) Transfer the dough to a ziploc-type bag, seal, and smush it into one tight ball. Then roll out onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper, and use cookie cutters to make circles (or other shapes!). Fridge or freeze the circles for a few minutes, so they’re firmer and therefore easier to frost. Once firm, spread the filling on 1/2 the circles and then top with remaining circles.
These are best stored in the fridge or freezer, as coconut butter melts at room temperature. (P.S. coconut butter really doesn’t have a coconutty flavor, if you were worried about that. Its flavor is more like shortbread. However, feel free to use one of the other options if you’d prefer.)

Cocoa Crack

This is an easy recipe from Clean Living Recipes. A great healthy way to get your chocolate fix.

Clean Living Cocoa Crack

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (I like dark), 2 tbsp organic coconut oil, melted, Stevia, to taste ~Blend together and pour onto a small plate. Place in the freezer or fridge for one hour. Break into small pieces. You can also add crushed nuts.

Beer Crock Pot Chicken

How much easier a meal can you make. This easy and yummy recipe is from The Daily Dish

Total Servings: 6 Total Cost: $3.00

4-6 Chicken Breasts or 1 Whole or cut up Chicken
1 Can of any kind of Beer
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
*You can use whatever spices you like

• Put all ingredients into crockpot
• If frozen cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10
• If fresh cook on high 3-4 hrs or low 7-8 hours.

Add some potatoes and carrots and you have a complete meal ready when you get home.

 

Salad with Pears and Cranberry Viniagrette

 A delicious salad from Clean Living Recipes

Salad with Pears and Cranberry Vinaigrette

serves 8

1/2 cup frozen cranberries, no sugar added
1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup EVOO
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 ripe pears, sliced or cubed
8 cups washed romaine lettuce
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup crumbled blue cheese

In a small pan over low heat, bring cranberries, honey, and vinegar to a simmer; cook until cranberry skins break, 2-3 minutes; remove from heat to cool. Combine the cranberry mixture and Dijon mustard in a blender and blend until smooth.
With the blender running, drizzle in EVOO, then 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss romaine, pears, walnuts, and blue cheese together then stir in dressing.
Top with cranberries if desired for presentation.

No Bake Chocolate PB Coconut Cookies

Who can resist chocolate, peanut butter and coconut? Another great recipe from Busy But Healthy

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies 

Makes 12 cookies
 
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (will be solid at room temp)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey (or agave)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup quick oats
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until all melted together. Boil for a couple minutes and take off heat. Stir in oats.  Drop by measuring spoon (Tablespoon) onto waxed paper. Store in freezer for at least 30 minutes
****It will be tempting to eat them before they go in the freezer but WAIT!!!! Have a taste AFTER they’ve been in the freezer for 30 minutes!!!!!
You could also store them in the fridge.
Nutrition (per cookie):
Calories: 156 Fat: 10 g (healthy fat!) Carbs: 13 g Sugar: 5.8 g Fibre: 2 g Protein: 4 g

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Strips

I'm always looking for chicken recipes. This sounds really good. Another great recipe from Clean Living Recipes

Crispy Chicken Strips

Very Crispy Chicken Strips cooked in the oven and even crispy the next day 

Ingredients

4 cups Nutty Nuggets (wheat & barley cereal)
10 chicken breast strips
2 eggs
1 Tbsp chili seasoning (or any seasoning of your choice)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (or chili seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Home Made Clean Very Crispy Chicken Strips

For egg wash :
2 eggs
1 Tbsp chili seasoning (or any seasoning of your choice)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp mustard

For crispy batter:
4 cups Nutty Nuggets (wheat & barley cereal)
Grind up cereal in a chopper until semi fine
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (or chili seasoning or any seasoning of your choice)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Spray a cookie sheet with EVOO
3. Dry chicken with paper towel
4. Dip the chicken into egg wash
5. Coat chicken in crispy batter
6. Put chicken on cookie sheet and bake for 12- 15 minutes.
No need for dips or sauces very juicy and flavorful.


Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 238.3
Total Fat 12.5 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.1 g
Cholesterol 192.5 mg
Sodium 361.0 mg
Potassium 142.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.4 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
Sugars 1.0 g
Protein 13.6 g
Yield: 5 Serving
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 15 min

Shrimp Cakes

I've had crab cakes but this sounds delicious too. From Clean Living Recipes

 

Shrimp Cakes

1 lb(raw) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbs green onions, thinly sliced

1 Tbs lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 Tbs raw honey

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp ground chipotle spice or chili powder

1 egg

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

½ cup almond flour

3 Tbs coconut oil

Instructions

Place shrimp in food processor, pulse until finely chopped.

In a large bowl, combine chopped shrimp, bell pepper, garlic, scallions, lime juice, honey, sea salt, chipotle, egg and cilantro.

Form mixture into 12 (½) inch thick patties, dip each in almond flour, coating thoroughly.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add 4 patties to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes per side, until browned; remove and place on paper towel lined plate.

Repeat with remaining cakes

Whole Roasted Chicken

This looks like a wonderful roasted chicken recipe from The Gracious Pantry. The best thing about roasted chicken is making chicken salad out of the yummy leftovers.

Clean Eating Whole Roasted Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole chicken (any size)
1 large yellow onion
1 package baby carrots (I use organic)
1 bunch celery (any size)
2 tbsp. dried tarragon
2 tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Step 1 – Place your birdie on a stable work surface.

Step 2 – Reach in through the larger of the two cavities and pull out the stuff wrapped in paper. (I think it’s the giblets, but I never unwrapped the paper. It went straight in the trash).

Step 3 – Prepare your veggies to your liking. They will cook down considerably, so don’t worry too much about slicing them properly. Just chop them up roughly.

Step 4 – Place your veggies in a roasting pan or large baking dish. (Mine was to large. You want something that is just a bit larger than the chicken).

Step 5 – In a small mixing bowl, mix your tarragon, lemon zest, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and olive oil.

Step 6 – Separate the skin from the meat by moving your fingers around under the skin. You’re not removing the skin, just separating it so you can get the spices under there.

Step 7 – With your hand, rub the majority of your spice mix under the skin, covering as much of the bird as possible. Rub the remaining spice mix all over the rest of the outside of the bird.

Step 8 – Place your birdie on top of your veggies and put the whole pan into the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Your birdie should have a nice golden glow at this point. (I would kill for a tan like that!)

Step 9 – Loosely, lay a large piece of foil over the top to prevent any further browning (burning) and continue cooking until the internal temperature of your birdie reaches 180 degrees F. (About 50-60 minutes in total – This will vary from oven to oven).

The best place to stick the thermometer into your birdie is here:

It’s just in the crook behind the leg. If you gently push straight down, you’ll feel the spot pretty easily. It fits right in without resistance (or, at least it did for me). But you may have to poke around a little with the thermometer to find it.

Allow to cool, remove skin, carve and serve.

Note: The veggies will soak up a lot of the fat from the chicken. I didn’t actually serve these with the meat. I saved them to put into soup which I will cool after cooking so I can skim the fat off. That way my soup gets all the flavor without the added fat!

Stuffed Mushrooms

From Healthy Recipes. These look really good.

Stuffed Mushrooms

 
Almost as delicious as pizza. Far fewer calories!

Makes 20 stuffed mushrooms
Total time: 30 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 (8-oz) packages Cremini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, stems removed, wiped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup jarred marinara sauce (Newman’s Own Marinara has a clean ingredients list)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
20 small basil leaves, or chop larger basil leaves into pieces
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Brush the mushrooms with the oil. Place, top side up, on a rack on a baking pan lined with foil (to catch drippings).
3. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven. Carefully rearrange mushrooms so that they are top side down. Spoon a teaspoon of sauce into each mushroom. Sprinkle dried basil over sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Return to oven and bake 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per mushroom
Calories 22.4
Total Fat 1.2 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Cholesterol 1.6 mg
Sodium 39.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 1.8 g
Dietary Fiber 0.1 g
Sugars 0.9 g
Protein 1.9 g
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 1 point

Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies

Another great recipe from Clean Living Recipes.

Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Pulse 1 cup of oats in a food processor until they resemble a coarse powder. In a medium bowl, combine ground oats with 1/2 cup whole oats, 1 beaten egg, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 mashed banana, 1/2 cup raisins, 2 tbsp ground flax seeds, 2 tbsp chopped walnuts, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp raw honey, and 1/8 tsp salt. Scoop batter onto baking sheet, coated. Bake roughly 12-14 minutes. Makes four 2-cookie servings.

Black Bean Quesadillas

In honor of National Vegetarian day and my lovely daughter here's a delicious recipe from Clean Living Recipes

Black Bean Quesadillas

serves 4

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup fresh salsa, divided
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
2 teaspoons EVOO, divided
1 ripe avocado, diced
4 tbsp Greek plain yogurt

1.Combine beans and 1/4 cup salsa in a medium bowl. Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 1/2 cup filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.
2.Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Serve the quesadillas with avocado and the remaining salsa and top with yogurt.

Cauliflower Bread Sticks

A great sounding recipe from Healthier Every Day

 

Cauliflower “Breadsticks”
4 servings (two slices per serving as pictured)
95 calories; 6 g carbs; 5 g protein; 4 g fat
Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
• 1 whole egg, plus one egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
• Herbs and spices - whatever you love!
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients together [except oil] in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
• Line a Pyrex dish with parchment paper and use olive oil to grease the parchment paper.
• Spread and flatten the cauliflower mixture on the parchment paper evenly - about 1 inch thick. Square off the edges so it looks like a rectangle or square.
• Bake for 40 minutes until slightly dried out, browning, and firm to the touch.
• Remove from oven and using a spatula carefully peel away from parchment paper. Flip over and return to oven for 10 more minutes.

They are a little eggy, but the longer you cook them, the more bread-like and crispy they become. I really loved them!
Enjoy!

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sink your teeth into these! Six ingredients, two steps and 20 minutes is all you'll need to whip together two dozen of our no-flour, dairy-free, low-sugar cookies and they're gluten free. Recipe courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted almond butter, stirred well
• 3/4 cup Sucanat
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater), broken into small pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool for 15 more minutes.

Nutrients per cookie: Calories: 110, Total Fat: 8 g, Sat. Fat: 1.5 g, Carbs: 10 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 7 g, Protein: 2 g, Sodium: 55 mg, Cholesterol: 10 mg

Nutritional Bonus:

While dark chocolate contains potent antioxidants, think twice before enjoying it with milk. Researchers have found that the bittersweet treat’s free-radical fighters may bind with the protein in milk, interfering with antioxidant absorption and possibly negating any associated health benefits.

Clean Eating Carrot Cake

This Clean Eating Carrot Cake looks wonderful. From Forever Fit TV

Ingredients

• 3 -4 grated carrots
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Orange Zest and Juice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• Coconut cream for the icing if you wish

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oven to 200 C degrees celsius fan bake.
2. In a bowl place honey, coconut oil and eggs mix to combine, then add in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and juice.
3. Crush almonds by placing them into a tea towel, and using rolling pin, crush into small chunky peices.
4. Add almonds to the wet mix as well as carrots. Stir to combine.
5. Pour into a greased dish and bake for around 30 minutes until firm.
6. Allow it to cool then turn out.

Icing Instructions

For the icing, place a can of coconut cream in the fridge overnight, then when serving place cream on top of cake along with some crushed almonds and sprinkle of cinnamon. If you wanted to make the icing sweeter, before putting cream in fridge put enough cream into a bowl add some honey and maybe some zest of orange. Play around with it and see how you go.

 

Avocado Salad with Lime & Cumin Vinaigrette

Here's a great sounding salad from My Country Kitchen

Avocado Salad with Lime & Cumin Vinaigrette

* 1 tablespoon(s) cumin seeds
* 1/4 cup(s) (from about 2 limes) lime juice
* 1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* 1/2 cup(s) whole cilantro leaves
* 2 tablespoon(s) rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon(s) honey
* Kosher salt
* Pepper
* 1/4 cup(s) olive oil
* 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil
* 4 cup(s) (about 6 ounces) arugula leaves
* 2 pound(s) (large) ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks, or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
* 4 large ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin


1. In 10-inch skillet, toast cumin seeds on medium-low for 3 to 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat; let cool completely.

2. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, chopped cilantro leaves, vinegar, honey, toasted cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add oils in slow, steady stream, whisking to combine. Dressing can be transferred to airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 hours.

3. Arrange arugula (or lettuce of your choice) on serving platter. Top with tomatoes, avocados, and red onion. Drizzle with half of vinaigrette. Sprinkle with ground cumin and cilantro leaves. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side, if desired.

Crispy Onion Rings

A great recipe from The Naked Kitchen

Crispy Onion Rings

Ingredients:

• 2 yellow or sweet onions, peeled
• heaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup cold milk (I used oat milk)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
• olive oil spray (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with non stick foil.Cut onions to your desired thickness
3. Slice the onions width wise and then break them apart into rings. (Make them as thick or as thin as you would like.  I cut mine about 1/2 inch thick.)
4. In one bowl mix together the flour, milk and vinegar.  In a separate bowl add the breadcrumbs (make sure this bowl is wide enough for you to dip your onion rings in). 
5. Next dip each onion into the wet flour mixture, and then into breadcrumbs.  Make sure your onion ring is evenly coated and then place the baking sheet.
6. Lightly spray your onion rings with olive oil (optional).
7. Bake for 8 minutes, flip your rings over and then bake for an additional 6 minutes or until crispy.

Nutritional Info:
Makes 4 servings.
Serving size about fifteen 1/2 inch thick rings.
Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 180, Cal. from Fat: 41, Total Fat: 4.5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 28.5g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 8g, Protein: 7.5g, Sodium: 813mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
After a few hours the onion rings will start to lose their crispiness.  Simply place the rings back in the oven for a few minutes until they are crispy again.

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Shrimp with Spicy Hass Avocado Puree

Grilled Cilantro-Lime Shrimp with Spicy Hass Avocado Puree

  from hispanickitchen.com

This grilled shrimp recipe pairs tangy cilantro lime shrimp grilled for a light smoky flavor and cool and spicy avocado puree dip for an appetizer with a chic flair.


Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 limes, juiced and zested
½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
Spicy Hass Avocado Puree (see make-ahead recipe below)
Fresh sprigs cilantro, for garnish

Spicy Hass Avocado Puree
3 ripe, Fresh Hass Avocados, peeled, seeded and scooped out
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
¾ cup sour cream
1 green jalapeño, seeded and chopped
Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice and zest, cilantro, cumin and oil and whisk well.
2. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Do not marinate shrimp longer than 5 minutes or the lime juice will begin cooking the shrimp.
3. Preheat a barbecue or grill pan to medium-high heat.
4. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and cooked through, making sure not to overcook the shrimp.
5. Remove the cooked shrimp from the grill and place on a serving platter, with a small serving bowl of the Spicy Hass Avocado Puree. Garnish the shrimp with fresh sprigs of cilantro and serve.


Spicy Hass Avocado Puree
1. Add the avocado, lime juice, sour cream and jalapeño to a blender and puree until smooth, scraping the sides of the blender as needed.
2. Season puree with salt to taste.
3. Place in a covered airtight container and refrigerate until serving.

Note: Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
 

Stuffed Avocado

Stuffed Avocado

By: Meghan Carr
 
Ingredients:

1 medium Avocado
3 oz. can tuna (in water), drained

1/4 cup red bell pepper (or more if you like)
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, plain or light mayo (with olive oil)
1 pinch of black pepper (or season to taste)
2 hardboiled eggs with yolk as well (cage free, grain fed)
How to Prepare
1 Slice Avocado in half, lengthwise (be careful of the pit, its big!) Split open and remove the pit.
2 Scoop out the middle of the avocado, leaving about ¼ inch of the fruit all around, and put the scooped out fruit into a bowl. Set the halves aside.
3 Add tuna, pepper, yogurt (or mayo), pepper, diced eggs and diced red bell pepper to the bowl with the scooped out avocado. Mix all ingredients until very well blended.
4 Scoop half of the mix into each of the Avocado halves.
5 Put in refrigerator for approximately 10 minutes to slightly chill. (Or wait to take them out until you’re ready to leave for your picnic!).

Sassy Water

This is a refreshing and healthy way to drink your 8 glasses of water each day and it will also help with your weight loss.

Sassy water... Yum! to boost weight loss - 2L water, 1 medium cucumber, 1 lemon, 10-12 mint leaves. steep overnight in fridge and drink every day. 

All of the spa's have this type of water for their guests. Must be good...

Garlic Parmesan Edamame

A great recipe from 28Cooks. Easy and healthy

Garlic Parmesan Edamame
Serves 4

1 (16 oz) pkg frozen edamame in shell
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Steam edamame in microwave until slightly warm and not frozen. (You can do this one of 2 ways - I have a microwave steamer that I use, or even easier is throwing the edamame in a ziploc bag with about a tbsp of water, sealing it, leaving a small opening for steam, and heating it on high for 2 minutes) Drain and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine olive oil and garlic. Process until well-combined. Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add edamame and toss for a few seconds. Add garlic oil and saute for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and salt and toss until well coated. Serve immediately.

Fish Tacos

Here's a great Fish Taco recipe thanks to Andrea Nolte at Clean Living Recipes

Fish Tacos

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 fresh chopped cilantro
1 pack taco seasoning or make your own*

1lb cod (or other white fish)
2 tbsp evoo or coconut oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
100% whole-wheat soft tortillas ( I use Ezekiel)
shredded lettuce and sliced peppers (for topping)
lime juice

Sauce: Combine yogurt, cilantro and 2 tbsp of the taco seasoning. Mix well.

Chop fish into bite size pieces, combine with oil, lemon juice and remaining taco seasoning. Pour into skillet and stir over medium-high heat until fish flakes easily. Fill tortillas with fish and top with lime juice, sauce and veggies.

*1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Chicken Enchiladas

Here's a great Chicken Enchilada recipe thanks to Andrea Nolte at Clean Living Recipes

Chicken Enchiladas

1.5 lbs Ground Chicken
6 Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 Jalapeno, diced

1 Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, pressed
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 Cup Mushrooms, Diced
4 Cups Spinach, chopped or torn
Taco Seasoning*
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Cottage Cheese
Plain Tomato Sauce
Sliced Black Olives
Sliced Avocado
Green Onions, Chopped
Instructions
Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees
In Medium Skillet add Chicken, Onion, Garlic, Jalapeno Pepper, and Green Bell Pepper and saute until browned. Add Mushrooms to meat mixture.Add Spinach to meat mixture (heat until wilted) mix well.
In Medium Bowl mix greek yogurt with cottage cheese and add Taco Seasoning (I make my own, recipe at the bottom), stir until well blended.
In baking dish put enough tomato sauce to cover bottom of the dish. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture and a spoonful of cheese mixture. Roll tortillas and place seam side down. Cover tortillas with tomato sauce, and any remaining cheese / meat.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly
Remove from oven and sprinkle with sliced black olives, green onion, and sliced avacado.

* Taco Seasoning-1 tablespoon chili powder,1/4 teaspoon garlic powder,1/4 teaspoon onion powder,1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,1/4 teaspoon dried oregano,1/2 teaspoon paprika,1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin,1 teaspoon sea salt,1 teaspoon black pepper.