GREEN Cookie Dough Smoothie

Holy crap this green smoothie was SO GOOD..life changing, really. I make smoothies every morning for my fiance and I, and this morning I decided to take a walk on the wild side and try something new. Well, if you couldn't tell, the result was ahhhmazing. This recipe was adapted from Green Thickies and yields one serving.

What you need...

• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 dates, pitted
• 1 banana
• 1 cup spinach or kale
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

How to make it...

1. Pour the almond milk into a blender, add the dates, and blend until smooth.
2. Add the bananas to the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add all the other ingredients except for the spinach and, yepp you guessed it, blend until smooth.
4. Add spinach and blend until smooth.
5. ENJOY!

The recipe was so sweet and filling, it was the perfect Friday morning treat. I can see myself making this for dessert in the future. Give it a try, YOU WON'T BE SORRY. K, byeeee.

Fake Oatmeal

I like having oatmeal for breakfast because it is very filling. Instant oatmeal packets taste delicious, but they're actually disgusting when it comes down to the ingredients. Back in the day when I did the WLC, I was looking for grain free alternatives and came across this recipe for fake oatmeal. The good part about this recipe is that you can make a batch at the beginning of the week and you have an easy breakfast every morning!

What you need to make a batch...

• ½ cup + 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• ½ cup + 2 Tbsp cup golden flax meal
• ½ cup + 2 Tbsp cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 Tbsp + ¾ tsp ground cinnamon

How to make it...

Combine the chia seed, golden flax meal, unsweetened coconut, cinnamon and store in an airtight container. It is super complicated, right?

What you need to make one serving of fake oatmeal...

• ½ cup hot water
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut or almond milk
• Sweetener to taste (Stevia, honey, or agave nectar)

How to make it...

1. Scoop out ½ cup of fake oatmeal in a serving bowl
2. Pour ½ cup of hot water over the fake oatmeal
3. Add 2 Tbsp of milk and stir to combine

The fake oatmeal is very bland on its own, so I really like to add some sort of sweetener  and top it with fresh fruit to make it more enjoyable. Sometimes I'll smash up half of a banana and stir that in - it adds flavor and sweetness. Give it a try! K, byeeee.

Chicken Salad

Lately I have been trying to eat as clean as possible. For some people that includes dairy, for others it doesn't. I have found that for my own personal sanity I cannot give up dairy completely. That doesn't mean I allow myself to snack on cheese with a side of yogurt and then wash it all down with a big ol' glass of milk. I do, however, like to incorporate greek yogurt into dishes as a substitute for mayo. This chicken salad only uses a little bit of greek yogurt and it is my current favorite lunch dish!

This recipe makes one serving - double, triple, quadruple, etc. as needed!

What you need...

• 4 oz chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1 tbsp greek yogurt
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp onions, diced
• 2 tbsp carrots, shredded
• 1 tbsp almonds, chopped
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

How to make it...

Mix ingredients together in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Serve over a bed of fresh spinach or in a lettuce wrap.



Just writing this post makes me excited for my lunch today! K, byeee!

Salmon with Honey Mustard Pan Sauce

I'm about to get really fancy in this post, so be prepared. (I'm just kidding, this dish is really easy, but you do have to 'deglaze' the pan, and just saying that makes me feel like I'm on Chopped.) I actually got the inspiration for this recipe from a Trader Joe’s package. I severed mine over an arugula salad with a homemade vinaigrette. It was ahhhmazing!

Vinaigrette

What you need....

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1 shallot*

*I used a full shallot and it resulted in a pretty strong onion flavor. If you don't love onions, I would suggest using half a shallot instead. 

How to make it...

1. Finley mince the shallot.
2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, pepper, and mustard
3. Stir in the shallot.

OR

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend.

Salmon 

What you need...

• 1 lb salmon (or two large fillets)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey

How to make it...

1. Add olive oil and butter to a large skillet and cook over medium heat to melt butter.
2. Add the mustard to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the salmon and cook for 3 minutes per side if the fish is defrosted or 6 minutes per side if it is frozen.
4. Add the water (I did this so the fish wouldn't dry out), cover with a lid to complete cooking, mine took approximately 3 more minutes.
5. Remove the fish and add lemon juice to deglaze the pan.
6. Add honey and cook until reduced, about 2-3 minutes.

Salad

What you need...

• 2 handfulls of baby arugula (about 2 cups)
• 4 tbsp dried cranberries, divied
• 4 tbsp crumbled goat cheese, divided
• unsalted sunflower seeds, to taste

How to make it...

1. Divide the arugula evenly and top each portion with cranberries, goat cheese, and sunflower seeds.
2. Pour dressing over salad - I used 2 tbsp on each salad (I had plenty of dressing leftover - if you don't want leftovers, cut the vinaigrette recipe in half).
3. Place the salmon on the salad and spoon the pan sauce over the salmon.

My boyfriend almost skipped out on this meal for a juice. While we were eating he said he was really glad he didn't skip this meal and that its a keeper - and I agree!! K, byeeee.

Lemon and Garlic Shrimp "Pasta"

Recently I realized that entirely too many of my calories were coming from carbs, so I've been trying to cut back! I love pasta dishes and I've been eating a lot of spaghetti squash recently, but I wanted to try something new! I had some zucchini in the fridge so I figured I'd give zucchini pasta a try. I always keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer for quick dinners, so I ended up with Lemon and Garlic Shrimp Pasta!

What you need...

• 1/2lb peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced into thin strips for zucchini pasta

How to make it...

If your shrimp are frozen, put them in a bowl of cold water to thaw. While they are thawing you can make your zucchini pasta. By the time you get the pasta made and the sauce ingredients into the skillet, the shrimp should be thawed.

To make the zucchini pasta, use a vegetable peeler and make long thin strips of zucchini. Continue around the zucchini until you get to the seeds. If you have a spiral vegetable slicer, you can use that instead!

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and combine all ingredients except zucchini pasta. Sauté until the shrimp turns pink. If you want the "pasta" al dente, just add the zucchini into the pan, toss and serve. If you want the pasta a little softer, remove the shrimp from the pan and set them on a plate covered with foil to keep warm. Add the zucchini pasta and toss for a few mins until softened.



I've made this dish three times since I first created it, its definitely a keeper! K, byeeeee.

Southwest Breakfast Casserole

My mom's breakfast casserole is one of the many things I've been missing a lot during the WLC (this is another post I wrote a few months ago and forgot to publish). I gave this southwest breakfast casserole a try and it was tasty enough, but not being able to have hashbrowns or cheese makes it really hard for me to love any breakfast dish. I'm probably not doing a very good job of convincing you to try it, but I have to be honest about my love for cheese.

What you need...

• 1tablespoon coconut oil
• half a yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 sweet potato, peeled and grated
• 1 pound grass fed ground beef or sausage
• 1 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (I used Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde)
• 12 eggs
• Sea Salt to taste

How to make it....

Preheat oven to 350. In a large saute pan, saute the onions and minced jalapeno in the coconut oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent.



Add the ground beef and cook until it starts to brown and add the grated sweet potato and garlic. Cook until the beef is completely browned and the sweet potato is soft.




Add the chili powder, cumin, and salsa, stir and cook until heated through.  Add sea salt if desired.  Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish and spread evenly over the bottom of the dish.



In a large mixing bowl, beat together the 12 eggs add pour over the meat mixture in the baking dish.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.



Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle when you jiggle the pan.



I tried the casserole topped with the salsa verde, hot sauce, and Maggie's Fresh Pico - all three options we equally tasty. What would you top it with? K, byeeee.

Coconut Chicken

I have been eating so much coconut since I started the WLC (I wrote this back in March and forgot to post it....woopsie), it was only a matter of time before I ate it with chicken. I'm used to coconut being sweet, so at first I wasn't sure how I felt about the finished product. It wasn't sweet and it was almost kind of bland? I ended up adding some sea salt to trick my brain into thinking it was a slaty-sweet dish. Haha I don't think it worked, but I enjoyed it either way.

What you need...

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup almond or coconut flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs coconut oil

How to make it...

Mix the flour, shredded coconut and sea salt together in a bowl. Beat an egg in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken breast in the egg and roll in dry mixture. Heat a pan over medium heat and add coconut oil when hot. Pan fry chicken until fully cooked.

 If the crust starts to brown and your chicken isn't fully cooked yet (this will depend on the size of the chicken breast - it happened to me), take it out of the pan and place it in the oven on a baking sheet at 350F for 5-10 minutes covered with foil. K, byeeeee.

Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream"

I love dessert. I haven't always loved it, but recently I have developed the biggest sweet tooth and it is a problem (duh, most desserts aren't exactly healthy). Recently, my version of dessert has been a Lara Bar (coconut cream pie and key lime pie are my current favorites) or fresh cut pineapple. The other day I was craving ice cream, but I can't have any dairy during the WLC. My solution? Two ingredient peanut butter banana ice cream.

What you need....

• 3 large very ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (I used fresh ground peanuts from whole foods)

How to make it...

Peel bananas and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.

Arrange banana slices in a single layer on a large plate or baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, place the banana slices in a food processor or powerful blender. Puree banana slices until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the peanut butter and puree to combine.

Serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream consistency. If you prefer harder ice cream, place in the freezer for a few hours and then serve. K, byeeee.

Gingersnap Mallobar

We've already established that I love Larabars. Eventually I'm sure I'll recreate all of them, but so far I've only made Coconut Cream Pie [Mallobars]. Recently I saw a picture of a gingersnap larabar on Instagram. As soon as I saw it I made it my mission to find the gingersnap flavor. I went to four different stores looking for them and had no luck. It was quite depressing. THEN, out of the blue, a friend of mine from Texas mailed me a few to try...HOW AWESOME IS SHE?



Anyway, as soon as I confirmed they are in fact delicious, it was time to make them on my own!

What you need...

• 1 cup pitted dates (about 8 ounces)


• 3/4 cup almonds


• 3/4 cup pecans


• 1-2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger


• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon


• 3/4 teaspoon cloves

How to make them...

Place all the ingredients in a food processor except the ginger and dates and blend until everything is nice and chopped up. Add the dates and 1 tablespoon of ginger and blend. Once everything is chopped and blended, take a pinch of it and try it. If it isn't snappy enough for you, add some more ginger and blend! Once you're satisfied with the taste, portion out 1.8 ounce bars and wrap them individually in plastic wrap! This recipe yields approximately 9 Mallobars.



And this ^picture^ is why I suck a being a food blogger...as you can see I didn't bother to make them pretty, wrap them nicely, or take a decent picture.Woopsie :) I'll do better next time! K, byeeeee.

Taco Seasoning

If you've ever read my blog before, then you probably know by now that I love mexican food. When I first started the WLC, I thought I would get over my obsession..because what is mexican food with out CHEESE and sour cream?! Well, I still wonder that, BUT I guess you could say I've gotten used to the absence of my two favorite toppings.

Anyway, I started making my own taco seasoning a while ago (and blogged about it) simply because I forgot to buy a packet of it at the store. Since starting the WLC, I'm happy to know I was doing at least one good thing for my body. Most popular brands of taco seasoning have things like yellow corn flour, maltodextrin, potato starch, and other totally unnecessary ingredients...so just make your own! I've adapted my recipe a little every time (and usually just pretend I'm a pro and eyeball it), but here is my most recent concoction:

What you need...

• 2 tablespoon chili powder


• 2 tablespoon ground cumin


• 2 tablespoon garlic powder


• 2 tablespoon onion powder


• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper


• sea salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each)

How to make it...

• Measure and mix....ta dah!! You have taco seasoning!


• Be sure to store it in an airtight container.


• When cooking, add 2-3 tablespoons of this mixture + 1/2 cup of water to one pound of cooked meat (of your choice). Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until there is very little liquid left in the pan.

 

Sorry no food pics, just me giving a thumbs up. Haha k, byeeeee.