Quinoa & Brown Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

Ingredients

·         3 cups cooked quinoa (I used a quinoa & brown rice blend)

·         1 (4-ounce) can green chilies

·         1 cup corn kernels

·         1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes

·         1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

·         1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

·         3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

·         1 teaspoon cumin

·         1 teaspoon garlic powder

·         1/2 teaspoon onion powder

·         1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

·         6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, green chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheeses, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion and chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon the filling each each bell pepper. Place on prepared baking dish and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.

Cucumber Boats

This is a great snack or appetizer! If you don't want to make cucumber boats, you can make it as a vegetable dip. Mix cottage cheese, fresh dill, fresh cilantro, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Peel cucumber, cut in 3 pieces and scoop out and discard seeds to create "boats". Serve chilled.

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh mozzarella
• 1 1/2 ounce bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

20 Snack Suggestions

1. Hardboiled egg
2. Cheese sticks
3. Crackers
4. Pretzels
5. Rice cakes
6. Olives
7. Rolled salami, turkey or ham
8. Trail mix
9. Dried cereal
10. Dried Fruit
11. Banana chips
12. Popcorn
13. Yogurt
14. Pita chips w/humus
15. Mini muffins
16. Granola bars
17. Fruit rolls
18. Nuts
19. Vegetables: Snow peas, baby corn, mushrooms, carrots, celery and cucumber
20. Fruit: oranges, grapes, berries, melon, pineapple,banana, apricot and apples. 

Gluten-Free Honey Peanut Butter Oat Bars 

A natural, gluten-free oat bar filled with chopped nuts, peanut butter and sweetened with honey.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, ground
2 cups oats (I used Trader Joe's Gluten Free Oats)
1/2 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
Coconut Oil Spray (or parchment paper)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 F

Spray an 8 x 8 pan with Coconut Oil Spray (I got mine at Trader Joe's).

In a microwave safe bowl, add honey, coconut oil and peanut butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir until mixture gets runny and peanut butter completely melted in. You may have to heat for another 20 seconds or so. Mix in vanilla extract and cinnamon.

Add oats and peanuts, mix until everything is combined and the mixture is completely coated with honey and peanut butter mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and press down with a back of a spoon; bake in the oven for 20 -25 minutes until lightly brown.

Once you take the bars out of the oven, press down with the back of a spoon to insure the oats are pressed firmly together. Let the oat bars cool slightly and cut into 16 slices. Let bars cool completely and harden at room temperature.

Store bars in an air tight container in the refrigerator.


Calories per bar: 157.2, Fat: 8.1, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 31, Potassium: 38, Carbs: 18.8, Fiber: 2, Sugar: 10.4, Protein: 3.9

Favorite Green Beans

Heat olive oil in pan. Add washed and trimmed green beans. Add onion and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Add 3-5 gloves of minced garlic, salt and pepper. The secret ingredient is Soy Vay Very Teriyaki marinade. I add about 1/4 cup for the last 5 minutes of cooking. (Sorry, I don't have a photo of the finished product but you'll just have to trust me...it's delicious)!

Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes"

 

Ingredients

• 3 whole wedges of The Laughing Cow Garlic Herb Cheese
• 2 cups Cauliflower Florets, Broken Into Small Pieces
• 1 cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 2 teaspoons Minced Yellow Onion
• ¼ teaspoons Salt and Black Pepper
• Chopped Fresh Chives (for Garnish)

Preparation

Combine cauliflower pieces and broth in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes or until tender.
Drain thoroughly (don’t discard the broth; you can reserve it for another use!) and return cauliflower to the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat for an additional minute, while stirring to eliminate excess moisture.
Transfer to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add garlic, onion & cheese; pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cook’s Tip: consistency should be thicker, like whipped potatoes. However, you can loosen the consistency with a bit of the reserved cooking broth, if needed.
Transfer to a serving bowl & garnish with chopped chives.


 

  Healthy & Easy Coconut Shrimp

  

1 pound cleaned shrimp, tails on. TIP: I saved $3.00 buying this shrimp at the meat counter as opposed to buying frozen, pre-packaged shrimp. It's always worth checking!
1/2 cup almond, oat or coconut flour (or your favorite healthy flour)
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 t sea salt
1 T raw honey
1 T lime or lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 – 2 c shredded organic coconut
2 – 3 T coconut oil

Mix flour, cayenne and salt in a bowl. Combine lime juice and honey  in a separate small bowl until well combined. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Place coconut in a shallow dish.

Dip shrimp into flour mixture, then honey egg mixture, then roll in the coconut. Place them on a plate or sheet pan until all are coated.

Heat coconut oil in pan over medium heat. Add the coated shrimp in a single layer. Cook on each side roughly 2 -3 minutes each. Be careful not to move them around or keep flipping them. The coating will fall off.

And, you can’t forget the dipping sauce! Some pureed mango with a splash of vinegar. Pineapple and honey. .

 

Greek Salad

Cucumber, tomato, green olives, feta, fresh basil & pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with a balsamic dressing. Very good and filling!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Dice brussels sprouts and heat in a skillet with olive oil. Add diced pancetta and shallots. Cook until brown and tender.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Cornbread Croutons

I added homemade cornbread croutons to my roasted brussels sprouts and it turned out delish!

 

Egg Muffins

These egg muffins are tasty!

6-eggs

spinach

peppers

cheese
Canadian bacon
salt/pepper
Spray muffin cups and bake 350° for 20 min.

 

  

BLTA (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado) Sandwich

Toasted wheat bread (or Ezekiel bread), mayo, bacon, avocado, tomato and lettuce. The perfect sandwich!

 

 

Best Cream Of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
8 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 cups coconut milk
black pepper and salt to taste
bacon as much you want

preparations:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and chicken broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour flour and add coconut milk or regular milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup. Season with pepper and serve.  Top it off with bacon.