Zesty Vegan Crunch Salad

As I have tried to reduce meat and dairy in my diet due to inflammation, I just feel better when I am more plant-based but I have eaten meats and cheese all my life so this transition is not an easy one or a quick one. I LOVE C H E E S E and I find that has been one of the hardest things for me to change. I realize that my body may not like all the things that my tastebuds do. So I have started testing some new recipes and OH MY is this a winner!

This Vegan salad is not your average salad, it’s one you will CRAVE, I ate 4 times last week for lunch!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups spinach chopped

• 1/4 cup shredded carrots

• 1/4 cup chopped cucumber

• 5-6 cherry tomatoes chopped

• any kind of sprouts ( totally optional, I had them in the fridge)

• 1/4 bell pepper

• 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• salt and pepper and oregano to taste

• 1/2 cup white beans

• Juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon

• 2 tablespoons roasted salted nuts of any kind, I used sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

• 1/4 cup crunched veggie crisps or tortilla chips. I personally used Off The Eaten Path Veggie Crisps from Costco

• 1/2 avocado

Directions

1. Combine lettuce and veggies add avocado, salt pepper, yeast and lemon, lime juices and toss well until the avocado and juices are coating all veggies well.

2. Add in nuts and crunches, mix and taste

3. Adjust seasoning and enjoy

   You can adjust any veggies you have in the house these were the veggies I had in the fridge and pantry items! This particular salad was SO good was because of the creamy tart “dressing” from the avocado and citrus juices along with the salty crunchy nuts and veggie crisps.

Blueberry Bread Pudding

As I have tried to reduce gluten and dairy in my diet due to a PCOS diagnosis I rolled my eyes hard because well I LOVE both of those things. Like C H E E S E come on! But I realize that my body may not like all the things that my tastebuds do. So I have started testing some new recipes and OH MY is this a winner!

Dairy-free, gluten-free, and no refined sugar and you could NEVER tell the whole family loved it so much it was requested for a warm breakfast again this week, I was happy to make it since it comes together in about 8 minutes. This casserole takes an hour to bake but since that is the hands-off time it’s very easy!

Perfect for fall/winter mornings and meal prep because it reheats like a DREAM!

I have this as a plate it breakfast adding protein on the side like some nice chicken sausage or my Superfoods on the go!

Ingredients

• Ingredients 8 large eggs lightly beaten

• 2½ cups unsweetened almond milk

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

• 8 slices low-sodium sprouted whole-grain bread cut into 1-inch cubes

• 3 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries

• Nonstick cooking spray and Hot water

Directions

1. Combine eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, extract, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.

2. Place bread and blueberries in a 13 x 19-inch baking dish that is lightly covered in spray. Top with egg mixture; mix well to blend.

3. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place baking dish in roasting pan. Add water to roasting pan to come an inch up the side of the baking dish. (Baking dish will be sitting in water.) Tent aluminum foil over roasting pan so that foil does not touch bread pudding. Cut two slashes in foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until bread pudding is puffy and custard is set. Cut into eight pieces. (be very careful removing from the oven as the water in the roasting pan will be VERY HOT)

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffin - Meal Prep Perfect!

For those of you who follow my Journey on Social media you know I have been though a double mastectomy in January and just last week had my exchange surgery. Between doctors appointments and my body healing I have not been cooking as many dinners or in the kitchen as much!

ENTER - These bad boys!

I really had to dig into meal prep, which I always have done and believed in BUT this time it was a whole new level of needed to be prepared. Before my big Mastectomy I prepped 3 weeks of dinners and breakfasts for myself and my family. WHY? Because I KNEW my body would need healty food for my recovery, I also know my husband can not provide that. His idea of taking care of dinner is a super overcooked piece of meat on the grill in the summer with no sides or take out. His only saving grace is a grilled cheese HA!

SO I became real good an prepping and freezing stuff, if you a a busy woman you need prep in your life too! PRO TIP it is a G A M E - C H A N G E R for your health of not only yourself but your family, it saves money and reduces stress of what the heck are we gonna eat. These make a great snack on the go as part of your or your kids breakfast or afterschool snack, also GREAT source of energy for our kids who do after noon activities. This is such a great option to pop and go before dance, soccer whatever!

I hope these serve you and your family as well as they have served mine!

If you are following the portion fix meal plan like me - this is a Yellow ( one carb serving)

I personally double or triple this and freeze the rest, if you are taking the time to make and have the resources to buy enough ingredients of something you know your family loves, I like to make use of my time and prep out a few batches at a time!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups dry old fashioned oats

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk beverage ( NOT CANNED)

• 2 large eggs slightly beaten

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup shredded carrots

• 1/4 cup of smashed canned pears, juice drained

• 3 Tbsp light sour-cream

• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

( Muffin liners needed)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Prepare 12 muffin cups, line with paper or silicone cups and set aside

3. Combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside

4. Combine Coconut, eggs, maple syrup, extract, carrots and pears in a medium bowl, mix well

5. Fold coconut milk mixture into oat mixture until combined

6. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups

7. Bake for 15 min, then rotate pan, bake for 15 more minutes

8. While they are baking mix in a small bowl the sour cream and powdered sugar. mixture will be thick at first do not add water just keep whisking

9. Allow muffins to cool and drizzle the frosting over them, about 1 tsp of frosting for each muffin

Note: I put mine in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 10 days perfectly fine, you can allow them to come to room temp on the counter or in a lunch bag or pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds or so to take the chill off, I prefer them a little warm myself. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months

PROTEIN PACKED PUMPKIN MUFFINS

As many of you know I have taken on a new booty and ab program that calls for some timed nutrition which is AMAZING! It is was also really different from what I was doing and I found that prep was the KEY to being successful with the program. 

Naturally, when I learned I would need to eat a combo of  Protein ( red) Carb (yellow) and veggie ( a green) in the am I got to work on thinking what can I do to make this something OTHER than eggs. Because that will get old for me REAL quick.. am I right or what !?!?!?!? I need variety in my life and I NEED to love my food. This one hit the spot for a fast, easy portable meal that eats like a snack! 

This muffin is not sweet like you would expect for a typical muffin. SO if you are not used to eating clean I would add 3 Tablespoons of 100% pure maple syrup to this recipe and work you way down as your taste buds change! 

Makes 12 Muffins - 3 muffins is 1 serving

For my peeps following my meal plan, this is 1 Yellow, 1 Green, 1 Red 1 teaspoon ( to learn more about my meal plan and to join our accountability group apply here www.btyafitnessjourney.com/getfit

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 cup quick oats
• a rounded 1/2 tsp of salt of half tsp with a heavy pinch added ( do not skip this) 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 packets of stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt. ( if you like a sweeter muffin you can use Okioks Triple Zero vanilla yogurt) 
• 1 cup of pumpkin puree

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven 350
2. Line a muffin pan with silicone liners ( these were perfect and no sticking, or spray pan)
3. Place oats in blender or food processor and blend until it resembles a flour
4. Add the rest of the ingredients blend until smooth 
5. distribute the batter evenly in muffin pan
6. Bake for about 20 min
7. enjoy!  I serve these slightly warmed with a teaspoon of butter

Protein Packed Lemon Stuffed Pancakes!

I feel like I hit the Jackpot on this one! I absolutely love lemon and pancakes, putting them together is a dream come true. I want to still stay on track and not make a super sugary lemon filling that will set back my progress and leave me feeling less than good about my choices. I have been experimenting with cottage cheese and let me tell you the results have been phenomenal. Hear me out, do not click the X just yet if you hate cottage cheese I get it! I am right there with you, I have texture issues and chewing or not chewing on mush is not my idea of appetizing!  I have used this is several other savory recipes that you can find on my page, I decided to try it with some sweetness and it was creamy, sweet and just the right amount of tart! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! 

Make any pancakes that you like check out these amazing pancakes here or another easy option is Kodiak pancake mix which is higher in protien than many other ready to use pancake mixes.

For these I used 2 cups of Kodiak Mix, 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cup of milk follow directions as stated on he box. 

Containers- 2 pancakes 1 yellow (treat) 1 red 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup 4% cottage cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla ( no high fructose corn syrup added)
• 1 packet of Stevia
• 1 tablespoon 100% pure maple syrup 
• 1 lemon zested & 1/2 lemon juiced 
• optional fresh strawberries or blueberies 

Directions

1. Place all ingredients ( except berries if using) into a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth
2. place lemon mixture between pancakes and on top. Top with fruit and drizzle with a bit of extra syrup
3. Enjoy!