Oatmeal raisin cookie muffin oats with peanut butter and fruit

Some mornings I just wake up super hungry, and breakfast should always be you're biggest meal! So I indulged a little and had peanut butter this morning (!).

I found these amazing little packets of oatmeal at my commissary (grocery store for non military) they're by "Better oats" and have some serious nutrition. With real raisins, flax seed, whole grain oats, low in sugar (not refined and some flavors even have no sugar) they pack a healthy punch! Normally I would just use plain oatmeal but hey I'm feeling frisky!

I started by cooking the oatmeal in the microwave with just water. The oat revolution packets are labeled to measure the water right in the packet. Genius! Then I mixed in about 1/2 cup almond milk. Next, I mashed half a banana and mixed with 2 tbs chia seeds. I then diced the other half of the banana and added it on top of the oatmeal. Next, strawberries, a dollop of raw almond butter and a sprinkle of chopped pecans. Lastly, (and folks this may not be 100% clean but I'll take the 0 calories and 0 sugar over 200 calories any day!) I added a drizzle of walden farms sugar free, calorie free pancake syrup. This is probably about the tastiest breakfast ever! Enjoy.

-D

Fiesta lime salsa chicken and cheese

Not everything has to be complicated and have a million ingredients. Here's one of my mid week dinners:

Fiesta lime chicken with salsa and cheese

1 1/2 lbs natural chicken tenderloins
Ms dash fiesta lime
2 limes
1 tbs Coconut oil
Pace salsa
1 can no salt no sugar added organic corn
1 can no sodium organic black beans

I started by seasoning my chicken with ms dash fiesta lime seasoning on both sides. Heat up you're sauté pan and melt about a tablespoon of coconut oil . Add in the chicken. While that's cooking zest 1 lime and squeeze the juice of the lime into the pan. Sprinkle on the zest, cover and let it cook on medium / low heat. Meanwhile grate some cheddar cheese and set it aside. Drain the corn and black beans and heat it up in a microwave safe dish. Get out you're salsa and warm that up as well. For one person I used 1/4 cup salsa. Once the chicken is cooked, plate it, add you're cheese, salsa and top with black beans and corn. Cut up the other lime and squeeze some lime juice (optional) atop you're meal. Enjoy!

-D

Strawberry pumpkin dark chocolate protein bar

Weird combo of flavors but I was determined to make it taste good. Totally craving all three flavors so why not mix them into a healthy protein packed study fuel bar?

Strawberry pumpkin protein bar

1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup almond meal
2 scoop strawberry protein whey powder
1/4 cup baking stevia
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp apple pie spice
2 tsp real vanilla extract
1 15 oz can pumpkin purée
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup extra dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a Pyrex with coconut oil or non stick baking spray.

Mix all the ingredients except chocolate chips in a large bowl . After its all
Mixed up good, add in the chocolate chips. Bake for 35-40 minutes . I like a moister bar so I took mine out at 35 minutes. Let the cool and gobble them up. This recipe made 12 bars and when I put the ingredients and servings into the myfitnesspal ap it came out to be 100 calories per bar. Pretty good! There are so many variations you could do with these so have at it and I hope this gives you an idea for some yummy home-made bars of you're own.

Enjoy!
-D

Portobella pizza

Well I have started studying for my CPT and I find myself having less and less time to make healthy clean food. Even still there are so many things that are quick, clean, and nutritious.

I know I'm not in college but I'm still studying so that means I can have pizza, right?

Portobello pepperoni pizza

1 large portobello cleaned
1/4 cup chunky marinara
1 oz mozzarella shredded
6-8 slices turkey pepperoni
Basil & oregano to taste

I poured the sauce inside the mushroom and added cheese, and pepperoni like you would any pizza. Sprinkled on the basil & oregano and baked in the toaster oven at 375 for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!
-D

Spicy sweet potato & black bean wrap

I had a bit of the spicy sweet potato hash left over from my breakfast a few days ago so naturally I had to think of a way to use it!

Spicy sweet potato and black bean burger

1 frozen spicy black bean veggie burger (I use morning star brand)
Leftover recipe of spicy sweet potato hash
1 whole wheat wrap
2 tbs greek yogurt
Sriracha (or any other hot sauce you like)

Mix the Greek yogurt and sriracha in a small bowl, set it aside. Warm up you're burger in the microwave, pan or grill. Cut the burger in half and lay it on one side of the wrap. On the other side spread the yogurt sauce and layer the sweet potato on top. Wrap it all up a devour! It's really good :)

Enjoy!

-D

Sweet potato hash with egg

Spicy sweet potato hash with dippy egg:

1 large sweet potato (steamed in the microwave for 4-6 minutes)
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp ms dash original blend
1 tbs coconut oil

Melt the oil in the pan and cook up the red onions a bit. Add in the sweet potato and seasonings, continue cooking until the potatoes form a crispy crust- about 2 minutes. Fry, poach or soft boil yourself an egg and transfer the potatoes to you're plate, top with the egg. Don't forget to break the yolk and let the goodness drip down!

Enjoy!

-D

Pumpkin mango swirl breakfast bar with papaya, mango and strawberry sauce

You know it's about the grocery day when you're scrambling the pantry for something to make for breakfast. I have a lot of canned pumpkin in there so of course that was going to have to be in my breakfast. I thought of pancakes but didn't have enough oats to make my oat flour. Next up was muffins, but no pecans to put in them... Don't know why I am obsessed with nuts in my muffins... Just am. >.<

So on to the freezer I went. I try to pick up as much frozen fruit as I can. When hunger strikes and I am busy I need something to hold me over so I make smoothies. Well I had a bag of mango, papaya and strawberry. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a good combo but I did a little research and found lots of other attempts at this and even some more creative ones like carrot, pumpkin and strawberry bars. So here I went trying to come up with something last night to have this morning and this is what I came up with: (try to make this the night before and refrigerate overnight- this helps the cream cheese solidify)


For the bars you will need:
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 cup stevia in the raw
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3 eggs
1/2 diced mango
1/2 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt or regular yogurt
1 tbs real vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour ( you could use a combo of 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup almond flour also)
1 cup oat flour (grind up oats in the bullet or processor)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp apple pie spice

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 baking dish with coconut oil or butter

In a medium bowl mix
Pumpkin, stevia, yogurt, mango, apple sauce, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside and in another bowl mix flours,baking soda, salt, baking powder and spices. Slowly add in the dry to wet ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile make you're swirl:

1 8 oz package fat free cream cheese (softened)
4 tbs chia seeds
3 tbs water
3 tbs mashed mango (use the other half of the mango)
1/4 stevia in the raw

In a small mug or bowl mix the chia seeds and water and set aside. In another bowl beat the cream cheese, vanilla, mango and stevia. Once it's smooth add in your chia egg* and beat some more. (*Chia egg is water mixed with chia seeds which results in the same consistency and binding as an egg)

In you're baking dish spread about half the pumpkin mixture and alternate with the swirl. Once all the mix is gone take a toothpick or skewer and swirl the mixture around until you are satisfied with how it looks.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, let cool and refrigerate over night.

Next morning cut into 4 inch bars. You can reheat them at this point and serve with fruit, syrup, or nut butters.

I reheated mine and microwaved my frozen mango, papaya and strawberry blend for about 45 seconds. Once the fruit was thawed I mashed it a little with a fork, poured some walden farms pancake syrup on top my bars and then the fruit mash. It's really delicate and sweet. Perfect for a brunch or Saturday morning breakfast because its made ahead and minimal gathering time in the morning! Enjoy!
-D