Y'all, I am going to be real and just tell you that this is worth the effort. This recipe is amazingly delicious and I don't know how I've lived without it my entire life. Sounds like I'm exaggerating, huh!?! Try it yourself and see. 😍 Ingredients: 12 slices of bacon, nitrate and nitrite free. (If you want to go Whole 30 style, make sure there is no sugar.) 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds (1/4") 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted. (1 tbsp for potatoes, 1 for brussels) 3 cups Brussel sprouts, quartered or chopped 1 large onion, sliced thin 12 eggs 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk 1/2 tsp + salt (I use Himalayan pink salt) 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1/2 tap garlic powder black pepper, to taste Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9x13 pan with coconut oil and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Cut bacon into 1" chunks and cook in a large skillet until crisp. (I used a large cast iron). When finished, place on a paper towel to drain. Reserve 3-4 tbsp of bacon grease to use for onions. 3. Toss sweet potatoes, coconut oil and salt to taste. Line the bottom of the 9x13 dish with rounds. They can overlap because they do shrink a little and this will be the "crust" of your casserole. 4. Toss Brussel sprouts in coconut oil and salt to taste. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. 5. Bake sweet potatoes and Brussels. It took approximately 30 minutes for sweet potatoes and 20 for brussels. 6. While those are baking, start caramelizing the onions in reserved bacon grease. I cooked them on low-medium heat for approximately 25 minutes to bring out the most flavor. I also added a pinch of salt. 7. While all of this is cooking, whisk your eggs, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a separate bowl. 8. Once you've removed your sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts from the oven, lower the temperature to 400. Layer the brussels on top of the sweet potatoes. 9. Remove onions from grease with a slotted spoon and place over brussels. Top that with your bacon chunks. Finally, pour egg mixture over to cover. 10. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until center is set and edges are brown. I cut the casserole into 8 slices since I usually eat larger portions for breakfast. You can easily make 12 slices and it lasts for 4-5 days in the fridge.
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I grew up eating pumpkin bread, you know, the recipethat came off the back of Libby's pumpkin. ;) After years and years of trying to eat healthier and with no refined sugar or wheat, I knew I had to switch it up. We've made this bread for the last 3 years and I officially love it more than the original. A few notes... I use almond meal from Trader Joe's. It's not super fine, so be sure to get the blanched fine almond flour for less crunch and texture. The bread isn't crazy sweet like a dessert, so if you would like it to be simply add more maple syrup. The salt in the recipe is for more of a savory flavor as well, so feel free to do a little less to focus on the sweetness. Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour 1/4 cup coconut flour 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt (I use Himalayan pink salt) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 3-4 large eggs coconut oil/spray Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2. Grease one bread pan with coconut oil or coconut oil spray. 3. Add all dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix until blended. 4. Combine all wet ingredients, including pumpkin purée to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. 5. Add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined. 6. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. i hope y'all enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Original recipe from www.draxe.com I'm going to be honest with you. I'm pregnant, the holidays are fast approaching and I know that somehow someway I have to find a way to not eat the entire house or conveniently "forget" to do my workouts. I will, I totally will. I'm notorious for skipping an entire week of workouts during each holiday. I'm also pretty awesome when it comes to making sure there aren't any leftovers. 😜 So, I decided I would try something new this year and I want to see if you'd like to join me.
Following a strict program is NOT for me during the holidays. Having to be perfect and counting calories definitely NOT how I want to do this. So, I'm starting a little group where we each set our own goals, NOW, for accountability. For instance, I'm going to workout 4 times a week and eat no worse than 70/30 for the entire month of December. If you don't know what that means or where to start, I'll help you set a plan that works for you. But here is the best part, I'm providing this group with 4 FULL workouts from yours truly ($120 value), 8 delicious, healthy recipes for your holiday festivities and a weekly check-in for accountability. The goal is to get us off of social media and being more present with our families, but not to gain the average 10+ lbs Americans gain during the holidays. The group is $25 and that's it. Does that sound good to you? This is totally different than what I normally do. It's so different I even filmed a video or two about it on my this page www.facebook.com/healthystronghappy. This has nothing to do with BB, simply me wanting to help my friends not feel guilty or discouraged this holiday season. Send me a message if you are interested! I'm taking sign-ups through this week. I am always talking to moms about how to get our toddlers to eat. It seems like a universal issue and everyday is a completely different battlefield. I am so grateful that I came across this recipe from The Nourished Seedling. Up until this point, Calista wouldn't eat pasta. We run out of carb options quickly in this household. Reminder: this is the kid who can eat 7 of my "Baby Pancakes" in one sitting, with a banana and as many scrambled eggs as I eat. 😳 My concerns for her food are usually in finding ways to get spinach into her (hello iron), healthy fats (babies neeeeeeeed these), and carbs and protein at every meal. No pressure. Enter Spinach Avocado Pesto Pasta. Ingredients: 10 ounces pasta (I used whole wheat rotini for her, but also have done it with zoodles for Tim and I) 1 cup raw spinach (I use organic from Costco) 1 medium Avocado, ripe 1 cup shredded parmesan 1/4 cup raw cashews (unsalted, I get the pieces from Trader Joe's) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon water 1 clove roasted garlic (takes the bite out) 3/4 tsp salt (Himalayan pink salt) 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice Directions: 1. Bring water to boil for pasta. Cook pasta according to directions. 2. Quickly sautée the garlic in tbsp of olive oil just long enough to mellow the flavor. 3. Place all other ingredients, including garlic, into a food processor and pulse until smooth. 4. Add to pasta and mix. This makes 4 adult size portions. So far, in less than one week, we have had this twice and every time Calista ends up eating a full serving. Happy mama!
Getting back on track today after a carb and cheese fun-filled weekend. your body is used to pretty clean foods, it means the sooner you get back on track the better. I tried this one-pan balsamic chicken to get in as many veggies as possible. My hubs and I both loved it and I think it's a great option for those of you who struggle to get veggies in. So many people tell me that they don't just want to eat boring chicken and veggies to lose weight, and I totally understand. The recipe is proof that you chicken and veggies doesn't have to be boring or take a ton of time in the kitchen. 😘
The original recipe calls for asparagus and tomatoes, but I'm still restocking my fridge so we had carrots and zucchini. Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts, cut into tenders 2-3 cups of veggies, your choices 1-2 tbsp EVOO salt and pepper to taste Sauce: 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Italian dressing 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp honey 1/8 tsp red chili flakes 1. Cook chicken in a large skillet, medium high heat with salt, pepper, and olive oil. About 5 minutes each side or until done. 2. While chicken is cooking, mix up your sauce and prep your veggies. 3. When chicken is cooked through, add half the sauce to pan and coat chicken. Promptly remove and set aside, leaving sauce in the pan. 4. Add veggies, coat in sauce and cook for 4-5 minutes until crispy tender. 5. Add remainder of sauce and chicken back to pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 6. Serve and enjoy!!! As a mom of an independent toddler, it's becoming a challenge to make sure she gets balanced meals. One day she will eat all the veggies, another day she only wants grapes, the next it's chicken thighs and yum yum crackers. Sooooo, I tried to sneak as many veggies into a meatball as possible and the result was something my whole family fell in love with.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 1 large carrot) 1 cup greens (I used broccoli and spinach) 1 egg 1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese 2/3 cup breadcrumbs (I actually used oat flour) 1-1 1/2 lb ground turkey salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and parsley (to taste) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Mix all ingredients together. 3. Roll into approximately 36 meatballs about and inch to an inch and half in diameter. 4. Bake 18-22 minutes. For Calista we served them alone. My husband added his to zoodles and tomato sauce. 😉 If you are like me, trying to feed your toddler is an all day task. Making sure she actually eats the food is number one. Number two is finding healthy, balanced meal ideas that don't take FOREVER to prepare. I am not an expert, but I am a believer in sharing what works for me. I truly hope that these simple ideas help you have some new ideas for your tots. We also are on a budget, so sometimes our variety is lacking, but that's something I am actively working on and will share my progress with y'all. I hope you get an understanding of how I structure her meals and it helps. :) Please comment with your top tips so that we can all help each other. This mama thing is tough, but together we are better. Some general guidelines and tips for each meal: -A protein source ideally cooked in healthy fats like olive oil or coconut oil. -1-2 veggies or fruit either steamed or roasted in healthy oils. (Babies need those healthy fats like whoa.) -Complex carbohydrate -Water on the side. Skip the juice because it tends to curb these little eater's appetites. -If your little doesn't like a food right away, leave it on the tray, walk away (still visible obviously, just not paying so much attention), and let them figure it out. Often times, when I'm not hovering Calista will eat whatever she was fussing about moments before. -Don't be scared to try a new food 5-10 times. MEAL ONE: My husband usually knocks this one out, which makes me super happy. Here are some fool proof daddy options. 1. Protein: Whole-milk yogurt mixed with a little natural applesauce, cinnamon, and baby oatmeal. Carb: above oatmeal. Fruit/veggie: entire banana or apple. 2. Protein: Scrambled egg(s) in coconut oil. Carb: My favorite gluten free, high healthy fat pancake recipe. baby-pancake-success.html Fruit/veggie: Berries 3. Protein: Egg muffin with spinach and tomatoes. Carb: Paleo sweet potato biscuits from The Paleo Kitchen. Fruit/veggie: Veggies in muffin, also a banana. MEAL TWO: This is probably the meal that varies the most. It's also the hardest one to spend time on so often I'm throwing together random leftovers or it is time for her shake. Most of you know that we drink Shakeology in our house. Calista and I drink the vegan formula that simply has 70 foods in it. Examples of ingredients are flax seeds, chia seeds, pomegranate, spinach, prebiotics, probiotics (yes, they are different), green tea, pea protein, to name a few. Basically this means that we do not need to take multivitamins in our house and if the fridge is empty, she still gets all of her goodies, other than breastmilk that is. :) 1. Shakeology: 1/2 scoop vegan chocolate with unsweetened almond milk, frozen chopped spinach (babies need iron), half a banana and flax. 2. Protein: Baked chicken thigh. Carb: I'll keep it real here... Puffs Fruit/veggie: Roasted broccoli AND grapes. 3. Protein: Cottage cheese which is still hit or miss, mostly miss. Carb: Leftover biscuits or pancakes Fruit/veggie: Sweet peas AND roasted carrots. MEAL THREE aka dinner:
1. Protein: Slices of cheddar Carb: roasted sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries (Trader Joe's has good ones) Fruit/veggie: sautéed zucchini chopped into quarters cooked in oil. *Note: zoodles will end up on the wall 😂 2. Protein: Beef meatballs Carb: Sometimes for dinner I double up on veggies and skip traditional carbs. Veggies: more roasted carrots. It's a phase I guess. Also, berries or grapes. I may be healthy, but I love chocolate cake. I am always looking for ways to make recipes "healthy", but I also believe in balance and treats. That might be why her first birthday party was titled "Cocktails and Cupcakes". :)
So, for Calista's first cupcake we decided we had to go chocolate all the way. I tried two different chocolate recipes and bought Trader Joe's Vanilla Cake Mix for anyone who wanted "real" cupcakes. :) One of my icing attempts was a massive fail, so I won't be sharing that one here, but the chocolate icing we made is probably the best I have ever had and it's only 2 ingredients! Our FAVORITE recipe from The Paleo Kitchen Cookbook by Juli Bauer & George Bryant Ingredients: 3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted 1 tsp fine grain sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 10 large eggs 1 cup coconut oil 1 cup maple syrup Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pan. This made more than one dozen since the original recipe is for a cake. 2. Mix coconut flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in small bowl. 3. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine eggs, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Mix until well combined, add the coconut flour mixture and blend until smooth. 4. Pour the batter into cupcake pan about 3/4 full. 5. Bake between 14-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 6. Cool completely before icing. Chocolate Icing Ingredients: 1 can full fat coconut cream/milk (put in fridge 24 hours in advance, only use the cream, drain excess water) 1 package of Enjoy Life Chocolate chips Directions: 1. Add coconut cream and chocolate chips to a double-boiler or pan on low heat. Melt together. 2. Pour into a large ziploc bag and place in the freezer for 2 hours. 3. When the cupcakes are cool and you are ready to ice, cut a corner of the ziploc bag and pipe icing onto cupcakes. Enjoy! Chocolate Cupcake Recipe #2: These were delicious but a little sweeter than the first recipe because they use coconut sugar which to me has a very distinct taste. They were a huge hit. I found the recipe here: http://www.texanerin.com/paleo-chocolate-cupcakes/ Quick Shout Out to my friend, Heidi Rew, for providing decorations! Check out her wonderful blog, http://partiesforpennies.com/ I have pretty bad vision. Like, can't see 4 inches in front of my face bad. So, I have always been told that eating carrots would help my eyesight. The problem was that I couldn't stand them. Until now...
Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until soft. I tossed them in olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. I also devoured the entire tray in one sitting. Oops. 😂 I have recently been trying to cut gluten and dairy from my diet. I don't have an intolerance, but a lot of gut health imbalances can be caused by those two. Since we still haven't figured out what is causing my fatigue, I'm willing to try anything natural. I found this recipe on ibreatheimhungry.com. Amazing recipe! The original has cheese, but I simply eliminated it.
*This recipe is husband approved. Ingredients: 4 cups zucchini noodles or shreds 4 slices raw bacon 4 eggs salt and pepper *optional: 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese Directions:
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