Egg muffins

On Sundays, I like to do my meal preparations for the week. Breakfast is on my high priority list, since I am grab and go, in a rush, trying to stop my daughter off at daycare before making it to work. These little egg muffins come in handy anytime!

I recommend pre-portioning them out into freezer ziplock bags of 2 in each bag. Keep about 3 out in the fridge, and freeze the rest. After you go through the 3 servings, take one bag from the freezer and thaw them out overnight in the fridge. All you need to do is pop them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds each day. They're even great cold!

Ingredients

• 12 slices turkey bacon, chopped
• 12 organic eggs
• 1 TB organic coconut oil (to coat baking dish)
• ¼ tsp aluminum free baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cups of spinach, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• Shredded cheese of choice- I recommend skim mozzarella or sharp cheddar (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven 375 degrees.
2. Brown the sausage in some butter or coconut oil.
3. Beat the eggs,  baking powder, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
4. In a well greased (with coconut oil) 12 muffin tin, divide the bell peppers, turkey bacon, and spinach in each cup.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach, turkey bacon and bell peppers.
6. Top with cheese.
7. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Zoodles dish- Zucchini Noodles

There is nothing like walking down the farmer's market on a Saturday morning. One of my favorite items? Zucchini! Here is a very simple and easy recipe using zucchini. You will need a vegetable spiral cutter (I recommend vegetti).

Zoodle Turkey Spaghetti

1. Brown the ground turkey breast over medium heat in a pan coated with extra virgin coconut or olive oil. Once browned, mix in 1 tsp oregano, 1tsp garlic, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Lower heat to low, cover, and let cook for about 10 more minutes.

2. While the turkey is cooking, follow the directions of your vegetable spiral cutter to cut your zucchini. It should look like this when you are done-

3. Cook the zucchini in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

4. Add 1 can (32 ounces) of organic tomato sauce of your choice (or you can make your own) to the ground turkey in the pan. Stir.

5. Place 2 tsp Italian seasoning and 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil into the ground turkey/tomato sauce in the pan and stir. Cover and let simmer over low heat for about another 10 minutes.

6. When turkey tomato sauce is ready, serve over the zoodles (zucchini noodles) and enjoy!

Do you ever get that craving for something cinnamon raisin? Or maybe a cold banana? One of my favorite go to snacks combines the too. Particularly, I prefer my bread extra toasty.

A quick, delicious, healthy snack:1 slice Ezekiel cinnamon raison bread1 tsp natural almond butter1/2 a banana, slicedSaigon cinnamon, dash of

Slice half a banana into 1/2 inch slices. This tool is very handy if you're a little OCD and like having your slices cut even ;)

Toast the slice of bread to desire (I love the full flavors of the grains in Ezekiel). Spread almond butter on toast, layer with banana slices, and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Did you know cinnamon is loaded with health benefits?-It is loaded with antioxidants, which help with free radicals in your body-Serves as an anti-inflammatory-Cut the risk of heart disease-Lowers blood sugar levels

I recommend using the organic Saigon cinnamon- it's my favorite! 

I scream, you scream, we all scream...

For ICE CREAM!!

This recipe looks absolutely delicious, and I am going to have to give it a try this summer.  I will be substituting the sugar for some local raw honey, and using fresh picked local blueberries from the farmers market on Palafox.

The recipe is from the blog Renee's Kitchen Adventures
http://www.reneeskitchenadventures.com/2014/08/blueberry-frozen-yogurt.html

A summer frozen treat made with Greek yogurt 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I will substitute for raw honey)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-12 ounce bag frozen blueberries
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 cups plain 2% milk fat Greek yogurt
• Ice cream maker

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, vanilla, blueberries, juice of lemon, and lemon zest. Turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Press the berries with the spoon to burst them. Remove from heat. 
2. Pour mixture into a container, and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. 
3. Once the mixture is well chilled, add to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add in the yogurt and continue to process until well blended. 
4. Freeze in your ice cream maker, according to manufacturers directions. Once the consistency of soft serve, spoon into container with cover and freeze for several hours.

Garlic-lime Chicken

Looking for a healthy Memorial Day Recipe?

Garlic-lime Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds of skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cilantro
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
Olive oil to coat pan

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl (except the chicken) to create a marinade. Then, place the chicken breasts in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil coated pan on medium heat. Sear chicken breasts on each side for about 5 minutes uncovered, until golden. Lower hear to medium-low and cover. Let cook for another 10 minutes. Turn heat off and let the chicken continue to cook for about 5 minutes covered.

Tuna macaroni salad

There's just something about birthday parties that makes me crave tuna macaroni salad. Maybe it's because my mom made it for my daughter's 1st birthday, and it brought back all those memories of growing up. I tried my best to match her recipe, based on what my taste buds were telling me. This recipe is so simple, and makes enough for a party or for a few days of munching from the fridge.

Here's what you'll need:
2 cups elbow macaroni
Water (for boiling the macaroni)
1/2 a red onion (or in Spanish, purple onion), chopped
1/2 a white onion, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1 can of tuna (size depends on how much tuna you want in your salad)
1 cup of mayonnaise (I prefer Helman's!)
Salt and pepper to taste

How to cook this craving:
1- Boil the macaroni.
2- Prep and chop the veggies.

3- Drain and rinse macaroni under cool water in the sink. Place in a serving bowl.
4- Drain tuna and add to macaroni.
4- Add veggies and mayonnaise to the macaroni. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5- Chill for at least 2-3 hours, and it will be ready to serve!

Cook what you crave!
Cleo

Pot Roast

Well I've been slacking a bit on my blogging. I've taken a lot of pictures of my cooking, but have not posted them. Here's a recipe I tried a few weeks ago for pot roast. It was my first meal in the crock pot! Also my first time using a cast iron pot. Overall, the recipe was pretty good. Next time, I might reduce the amount of cumin- I am coming to the realization that I am not the biggest fan of cumin. 

Here are the ingredients:
3 pounds of chuck roast
2-3 russet potatoes
2 cups of baby carrots
3 beef bullion cubes
1 cup beef broth
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tbsp cumin (I'll probably do 1 tbsp next time)
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper



Here's what to do:

 1- Trim the fat and cube the chuck roast. Peel and cut potatoes.

 

 2- Brown your meat (I used a cast iron pot). This will help the meat to retain the juiciness. Place browned meat in the crock pot, as well as the potatoes and carrots.

3- Mix the beef stock, bullion cubes, and spices in the pot you browned your meat.

 

 4- Pour the mixture from step 3 over the meat, potatoes and carrots in the crock pot.

 

5- Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Enjoy! I served it here with white rice and Jiffy mix cornbread :)