Peanut Butter Cup Krispies

Peanut Butter Cup Krispies are like a regular rice crispy treat but on steroids.

 Made with peanut butter, chocolate rice cereal, and peanut butter cups. 

 These will be a hit at any holiday pot-luck! You might want to make two pans!

Peanut Butter Cup Krispies

1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

Scant 6 cups chocolate rice cereal

2 cups chopped Peanut Butter Cups

Combine peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup in large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal; stir until thoroughly coated. Mix in 1/2 cup of the peanut butter cups. Press into bottom of a greased 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish (or 9 x 9 if you want a thicker bar). Topped with remaining peanut butter cups.  Cool and cut into bars.

Bacon Balsamic Vegetable Medley

I love roasted vegetables.  They're easy and they taste so good!

This combo is one of my favorites.  I like to make a huge batch and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.  

Bacon Balsamic Vegetable Medley

1 lb Brussels sprouts

1 lb broccoli spears

1 small onion, sliced in half rings

4 pieces of bacon

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash sprouts and cut into fourths.  Place the Brussels sprouts, broccoli spears, onion, and oil in to a large bowl. Toss to coat.  Place evenly on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Dice bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on top of veggies. Roast in oven 15-20 minutes; stirring halfway, until bacon is fully cooked any veggies have some browning on them.  Remove from oven and sprinkle balsamic vinegar over top.  Serve immediately.

Meaty Chili

This chili is chock-full of veggies, and had a secret ingredient that takes it over the edge.
It really hits the spot on a cold day!

Meaty Chili

2 lbs hamburger or ground turkey

small onion diced.

2 (15 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes

2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3-4 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup chicken or beef stock

2 cups vegetables

(I used a mix of green beans, diced bell peppers, and carrots)

salt and pepper, to taste

Brown meat with diced onion. Drain any fat. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low 4 hours or Place all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Recipe from @wholemeg

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced peeled carrots

1 cup diced yellow onion

4 cups chicken or veggie broth

2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (optional to thicken)

3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

salt and pepper to taste

Add celery, carrots, onion, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and seasonings to a crock-pot. Cook low 6-8 hours or High 4-5.  Remove bay leaf. Add coconut milk.  Mix arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons water to make a slur.  Mix into soup.  Add more seasonings if needed. If you like a smoother soup, blend with an immersion blender and add a little more broth.

Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe has been in my family for forever.  I can remember my mom making this cake and bringing it into my 4th grade classroom to celebrate my birthday.  That was back in the day when homemade treats were allowed. This cake is perfect if you need to feed a lot of people. You can also bake it in rounds to built a layer cake, pouring a little bit of frosting between each layer, then letting the frosting on top drizzle down the layers.  MMMmmm!

Texas Sheet Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

4 tablespoon cocoa

1 cup water

1/2 cup sour milk*

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

Sift flour and sugar together. Set aside. Bring butter, cocoa, and water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Boil until butter melts.  Remove from stove and allow to cool. Make sour milk*, and add baking soda to the milk.  Stir until soda dissolves. Add salt, eggs, and vanilla . Add to cocoa mixture. Now add cocoa mixture to the flour/sugar. Mix well.  Pour into a greased jelly-roll pan.  Bake 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  While the cake bakes make the frosting (recipe below).

Frost cake the second it comes out of the oven.  

*to make 1/2 sour milk, measure one tablespoon white vinegar and enough milk to equal 1/2 cup.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3 tablespoons cocoa

6 tablespoons milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Boil butter, cocoa, and milk until dissolved.  Beat in powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir in nuts (optional).

Sift flour.

 and sugar together. Set aside

Bring butter,

cocoa, and water to a boil in a small saucepan.

Boil until butter melts.  Remove from stove and allow to cool.

Make sour milk*, and add baking soda to the milk.  Stir until soda dissolves.

Add salt, eggs,

 and vanilla.

Add to cocoa mixture. 

Now add cocoa mixture to the flour/sugar. Mix well.

Pour into a greased jelly-roll pan.  Bake 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  While the cake bakes make the frosting by

Boiling the butter, cocoa, and milk until dissolved.

Beat in powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir in nuts.

Frost cake the second it comes out of the oven.

This cake is good eaten warm or room temperature.

Paleo Waffles

I adapted the recipe for My Favorite Whole Wheat Waffles and made them grain-free and dairy-free.  However, these waffles taste exactly like the real deal! Promise.

Paleo Waffles

Yields: 4-6 

depending on your waffle iron size

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

1-1/4 cups water

2/4 cups coconut flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.* Cook on preheated waffle iron until golden brown.

*The batter tends to thicken as it sits. Add more milk or water to thin it down.

No'tmeal

No'tmeal is a great paleo alternative to oatmeal.  I love to top mine with a nut milk, fresh fruit, and sometimes nuts.  I've heard this categorized as a whole30 SWYPO, but for me oatmeal is not a treat!  If you're doing a whole30 you'll have to decide what your intentions on this.

No'tmeal

1 banana

2 whole eggs

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon hemp hearts

 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Blend all ingredients together.  Cook over medium heat in a greased skillet until eggs are cooked to your liking.

Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken

This is my healthified version of Outback Steakhouse's Alice Springs Chicken.

Basically it's grilled chicken smothered in bacon, cheddar cheese, and a honey mustard sauce.

I took out the cheese, and clean-up the sauce to make this dish whole30 and paleo approved.

I love this chicken.  My family loves this chicken. Enough Said!

Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken

8 chicken tenderloins (boneless thighs would be yummy too)

4 pieces of bacon (sugar-free, nitrate-free)

2 tablespoon mayonnaise (I use homemade)

1/4 cup prepared mustard

1/3 cup honey or date paste

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

*

Bake chicken or grill the chicken pieces until thoroughly cooked.  While the chicken is baking, cut each piece of bacon in half. Fry the bacon until crispy. Prepare the sauce by mixing the mayo, mustard, honey (or date paste), and onion powder together.  Once the chicken is done, top with half a piece of bacon, and a generous drizzle of sauce.

*If you eat dairy, you can top each piece of chicken with a thin layer of cheddar cheese, while it's still hot, then continue topping it with bacon and sauce.

Homemade Mayo

Did you know store-bought mayonnaise is primarily made up of a little ingredient called soybean oil?

Let's talk about Soy for a minute.

Did you know that soy in all its forms is really bad for you?

I've been doing tons of research and have concluded that soy (aka - MSG, mono-diglyceride, soya, lecithin, TSF, soya, TVP, tofu, edamame, etc), and what the government has been telling us is so darn good about it, is pretty much a lie. Almost all soy has been genetically modified and is used as a filler in most processed foods. It messes with your thyroid, and your reproductive hormones (male and female).  

I know, I know!  I sound like a freak.  Just trust me on this one. . . Soy is bad news! If you want to be healthy and balanced, stay away from it.

 Making your own mayo is not only healthier (because you can control what goes into it), it's also cheaper.  Much cheaper.  Now don't get scared,  It's really easy to make! 

Homemade Mayonnaise

1 cup light tasting olive oil 

(make sure it's light tasting regular and extra virgin will taste gross!)

1 whole egg, room temp

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Place all the ingredients in to a large jar.  With an immersion blender, blend until everything is incorporated- 20-30 seconds.  Store in the refrigerator in a non-metal jar until the expiration date of the egg you used.

(Eggs are usually good 3-5 weeks)

*If you do not have an immersion blender you can make this in a regular blender.  To do this, add only 1/4 cup of oil along with the remaining ingredients into the blender.  Blend everything together on low 1-2 minutes. Turn blender off and scrape the side.  Turn blender back on and while its running, slowly add the remaining oil. Blend until consistency of mayonnaise.

Fajitas

I love Mexican food.  ONE, It's easy to make, and TWO, it tastes delicious!  

However, and we all know it, Mexican food is not really very healthy.

(Insert Sad face) 

When I began my lifestyle change, I stayed far far away from Mexican food. I didn't think there were any dishes I could eat,  Everything was on flour or corn tortillas, layered with refried beans, deep fried, then smothered in three layers of cheese.

Delicious, yes, but nutritious, no.

 After a few months of establishing healthy eating habits, and suffering from a lack of Taco Bell, it dawned on me that there was one Mexican dish I could eat- Fajitas!  

I've been making this dish for almost 20 years. My family loves them.

They are simple to make with very basic ingredients. 

 Fajitas are usually served with tortillas, shredded lettuce, cheese, pico, guac, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

 I eat them sans the tortilla, cheese, and sour cream, on a large bed of lettuce topped with fresh pico, guacamole, and a squeeze of lime juice.

 They are delicious, nutritious, and really hit the spot when you have a craving for Mexican food, but are trying to watch what you eat.

Fajitas

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon seasalt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion (yellow or white)

2 bell peppers

1 tablespoon oil, divided

4 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 lime (optional)

Combine oregano, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper together.  Set aside.  Cut onion and bell pepper (seeds removed) into strips.  In a large skillet add 1/2 tablespoon (1-1/2 teaspoons) of oil. (I used avocado oil.).  Over medium-high heat, saute onions and peppers until soft and tender.  Remove veggies onto a plate.  Add remaining oil and chicken strips to the skillet.  Cook chicken thoroughly until done and it's beginning to brown a little.  Add the veggies in with the chicken.  Add the seasoning mix, stirring to coat.  Cook 3-4 minutes more until veggies are warmed.  Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime over everything (optional, but super delicious). Serve immediately.

Broccoli Soup (Healthified)

The temperatures in my neck of the woods have dropped this past week.  Things are starting to look and feel like Fall around here.  SO, this past Sunday I decided it was time to reinstate "Souper Sundays", a little tradition I started last winter of serving soup for Sunday dinner.  One of my family's favorite soup is Broccoli Cheese .  It's is chock full of broccoli which is super healthy and good for you.  However, it is also full of butter, white flour, and cheese.  Last week, I decided to try to makeover my original recipe into a healthier version. I substituted clarified butter for regular, arrowroot powder (sometimes called arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour) for the white flour, and coconut milk for the whole milk. I'm happy to report that I succeeded.  In fact this version tastes identical to the original - really.  Go ahead try it and see for yourself. 

This recipe yields 6 large servings.

Broccoli Soup 

(made-over)

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped broccoli

3 tablespoons clarified butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons arrowroot powder

2 cups chicken broth

1 can full-fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Fill medium pot with one inch of water.  Over high heat, bring water to a boil.  Add broccoli. Cover pot and steam broccoli  5-6 minutes or until tender.  Strain to remove excess water. Set aside. In a large soup pot, melt clarified butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until clear.  Stir in arrowroot powder.  Let cook for 1 minute before slowly add broth and coconut milk.  Stir until slightly thickened.  Add salt, ground nutmeg, and cooked broccoli and nutritional yeast, and stir to combine.  Let simmer an additional 3-5 minutes. 

STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS

1. Fill medium pot with one inch of water.  Over high heat, bring water to a boil.  Add broccoli. Cover pot and steam broccoli  5-6 minutes or until tender.  Strain to remove excess water. Set this aside.

 2. In a large soup pot, melt clarified butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until clear.

 3.  Stir in arrowroot powder and let it cook for 1 minute.

(This greatly improves the flavor.)

4.  After the 1 minute is up, slowly stir in the chicken broth and 

 can of full-fat coconut milk.

4.  Now it's time to add in the rest of the ingredients - the salt, nutmeg 

 nutritional yeast,

 and broccoli.

5.  Let the soup simmer 3-5 minutes to help incorporate all the flavors.

6.  Ladle it up and enjoy!