Apple Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Apple Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds stew meat or chuck, cut into cubes1 whole medium red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced (About 2 cups)
10-12 baby carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, minced
4 cups beef broth
1 cup apple juice, unfiltered and unsweetened (such as Martinelli's)...or just use an apple
Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours on Low, 4 on high
Yields: 6 servings

Method: 

1. Place beef and vegetables in crockpot. Add garlic and spices.  Stir until veggies and beef are well coated. 

2.  Pour beef broth and apple juice (or apple) in crockpot.  

3. Cook on low for 8 hours or until beef and veggies are tender. Top with fresh parsley. 

Turkey Burgers w/Gorgonzola Cheese

1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1 small red onion
1 garlic clove, diced
Salt to taste
Gorgonzola cheese


Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil
Mix egg, turkey, sautee mix in a bowl
Make small (3 inch-ish) patties
Fry in frying pan
Place on cookie sheet and top with gorgonzola cheese, then put in broiler until cheese melts

ps - top with Yummy Yogurt Sauce (with Mint)...it's delish!

Stuffed Squash Blossoms/Quinoa Squash Salad

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS
w/QUINOA & SUMMER SQUASH SALAD


6-8 Squash Blossoms
1 Small Yellow Squash
1 Small Zucchini Squash
1/4 c. Quinoa
1/2 Lime
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 c. Fava Beans (or white kidney beans)
1/2 clove Garlic
1 Small Red Onion
2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Mint

Preparation:
- Dice yellow squash and zucchini squash (very small pieces - they have to fit inside the flower)
- Dice onion (ditto on the size)
- Dice garlic clove
- Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add squashes
- Prepare quinoa as per instructions on package

Mix the sauteed veggies, lime, and mint, and quinoa together.
Gently spoon mixture into flower blossoms

ps - the salad stuffing is excellent on its own!

Spinach Smoothie

SPINACH SMOOTHIE

1 Banana (I cut it up and freeze it ahead of time)
8 oz Vanilla Almond Milk (Soy is good too)
2 cups of baby spinach 
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 tbs ground flaxeed meal (optional)

....Blend!

For more protein:
add vanilla greek yogurt

Chicken Salsa Verde

Crock Pot Chicken Salsa Verde
(original recipe: CLICK HERE)
Servings: 6 • Size: 1/2 cup 
Calories: 145 • Fat: 2 g • Carb: 5 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 26 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 415 mg (without the salt) • Cholest: 0 mg 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs raw skinless chicken tenders
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 16 oz roasted salsa verde (I used Archer Farms)

Directions:

Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin and salt and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with salsa verde, cover and cook HIGH 2 hours. 

Remove chicken, shred with 2 forks. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and discard (unless you want it over rice). Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.

Makes about 3 cups.

Fruit and Quinoa Salad

FRUIT AND QUINOA SALAD
(original recipe at: CLICK HERE)

Ingredian

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1 3/4 cups of water
• mixed berry
  Your Choice!
• shaved coconut

• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil

Dressing:
1. Whisk together melted coconut oil, honey, lime juice, and zest (reserve some zest) until well combined. Set aside.

Salad:
1. Prepare quinoa according to directions
2. Toss together berries, quinoa, and dressing
3. Top with shaved coconut and extra lime zest.

Cauliflower Buffalo Bites

Cauliflower Buffalo Bites 

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, washed and broken up into small florets
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. of your favorite hot wing sauce

Directions
Pre heat oven to 425

Toss cauliflower with olive oil and distribute evenly.

Combine garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl. Toss spice mixture over cauliflower and mix well, making sure all the cauliflower is coated in the spices.

Spread cauliflower out on a rimmed baking sheet a roast for 20 minutes.

Toss with wing sauce and serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing for dipping. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 cups.

Nutritional Information per serving = 1/2 cup serving:
Calories: 69; Total Fat: 3g; Saturated Fat: 0.5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 8.1g; Dietary Fiber: 3.1g; Sugars: 3.1g; Protein: 3.2g

Yummy Yogurt Sauce

YUMMY YOGURT SAUCE


2% Greek Yogurt (small container)
1/2 Lime
Lots of Dill
Salt

Mix to taste
Fantastic with Lamb, Crab Cakes, or whatever you want.

ps - fresh mint works instead of dill if that's your preference

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Pizza

For the Crust: 

half a head of cauliflower
1/4 cup of mozzarella
1 egg
sprinkle of parm cheese
any seasonings you want (Basil, a blended Italian seasoning, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and 5 or 6 cloves of garlic pressed in the garlic press….you need it to really infuse flavor into the “dough”)

To Cook:
1.Rough chop cauliflower

2.Throw it in the blender to “rice” it….which just means grind it up as fine as you can get it…kind of so that it looks like cous cous, or smaller than rice.  you want it really fluffy.

3. Cook it for a few minutes, either in the microwave, for 5-8 minutes or in a skillet on the stove top with a little bit of olive oil.

4. When its soft, and you think its cooked, and its actually browning a little- take it off, throw it in the freezer to cool down a little bit.( i left it in for like 5 minutes….the reason is you don’t want to put an egg on something hot, because it will start to cook and curdle.)

5. Then, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: Strain the cauliflower into  a dish towel or cheese cloth. you want to get as much water out as you can, and squeeze, squeeze squeeze!  
6. On a greased piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, spread out your “dough” and create any shape or size you want. the trick here though, is the thinner you can get it- the crispier it will be. Its hard to get it even, and its easy to make holes in it, because its not really dough, so try to get it as even as possible, and as thin as possible.

7. BAKE. Now. Depending on ovens….this took 35-40 minutes. So its not quick. 

8. Once its crispy and firm ( you can kind of lift it off the paper without it feeling like its going to fall apart) and its golden brown, and looks like pizza crust……add your toppings of choice! I threw on some :

- tomato sauce (quick sauce that i whipped up…..just a small can of tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning…i hateeeee pre seasoned jar sauce..ick.),
-low fat mozzarella  and a little swiss and gruyer blend from trader joes (very little cuz its higher in cals)
-and shredded chicken. (prepared however youwant.)

Put the pizza under your broiler for like 2 or 3 minutes (keep an eye don’t burn) to melt the cheese, and THEN STUFF YOUR FACE!!!

No Bake Banana Bites

No Bake Banana Bites

Serves: 6 (makes 1 dozen 1-inch balls)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup banana chips
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (or your desired nut butter) 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:
1. Crush the banana chips with the back of a butter knife (or roughly chop in food processor) and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the oats and cocoa to the banana chips and mix together. Stir in the peanut butter and honey.
2. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. Once chilled, remove from the refrigerator and form 1-inch balls with your hands.
3. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 15-30 minutes (until firm). Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Quinoa Chicken Casserole

Quinoa Chicken Casserole

2 c. chicken stock

1 lg. onion, diced

1 T olive oil

8 mushrooms, thinly sliced

2/3 c. acorn squash, sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1# ground chicken

2 tsp. poultry seasoning (or dried sage)

1 tsp. salt

1/3 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed

1/3 c. parsley, minced - remember if you use the kind in a jar, you use way less

1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a skillet, saute onion in olive oil on med-high heat 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms, squash and garlic.  Cook 2-3 mins. Add chicken, breaking into small pieces as if browns, about 3-4 mins.  Add poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, chicken stock and quinoa and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 mins.  Transfer ingredients from pan into a 9X9 casserole dish or baking pan.  Mix in parsley and 1/2 c. cheese.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole.  Bake 30-35 minutes."

Poached Salmon Over Ratatouille

Poached Salmon Over Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 fish steaks or sturdy fillets, 3/4 to 1 pound each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 red or green bell peppers, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with their juice
• 8 cups cooked or canned chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds eggplant, preferably small
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoon capers, optional
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

Preparation

2. Peel the eggplant if the skin is thick or the eggplant is less than perfectly firm; cut it into 1/2-inch cubes and salt them if the eggplant are large and time allows. Put the olive oil and all but 1 teaspoon of the garlic in a large, deep skillet, preferably nonstick or cast iron, over medium heat. Two minutes later, add the eggplant. Stir and toss almost constantly until the eggplant begins to release some of the oil it has absorbed, after 5 or 10 minutes.

2. add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. To the skillet, add the tomatoes, beans, zucchini and the salt and some pepper to the skillet. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, the beans begin to get soft and creamy, and the mixture begins to thicken, 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture looks too thick, stir in a splash of water. Cook until eggplant is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Place in Duch Oven

5. Lay the fish in the sauce and add water, if needed, so that the sauce comes just up to the top of the fish, not over it. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat. The fish will be done in about 10 minutes (a thin-bladed knife inserted between bone and flesh should reveal little or no translucence; if not, return the pan to a simmer and cook for another minute or two more). Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and serve, topped with vegetables and a little of the broth, garnished with the herb.

Preparation

Mark's Peanut Butter "Mousse"

 0% Fage Greek yogurt with some natural creamy peanut butter swirled in and 1 packet of splenda (or preferred sweetner).  Put in freezer for about 10-15 and stir it up. It's like a decadent peanut butter mousse. Sprinkle a few almonds or walnuts on if you'd like.  Tastes like peanut butter pie! :)"

Mark's Cumin Dusted Chicken

Cumin Dusted Chicken with Guacamole sauce
1 6oz breast and 1/4 of the sauce = 270 calories and 42g of protein!!!!!!!!

Sauce:

· 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

· 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

· 1/4 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt

· 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

· 1/4 teaspoon salt 

· 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

· 1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed

Chicken:

· 2 tablespoons brown sugar

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1/2 teaspoon salt 

· 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

· 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

· Cooking spray

Preparation

1.     To prepare sauce, combine first 8 ingredients; set aside.

2.     Preheat oven to 400°.

3.     To prepare chicken, combine sugar, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done. Serve chicken with sauce."

Mark's Banana Pancakes

Bananas 

3 eggs

1/3 cup Crunchy Almond Butter (or any crunchy nut butter)

1.     Mash bananas until you have 3 cups of mashed bananas. 

2.     In a large bowl, mix bananas and the eggs. 

3.     Add the almond butter and mix really well .

4.     Depending on the consistency and your preferences, add more almond butter to get a more pancake-like batter.

5.     Cook like normal pancakes!

They should fluff up like normal pancakes, so if they don't at first you probably need more almond butter. It might take trial and error to get it the way you like them, but it is so worth it! 

Frittata w/Turkey Bacon

FRITTATA

Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 192
Protein:19
Carbs: 6


6 eggs
5 baby mushrooms
3 cups kale
7 cherry tomatos (cut in half)
4 oz fat free cottage cheese
2 slices turkey bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sautee mushrooms, kale, tomatos and bacon
Beat eggs and cottage cheese in separate bowl, add seasoning as desired

In a 6x9 dish (greased), pour egg batter and half of sautee mixture
Bake for 10 min until the bottom of the egg is firm
Then, add the rest of the sautee mixture (this will keep from having everything sink to the bottom

Bake for another 30-40 minutes until egg is cooked all the way through.

Turkey Meatloaf

TURKEY MEATLOAF


serves 3
Calories per serving: 128
Protein: 15
1 lb lean ground turkey
2 large eggs
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 packet lipton onion soup mix
2 slices turkey bacon
Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix turkey, eggs, pepper, soup mix in a bowl
Press firmly into oval shape on cookie sheet or into a rectangle pyrex dish.
Top with bacon and then cheese

Bake for approx 30-40 min or until turkey is cooked through.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts

Cut brussel sprouts in half
Toss in Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat Oven to 400
Spread brussel sprouts on cookie sheet
Bake for 30-40 minutes until brown

Optional Addition
Bacon

Kale Chips

Kale Chips

1 Bunch of Kale
Olive oil or Sesame Oil
Salt

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. 
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Spread layer of Kale on cookie sheet
4. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Ninja Frittata

Frittata

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed thoroughly to remove liquid
• 6 eggs or equivalent egg substitute or use egg whites only for even low calorie dish
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese – optional but it makes it taste really good
• 3/4 cup chopped portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions with some green tops
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
• 1 pinch Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well mixed. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and fill with the spinach mixture.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned and set.

Cauliflower Mash

Cauliflower Mash

Medium to Large head of cauliflower 
Small container of low fat cottage cheese
Grated pecorino ramano

Instructions
- Remove green stems from cauliflower
- Cut cauliflower into medium/small pieces
- Boil until soft
- Strain cauliflower
- Add cottage cheese
- Mash
- Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Protein Puffin

Protein Puffin

1 scoop protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp flax seed

3 tbsp hot water water

1/4 cup pumpkin

Dash of cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg...or a lot

mix the flax seed and hot water in one cup, it'll get thick, and act like the 'egg'
mix the other ingredients in a microwavable bowl
add the flax-mixture to bowl

microwave for 3 minutes

Optional Addition: Frosting

mix greek yogurt and PB2 or chocolate PB2 and some truvia, freeze it, and then spread it on top 

also good with honey or jam

Protein Pancakes

Protein Pancakes

3 egg whites

1/2 cup non fat cottage cheese

2 scoops protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)

Optional Additions:

1/4 cup pumpkin or 1/4 cup greek yogurt

2 tbs Flaxseed Meal

Fruit (berries or banana)

1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. It should be a little thinner than normal pancake batter.
2. Heat a pan to medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Using a spoon, pour batter onto pan. You’ll want each pancake to have about 2 tablespoons of batter.
4. Let cook for about a minute and a half. Then flip and cook for an additional minute.

Spinach Pie

Spinach Pie

Makes 8 servings
Calories: 171
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 6.5g
Fat: 6g

2 10 oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach
I container (16oz) 1% Cottage Cheese (I recommend Friendship)
2 eggs
1 Cup grated Romano Cheese
1/8 cup plain breadcrumbs
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (for topping)

Thaw and drain spinach in a colander of all excess water. Dry the spinach with paper towels as much as possible. Mix spinach and all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese.
Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Put the spinach mixture into the pan. Sprinkle Parmesan on the top.

Bake at 350 for approximately one hour, or until golden brown.