Pineapple Coconut Cacao Oats

So, it snowed here in Jersey this week.  Snow days!  I swear teachers want them more than kids.

It did, however, give me a chance to experiment with some oatmeal for breakfast.  Ah, the gift of time.

This oatmeal flavor combination was inspired by one of my favorite cakes that my mom made when I was growing up - Pineapple Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake.  Sounds weird right?  But, it was delicious!

For this oatmeal, to add in some healthy fats, I used Fourth and Heart Madagascar Vanilla Bean Ghee.  For those unfamiliar with ghee, it's a clarified butter that has some really terrific health benefits, such as:

• does not need refrigeration
• can be eaten by those who are intolerant to dairy or lactose
• Vitamin A & E

You can read more about it here!

Now it's totally optional in this recipe, but it does add a sweet, deep flavor that really added to the oatmeal!

I also used old fashioned oats, rather than quick cooking.  Takes a bit longer but I just like the texture better.  I've also tried this as an overnight oats mixture - haven't taste tested yet thought!

Pineapple Coconut Cacao Oats
Serves 1

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup reduced fat coconut milk (the kind in the can!)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup crushed pineapple in juice, slightly drained
1 tsp. organic coconut palm sugar (or sweetener of choice)
2 tsp. reduced fat unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp. Fourth and Heart Madagascar Vanilla Bean Ghee
1 tsp. cacao nibs

Bring liquids to boil.  Add oats, stirring occasionally, for about 14 minutes (or until thickened to the consistency you like).  Remove from heat, and add the pineapple, 1/2 tsp. of the cacao nibs, sugar, 1 tsp. coconut flakes, and the ghee, stirring until combined. 

Top with the remaining cacao nibs and coconut.

Enjoy!

Cocoa Oats

I'm very seasonal when it comes to breakfasts.

Spring and summer?  I'm all about the smoothies.

Fall and winter?  Give me all the hot breakfasts.

While most days it's avocado toast with an egg, I do get cravings for a hearty bowl of oatmeal.

And apparently, the secret to this, which I literally just found out, is to add more liquid than called for.  Makes the oats fluffy and bigger, hence more filling.  While it does take a bit longer to cook, it's totally worth it.

This bowl is loaded with chocolatey goodness.  I added some Vital Proteins collagen peptides in the recipe, which is totally optional.  I've been using it for a few weeks now and I have to say, definitely seeing a difference in my hair and nails!

Of course, the great thing about oatmeal is being able to top it with whatever you want!  I topped this one with some almond butter, some banana, and some Trader Joe's super seed blend (which I am obsessed with!).

Cocoa Oats
Serves 1

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
1 scoop collagen peptides (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add in oats and reduce heat, stirring occasionally as the oats cook.  (Mine took about 7-10 minutes until it was a nice thick consistency)  Once the oats are at the consistency you like, remove from heat and stir in coconut oil until melted.  Then, add the collagen, maple syrup, and cocoa, and stir well until combined.

Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings!

Coconut Mocha Smoothie

Remember Mounds bars?  I wasn't into Almond Joy because frankly, I didn't feel like a nut.  But chocolate and coconut was my jam.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a coffee junkie.  Give me all the coffee, all the time.  I have cut down in recent years, but if I can find a way to sneak coffee into just about anything,  I will.

This smoothie was born of my love for those three things, in addition to my lack of food shopping.  See, when I was getting ready for the next morning, I realized I had just about run out of unsweetened almond milk.  And it was late enough that the store wasn't happening.

Perusing my pantry, I found a can of coconut milk.  I didn't want to use the whole thing in my smoothie (well, I did, but realized that would make the smoothie a calorie bomb), so I figured I would have to improvise.  I thought about water but figured that would dilute flavor.

And then my eyes fell on my K-cups.  Why not?  Coconut, chocolate and coffee?  Sold.

I used vanilla protein powder for this (Quest is my favorite!) but only because I didn't have chocolate (FYI - totally trying it with chocolate and soon as Amazon delivers it!)  The cocoa definitely added enough of a chocolate kick though!

Coconut Mocha Smoothie
Serves 1 - 4 Smartpoints

2 tbsp. full fat coconut milk 
10 oz cold coffee 
1/4 cup unsweetened almond cashew milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Blend all (except coconut flakes) until creamy.  Top with coconut flakes and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats

I'm a big fan of overnight oats.  I mean it's served in a mason jar.  What's not to love?

It's a great make ahead and it's super filling, particularly this recipe. 

There are many different variations of overnight oats out there, but I love adding Greek yogurt to mine.  It ups the protein and I love the creamy, thick texture it adds.  I use 2%, because I'm trying to steer away from fat free stuff and more toward reduced or full fat more natural products, but it would be just as delicious with fat free if that is your choice!

I also added a scoop of Quest Peanut Butter protein powder.  I'm a BIG fan of the Quest powders, I find they taste really really good, not at all "protein-y".  And they are soy free, which is a big score. 

Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats
1 serving - 6 Smartpoints

1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond cashew milk
1 banana
1 scoop Quest Peanut Butter protein powder

Mash banana in a separate bowl.  Combine all ingredients in mason jar until combined.  Chill overnight.

I topped mine with 1 Smartpoint worth of pumpkin flax granola for crunch! 

Crockpot Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Crockpots are literally the best kitchen tool ever.

Well, next to the avocado slicer.

I mean what is easier than throwing everything in a pot and plugging it in?  Plus, your home smells amazing for hours.

This soup is super hearty and delicious and healthy.  I don't like to repeat meals so soon after each other but this one?  I'm on my second week.  It's THAT good.

I adapted this from my latest cookbook of the week - Crockpot Family Favorites.  To make it healthier and a bit more point friendly, and more to my liking, I made several changes, including upping the veggies significantly, using lean turkey sausages, and using tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes (totally a consistency thing for me).

The great thing about this soup is that it is totally customizable - whatever veggies you like or have on hand, throw them in!  You can also try different kinds of tortellini.  When I made this a second time, I used spinach and cheese tortellini and it was fabulous!

Crockpot Sausage and Tortellini Soup
6 servings (about 2 1/4 cups per serving) at 6 Smartpoints each

3 lean hot Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
3 lean sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
6 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth
1 29oz can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 package (9 oz) refrigerated tortellini
3 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
2 1/2 cups spinach and kale mix

Cook sausages in a large skillet until cooked through.  Add cooked sausages, broth, tomato sauce, carrots, Italian seasoning, and pepper to Crockpot.  Cook on high for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, add broccoli and zucchini and cook for another hour.  Then, add in tortellini and spinach / kale mixture.  Cook for another 30-45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Cookbook of the Week: Sheet Pan Suppers

Happy Sunday all!

Just a quick little intro to this week's cookbook of the week!

So basically, Sheet Pan Suppers is a book of recipes that can all be made on a sheet pan.  And there really aren't that many other pans required for most of them!

I played around with 2 recipes from here:

Cheesy Baked Polenta with Fresh Herbs
Quick Chicken and Baby Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Keep an eye out later this week for the recipes!

Taco Baked Chicken

So, to start of the New Year with the best of intentions, I'm really trying to plan ahead and cook on the weekends, thereby having leftovers for lunches and dinners during the week.

In addition, I'm also attempting to actually use the plethora of cookbooks I have (see my recent post on the my new Cookbook of the Week series!).

First up - The Busy Woman's Cookbook!

In thumbing through my first cookbook of the week, the taco baked chicken recipe caught my eye.  4 ingredients - however one was a huge amount of butter.

So I thought about it, and came up with a simple substitution that was much healthier - Greek yogurt.  What ended up happening was that the yogurt not only really helped the "breading" stick to the chicken, but it also kept it super juicy.

The recipe also called for corn chex but the store was out so I improvised with corn flakes!

Great right out of the oven, and great for leftovers!

Taco Baked Chicken (Serves 6)

Adapted from The Busy Woman's Cookbook

1 serving - 5 Smartpoints

6 chicken breasts (I used the thin sliced ones - the total weight was about 24 oz.)

4 cups of organic corn flakes, crushed

1 packet low sodium taco seasoning

1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

Spray a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350.

Crush the corn flakes (I used a mini food processor - super quick).  Pour into a pie plate and add the taco seasoning, mixing until combined.

Using a pastry brush, brush each chicken breast with the Greek yogurt on both sides.  Then dip each chicken breast into the taco / corn flake mixture until coated on both sides.

Lay back on baking sheet and cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (if using thicker chicken breasts, they will need to cook longer).  Then, broil for another 2-3 minutes to really crisp it up.

As a note, I didn't flip them halfway through - next time I may try that so the bottom gets just as crispy.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Yes, it's yet more pumpkin.  But I can't help it.  I'm addicted.

This is a delicious and healthy smoothie that's like fall in a cup.   It also features one of my favorite tricks - using half a frozen banana instead of ice.  Makes the smoothie super thick and creamy.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
(serves 1)

1 1/2 cups milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond cashew)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder of choice

Blend and enjoy!

Blog Bites: Pumpkin Parmesan Quinoa

And the pumpkin obsession continues.

However, this dish from ifoodreal is on the savory side of the pumpkin, and it's really really delicious.  A perfect fall dinner or lunch!

It's very simple to make - took about a half hour.  I will came out a little thinner sauce wise than hers (next time I might reduce the amount of broth a bit) but it was still absolutely amazing.

Makes about 4 servings so it's a perfect dish that will have plenty of leftovers for lunch!

Pumpkin Parmesan Quinoa

Apple and Goat Cheese Frittata for One

I know.  Sounds weird.  Apples and eggs.

And yet, it's super tasty!

This is a recipe for one (so you would need a smaller oven safe pan) but you could certainly double or triple it to make it for a few!

It's a quick and easy breakfast / lunch / dinner and makes great use of the delicious fall apples everywhere right now!

Apple and Goat Cheese Frittata for One

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large apple, chopped

2 eggs

3 tbsp. egg whites

1/8 tsp. thyme

1 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

In oven safe skillet, heat oil.  Saute apples for 5 min. over medium high heat.  

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, and thyme.  

Reduce heat and add egg mixture.  

Allow the eggs to set around the edges, then gently push in towards the center of the pan with a rubber spatula, allowing more liquid to the outside of the pan.  Continue this until the eggs are just about set.

Sprinkle with goat cheese and transfer to the oven.

Bake about 10 minutes or until eggs are set.

Serve immediately!

Avocado Corn Salad

Because let's face it, avocado makes everything better!

This is a quick and easy salad that's perfect for outdoor functions because there is no mayo.  It's light and delicious with a good dose of protein.

For good measure, I roasted the corn.  It made the corn a bit sweeter and deeper in flavor and really added to the flavor of the salad.

Corn and Avocado Salad

2 cans of corn, drained + salt and pepper
29 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
4 basil leaves, torn
1 tsp. olive oil
1 avocado, diced
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Spread corn in single layer on large baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast for 9 minutes, toss, and then roast for about 9 more minutes (keep and eye so it doesn't burn).    Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Once corn in cool, combine corn, black beans, avocado, goat cheese, basil, and salt and pepper in large bowl.  Add olive oil and toss to combine.    Finish off with the fresh lime juice, salt and pepper.  May be served at room temperature or cold!

Sweet Chili Chicken Tostadas

If you checked out my recipe for Crockpot Sweet Chili Chicken, then this one is for you!  Because pulled chicken is great, but what do you DO with it?

Make tostadas!

These tostadas are sweet and spicy, with a nice crunch from the broccoli slaw and a bit of tank from the goat cheese.  The measurements on this are for one serving but could easily be doubled and tripled for a group!

Sweet Chili Chicken Tostadas
(Serves 1)

1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups broccoli slaw
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
3/4 cup Crockpot Sweet Chili Chicken
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
2 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add broccoli slaw and cook for 2 minutes.  Add sesame seeds and cook for four more minutes.

Top each tortilla with the cooked broccoli slaw, the chicken, and the goat cheese (divide evenly among both tortillas).

For crunchy tortillas, bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  For a little less crunch and little more chewy soft taco texture, bake for 10.

Crockpot Sweet Chili Pulled Chicken

Who isn't a sucker for the crockpot?  Throw something in in the morning and dinner is served hours later with no fuss, no muss.   It's one of my favorite meal prep techniques - throw something in on a Sunday and have lunches or dinners for the week!

I had this bottle of sweet chili sauce and wanted to experiment with that instead of using a more traditional BBQ sauce.  What came out was a little bit sweet with a nice kick, with a hint of sesame in the background.  And super easy!

Crockpot Sweet Chili Pulled Chicken

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup sweet chili sauce, divided
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced

Spray crockpot with a nonstick cooking spray.  Mix 3/4 cup of the sweet chili sauce, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the dark sesame oil, and water in the crockpot.   Place chicken breasts in crockpot, and spoon some of the sauce over the tops of the chicken breasts.  Cover and cook on low for 3/12 hours.

After 3 1/2 hours, take 2 forks and shred the chicken.  Add 1/4 more cup and 1/2 tsp. more of the sesame oil to the shredded chicken, and mix well.  Cover and cook for another 1/2 hour.

(Stay tuned for a few recipes using this chicken!)

Avocado and Goat Cheese Toast

I've been seeing the avocado toast / avocado and egg toast all over Pinterest.  And I love it.  Because anything avocado is okay in my book.

But honestly, I've never met any dish that goat cheese couldn't improve.

I loved this both with and without the egg (as you can see in the pic!).  The goat cheese adds a nice tang and compliments the avocado deliciously!

This is quick, easy and filling breakfast - sometimes I also cut the egg in half and have half on each slice of toast.  If you want to be even quicker, substitute a 100 calorie pack of Wholly Guacamole for the avocado!

Avocado and Goat Cheese Toast

1 half Haas avocado
2 slices multigrain bread
1/2 lemon (for juicing)
1 oz. crumbled goat cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg (optional)

Toast the 2 slices of bread.  Mash the avocado half until creamy.  Squeeze the half lemon, add the pinch of red pepper flakes, and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread mixture evenly on the toast slices.  Divide the goat cheese in half on top of the avocado.  Top with egg if desired!

Healthy Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

It's probably no secret by now that the crockpot is one of my favorite kitchen tools ever.

Especially for meal prep.  Most Sundays feature me and the crockpot, getting a meal ready to take for lunches for the week.

It's probably also no secret at this point that I love breakfast food for just about any meal.

This crockpot breakfast casserole is very versatile - you can throw in any veggies or breakfast meats you want - this was just the combo I came up with.  I lightened it up considerably by using half eggs and half egg whites, as well as reduced fat cheese.

It comes out to about 7 1 cup servings.  That with some fresh fruit is a great breakfast or lunch!

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
(Serves 7 - 1 cup serving each) 

6 eggs
1 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
1 cup unsweetened almond / coconut milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
4 oz. cracked pepper turkey breast
2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
3 1/2 cups shredded potatoes (I used a 20 oz bag of Simply Potatoes)

In a stand mixer, whisk eggs, egg whites until combined.  Add in milk, salt, pepper, and mustard and whisk until all the ingredients are combined.

Spray the crockpot insert.  Layers some of the potatoes on the bottom.  Top with some of the turkey (chopped) and broccoli.  Then, sprinkle about a 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat these layers twice, ending with a layer of cheese.  Pour egg mixture over the top.

Cook on high for 2 hours, then switch to low for 3.  Or cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Fabulous Finds: Wild Veggie Breakfast Bowl

As I'm trying to be healthier, I'm trying to steer clear of frozen, premade meals.

However, life happens.  So I've been trying to find some healthier frozen, premade meals.

I saw these in Stop & Shop and was immediately intrigued.  Quinoa?  Barley?  Steel Cut Oats?  Only 150 calories per bowl?

The ingredient list?  Stats?  Impressive.

2 and 1/2 minutes in the microwave, and done!

There are a few flavors.  I had the apple cinnamon, which had huge chunks of real apples in it.  I also added a tablespoon of organic sunflower seed butter to mind, for an extra boost.  Really delicious and filling!  I also have the blueberry but haven't tried it yet.

So, I plan on getting some more for busy mornings.  Filling, healthy, and yummy!

Avocado Chicken Salad

Straight up?  I hate mayonnaise.  Like really hate it.

So basically I've never liked chicken salad or egg salad.

Until I found a genius idea, of course, on Pinterest.

Avocado.

Because avocados?  I LOVE.

This chicken salad has zero mayo.  Instead, I use a combination of Greek yogurt and avocado and it is creamy and delicious, and added in some dried cherries for a burst of chewy sweetness.  I used a good amount of Greek yogurt (2% because it's less tart), you certainly could adjust the amount down if you would like!

Also, I used Trader Joe's pre-grilled chicken breast.  Because it was that kind of day.  And it was also delicious.

Avocado Chicken Salad

(3 servings - 1/2 cup each: 188 calories per serving per MyFitnessPal Recipe Builder)

1 medium ripe avocado
1 lime
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
6 oz. chopped up or shredded chicken breast
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup dried cherries

Scoop the avocado out of it's skin and into bowl.  Juice the lime over the avocado and mash with a fork until creamy.  Add in the greek yogurt, chicken, salt, pepper, and dried cherries and stir until well combined.

(Side note - it does make three servings, and even with the lime juice, the avocado still turns a bit brown in the fridge however it still tastes delicious!)

Serve on a wrap with some lettuce or just on a bed of lettuce, would even be delicious with pita or pita crips!

Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Fritatta

I love eggs.  I love omelettes.

But I am terrible at making them. 

So a fritatta is my "cheat".  It's easy and requires no flipping.  Score!

Fritattas (and omelettes - if you can flip them!) are great 'use-ups'.  Left over veggies and proteins can easily be thrown in for a quick and easy meal.

My leftovers were sauteed brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes.  The end result was a delicious dish with a nice crunch from the brussel sprouts and a creamy sweetness from the sweet potatoes. 

Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Fritatta 
(Serves 1)

1/2 cup brussel sprouts (chopped to your desired size)
1/4 cup roasted sweet potato
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
6 tbsp. egg whites
2 tbsp. shredded cheese of your choice (I used a part skim italian blend)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Be sure to use an oven safe skillet!

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes and saute to warm through. 

In a small bowl, beat together egg and egg whites, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat on veggies and add egg mixture.  Let it set up a bit, and then push the edges back with a spatula to let some of the uncooked egg over to the edges.  Repeat this process until it is almost cooked through, with just a bit of raw egg left on top.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and transfer to oven.  Cook in the oven for about 9 minutes, or until eggs are set. 

Serve and enjoy!

Meal Planning: What I'm Eating This Week!

So, after week 1 of meal planning, I'd say it was a rousing success.  Getting lunches together for work and having a plan for my late tutoring nights was a huge help!

So let's get to week 2!

I still have quite a few waffles in the freezer from last week's batch, so I'm planning on using those for breakfasts, along with an egg sandwich on alternating days (side note - I have to do a post on my breakfast sandwich maker because it is literally the best thing ever!)

I'm doing my Protein Packed Mason Jar salad twice this week, just changing it up a tad.  I ran out of quinoa and I'm in no mood to brave the grocery store the day before an ice storm, so I'm subbing an extra 1/4 cup of chickpeas for the quinoa.  Other lunches will be leftovers!

And as for those leftovers, my two recipes I'm trying out this week:

Italian Escarole and White Bean Soup from the Skinnytaste cookbook (I'm actually using baby kale instead of escarole)
Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo from Celebrations

I also stocked up on some berries, pineapple, and sugar snap peas for snacks, as well as some more greek yogurt and granola, and some Vermont 10 grain bread for mini banana / peanut butter paninis.  I also have some Vegan Chocolate Shakeology that I'm using as snacks!

What are you planning for this week?

Protein Packed Mason Jar Salad

Confession.  I don't love salads.

I mean, I love salads at restaurants.  But of course, those aren't always the healthiest.

When I eat a salad, I want it to have a lot of different "stuff".  Not just lettuce and veggies. 

I have been watching YouTube videos for some healthy eating ideas and one that kept popping up was the salad in a mason jar.  The pluses include that they could be prepped 3-4 days in advance and stay fresh, easy grab and go, and you could really put anything them you want.

So in an effort to continue with the healthy start to the new year, I decided to give it a go.  I got 2 liter size mason jars at Michael's (those are the good size, it's a great size for a 'meal' salad), and I bought a nice big container at The Container Store to dump it into.  You can eat it right from the mason jar, however it's difficult to mix so you'd likely only get 1-2 ingredients at a time.

Then, I assembled the ingredients.  Side note - you can put your dressing right in the jar at the bottom (usually with the 'sturdiest' ingredients) but I had also bought tiny dressing containers at The Container Store so I decided to leave mine on the side.

I prepped 2 of these on Sunday and had them Monday and Wednesday.  The Wednesday one was fresh and delicious!

I started with about 2 oz. of chopped precooked roasted turkey breast from Trader Joe's.  Only turkey, salt and pepper so nice ingredient list, and precooked to save some time!

Then I threw in a 1/4 cup of rinsed and drained chickpeas.

After that, about a 1/2 cup of the steamed broccoli and cauliflower I had done for my meal prep.

Then a 1/4 cup of quinoa.

Then 1 chopped up hard boiled egg.

Then I basically stuffed it with baby arugula.  I really packed it in so that all of the ingredients would have a nice "bed" to fall out on.

And I topped it off with some sea salt pumpkin seeds for crunch!

I had mine with 1 tablespoon or Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing from Trader Joe's.

And here was the result!  I had this and some fresh pineapple and was totally satisfied!

I really love this concept and am looking forward to trying some different varieties!