Raised Waffles

I double this recipe for my family of 6

1. In a glass measuring cup, dissolve for about 5 min:

1/2 cup warm water

1 package dry yeast

Set aside:

2. In a large glass or plastic bowl with a hand mixer mix the following ingredients until smooth. Do not put mixture in a metal bowl

2 cups warm milk

1 stick melted butter (1 stick = 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups flour

yeast/water mixture from above

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and keep overnight at room temperature on your kitchen counter. Make sure the bowl is large because the mixture will rise and if the bowl is to small it will overflow onto the kitchen counter.

3. The next morning, with a hand mixer, mix in:

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

The batter will be thin.

Make your waffles and enjoy!

We make our waffles in a traditional waffle iron NOT a Belgian waffle iron. I think the batter is too thin to work in a Belgian waffle iron. If Belgian is all that you have then feel free to try it, but I am not sure if you will get the desired results.

My family LOVES these waffles. We don't even enjoy any other waffle anymore. These are so simple and have such an amazing flavor. You just have to think about making them the night before. Try them and I am sure they will become a family favorite for you as well.

FESTIVE TOSSED SALAD

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons water
• 2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix
• 4 (10 ounce) packages Italian-blend salad greens
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries

Directions

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, water and salad dressing mix; shake well. In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, tomatoes, onion, cheese and cranberries. Serve with dressing.

FUNERAL POTATOS

Caution: This is NOT a healthy dish, but it was well liked at a family event. It was gone fast, so I posted it for those times you throw caution to the wind! lol

INGREDENTS:

1 Large bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (not already browned, raw)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 pint of sour cream

1 small bunch of green onions (just the green part cut really fine, I just use scissors!)

GOBS of grated cheese, I use cheddar/jack combination but any is fine. (About 2 large handfuls, but more is good too.)

DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, plop in a 9x13 pan and cook at 350 degrees for about ½ hour.

OPTIONAL: Crushed Corn Flakes on top, or Crushed Potato Chips (I used potato chips no melted butter), or Bread Crumbs W/melted butter etc, be creative.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

2 large cans sweet potatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted

TOPPING:

3/4 cup oats
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup crushed pecans
3/4 cup shredded coconut
mini marshmallows

Mix the first 6 ingredients with a mixer. Prep baking dish with cooking spray, then pour in. Mix the topping ingredients by hand. Sprinkle on top.

Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows on top, then bake uncovered 5 more minutes.

TANGY PUMPKIN SEED SALAD

YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 0 MINUTES

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Details

Add some kick to your meals with this delicious side salad! The combination of lemon and Worcestershire sauce in the dressing will have your taste buds dancing while the healthy fats in this salad feed your skin to make it glow!

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml sea salt
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp / 5 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml best-quality olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 10 cups of the lettuce of your choice
• 1/3 cup / 90 ml toasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. Rinse lettuce of your choice under cold water and set aside in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl, add minced garlic and salt.
3. Whisk lemon and Worcestershire sauce into the garlic.
4. Continue to whisk the dressing while slowly pouring the olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk until smooth.
5. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
6. Add pumpkin seeds to the lettuce then pour the dressing over top.
7. Toss the lettuce to coat with dressing and serve.

Tosca's Tip

The dressing for this salad is perfect for a Clean Caesar Salad! Tear two heads of romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces, add the dressing and toss to coat, then serve with fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Much healthier than a regular Caesar salad but with all of the flavor!

Nutritional Value for One Serving of Salad:

Calories: 120
Calories from Fat: 98
Total Fat: 10.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
Total Carbs: 4.3 g
Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 3.86 g
Sodium: 56 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

MOCK-A-MO LE

By Bethenny Frankel - AKA Skinny Girl
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (I doubled it for our family Thanksgiving gathering)
Hands-on time 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed
• 1 cup green peas, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp hot sauce
• Additional cilantro for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Using a hand-held blender, purée mixture until smooth.
2. Garnish with cilantro and serve with whole-grain crackers or raw vegetables.

NUTRIENTS per 1-tbsp serving:
CALORIES: 25
TOTAL FAT: 1.6 g
SAT. FAT: 0.25 g
CARBS: 2 g
FIBER: 1 g
SUGARS: 0.25 g
PROTEIN: 1 g
SODIUM: 9 mg
CHOLESTEROL: 0 mg

Five-Spice Tilapia

Prep: 15 min Total: 15 min (Quick)

Ingredients:

1 pound tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Sprinkle both sides of tilapia fillets with five-spice powder. Combine soy sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tilapia and cook until the outer edges are opaque, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, turn the fish over, stir the soy mixture and pour into the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until the fish is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes more. Add scallions and remove from the heat. Serve the fish drizzled with the pan sauce.

Notes

Tip: Five-spice powder is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. Look for it in the spice section at the market or with other Asian ingredients.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 180

Fat: 6g

Carbs: 9g

Sodium: 596mg

Fiber 0g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Monounsaturated Fat: 3g

Protein: 24g

Cholesterol: 57 g

Grandma Sullivan's Pound Cake

This is how Grandma made the cake while we were young.

1 cup margarine

1 cup crisco

4 cups sugar

1 cup milk (She used 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup water)

6 large eggs

3 1/2 cups All Purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

This is how she has been making it as of late.

2 sticks butter (= 1 cup butter)

1 cup buttered flavored crisco

4 cups sugar

1 cup milk (2% milk)

6 large eggs

3 1/2 cups All Purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

These directions are just as she wrote them.

Combine butter, crisco and sugar. Cream together until a silvery look. (Whatever Silvery look means? I just creamed them together.) Add eggs. Beat well. Add milk. Beat well. Add half of the flour. Work in. Add the rest of the flour. Mix and beat 3 min. (When I made this I didn't beat for three min. I just mixed until combined. In the past when I had problems with the recipe, I think it is because I over mixed the batter)

Pour into tube cake pan. (Grease the pans WELL.)  I prefer to divide this mixture into two cake pans. The reason I do this is I like a thinner pound cake rather than a thick one. I like more brown crust.

Bake 300 to 350 till golden brown about a hour or until done.

I just baked this last night. I followed the second recipe with the exception of the milk. I used the can of evaporated milk and water as she has in the first recipe. I baked it at 325 for one hour. It came out great!

Peppermint Bark

Makes 2 1/4 pounds or one 11x17 in sheet

2 Pounds White Chocolate(Not white chocolate chips. I buy Merckens white or dark chocolate which is designed for candy making. They have a much better flavor than the Wiltons chocolate wafers.)

12 Large Candy Canes (6 oz crushed candy)

1/2 teaspoon peppermint Oil (Not extract)

Directions:

1. Line an 11x17 in. baking sheet with parchment, and set aside.

2. In a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly.

3. With a chef knife or meat tenderizer, pound candy canes in 1/4 in pieces. Don't crush too much so that you have peppermint powder.

4. Stir pieces of candy canes (reserve a little to sprinkle on top) and peppermint oil into melted chocolate. Remove from heat, and pour evenly. Sprinkle remaining peppermint pieces on top. Chill until firm, 25 to 30 min. Break into pieces, and serve. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tangy Pumpkin Seed Salad

YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 0 MINUTES

---

Details

Add some kick to your meals with this delicious side salad! The combination of lemon and Worcestershire sauce in the dressing will have your taste buds dancing while the healthy fats in this salad feed your skin to make it glow!

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml sea salt
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp / 5 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml best-quality olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 10 cups of the lettuce of your choice
• 1/3 cup / 90 ml toasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

1. Rinse lettuce of your choice under cold water and set aside in a bowl.
2. In a small bowl, add minced garlic and salt.
3. Whisk lemon and Worcestershire sauce into the garlic.
4. Continue to whisk the dressing while slowly pouring the olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk until smooth.
5. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
6. Add pumpkin seeds to the lettuce then pour the dressing over top.
7. Toss the lettuce to coat with dressing and serve.

Tosca's Tip

The dressing for this salad is perfect for a Clean Caesar Salad! Tear two heads of romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces, add the dressing and toss to coat, then serve with fresh parmesan cheese on top. Much healthier than a regular Caesar salad but with all of the flavor!

Nutritional Value for One Serving of Salad:

Calories: 120
Calories from Fat: 98
Total Fat: 10.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
Total Carbs: 4.3 g
Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 3.86 g
Sodium: 56 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Chicken Parmigiana

I got this recipe from OnceAMonthMom.com which has recipes you can make and freeze to eat later. The first time I made it Christopher remarked that it tasted like something you would eat at a restaurant. It is not healthy but I have to admit it is delicious! Hope you enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts. I like to use chicken tenders because it means I get to skip the step where you pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thick.

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs. I like to use the Italian bread crumbs and I use much more than called for. I just make sure each chicken piece is evenly coated.

1/2 cup cooking oil

32 ounces canned tomato sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded. I like to use the shredded Italian cheese blend.

One box of thin spaghetti noodles.


DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken breasts on cutting board, pound lightly until 1/4 inch thick (skip this step if using chicken tenders).

Combine lightly beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Dip chicken into egg mixture and then bread crumbs.

Heat oil in skillet until hot. Quickly cook breaded chicken, browning on both sides and then place chicken in a shallow baking dish. I use a 9 x 13 baking pan. You do not need to cook the chicken all the way through, just brown it on the outside. Repeat with all the chicken breasts.

In the same skillet (with remaining oil and loose bread crumbs) stir in tomato sauce and garlic powder, heat to boiling. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened.

Stir butter into tomato sauce, then pour over chicken in baking pan.

Sprinkle chicken with parmesan cheese, cover with mozzarella (or Italian blend) cheese and cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer.

Serve over cooked thin spaghetti noodles.

*One note I want to add about this is that I like having more tomato sauce than this recipe calls for, otherwise there is not enough sauce to coat all of the noodles I serve with the chicken. In the past I have added 1-2 cans of petite diced tomatoes to the spaghetti sauce while it simmers for 10 minutes. Doing this made enough sauce but it also changed the flavor of the sauce and it did not taste as good as it does by following the original directions. I think next time I make this I will follow the directions for the sauce and pour over chicken as directed. While that is baking in the oven I will make additional sauce on the stove that I can put on the noodles if they don't seam coated enough. I'll use the same skillet pan, stir in 32 ounces of tomato sauce and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder then heat to boiling. Then I'll simmer 10 minutes until thickened and stir 2 Tablespoons butter into tomato sauce and serve with noodles.

Iranian (Persian) Rice

My wonderful, patient Father-in-law (Mohamad) taught me how to make Iranian (Persian) Rice when he came to visit a few years ago. I found a copy of the exact recipe HERE. But I've published it on our humble, little blog for all of you anyway. It's not low calorie or 'healthy,' but it is some of the yummiest rice you'll ever taste! (I mean, mo butt'a is bett'a, right?)

SERVINGS: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups long grain white rice
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start the 2 quarts water and salt boiling in large stock pot or dutch oven.
2. Rinse rice until water runs clear (or as close to clear as you can get it)
3. Add rice to boiling water, boil about 10 minutes or until rice is about half cooked.
4. Drain rice in colander, reserve.
5. In stock pot or dutch oven, pour about 1/4 cup melted butter on bottom, tilt to cover 2 inches up sides.
6. Pour the half-cooked rice into the pot, try to make a nice mound in the middle, and avoid the sides as much as possible.
7. With the end of a wooden spoon, make holes in the mound of rice (5 or 6 places) evenly around.
8. Pour the remaining melted butter onto the rice, and drizzle 1/4 Cup of the extra water into the holes you made. Cover pot with kitchen towel to absorb the steam, place pot lid on towel.
9. Cook on very low heat, checking after about 15 minutes. If the rice is browning too fast, add the remaining extra water a little bit at a time.
10. Cook rice until it's done, about 30 minutes.
11. Try not to check it too often, as it needs to steam.

Brown Rice (its SOOOO yummy!)

My husband (Deland) grew up eating rice EVERY DAY. (He is Iranian after all.) And let me tell you I LOVE Iranian Style Rice. It is so yummy, buttery, and the crispy rice on the bottom of the pot is amazing! The problem is that I'm allergic to large amounts of butter. (It makes my butt bigger.) Plus I know brown rice is much healthier. So I did some research and came up with an amazing brown rice "recipe" that tastes different from the Iranian rice my husband and I love, but is equally yummy. (Deland eats it by itself.)

Enjoy! (And let me know what you think!)

INGREDIENTS:

• Brown Rice
• Beef Broth - Low Sodium
• Olive Oil
  
• Fresh Garlic - 3 or 4 cloves
  
• Dried, Whole Bay Leaves - 3 or 4
  
• Sea Salt - a dash
• Pepper - a dash
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Read the instructions on the bag.
   
2. Substitute beef broth for the water.
3. Substitute olive oil for the butter.
4. Add bay leaves, garlic, salt and pepper to the broth.
5. When it comes to a boil, add the rice.
6. Just follow the directions on the bag from here.

Simple Salsa

I got this recipe from the book, "Your Best Body Now," By Tosca Reno. It really is yummy. I used it over Mexican Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin (from the same book) and served it with Brown Rice. But I can't wait to try it with pita chips!

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can (19 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Serve with Mexican Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin, or over chicken with baked whole-grain tortilla or pita chips and a salad.

Mexican Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

I got this recipe from the book, "Your Best Body Now," By Tosca Reno. My 4-year-old even thought it was delicious! (She kept asking for more and cried the next day when I told her I had eaten the last bite. Not.Even.Kidding.) WARNING: It is pretty spicy. But served with the Simple Salsa and Brown Rice, it was just right. (See below for tips on how to make it not quite SO hot.)

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or just a single chili if you want more mild heat)
  
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (I used balsamic)
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound pork tenderloin

• NOTE: If you don't like hot/spicy food, you could use a single chili from the Chipotle Chili Sauce. It takes some of the 'bite' out of the spice but leaves that rich flavor.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Process chili, garlic, onion, lime juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Add olive oil and blend until smooth.
2. Place marinade and pork in a zippered plastic bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
4. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Sear pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until brown. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. (I don't have a pan that goes in the oven, so I just transferred my meat to a baking dish.)
   
5. Allow pork to rest before slicing, 5-10 minutes. This pork is beautiful by itself or topped with Simple Salsa. (I also served it with Brown Rice.)
   

NOTE:
Ok, I don't think I had my heat up high enough on the stove top and didn't sear the meat well enough. At the end of my 25 minutes in the oven, my meat was not cooked all the way through. I ended up turning the heat to 390 degrees and set the timer for another 15 minutes. It was still a little pink, but after letting the meat rest, it was PERFECT. Take that information for what it's worth. Try the recipe as it calls for, but if your meat is not done when it *should be* then follow what I did. You should be fine.

Oh, and we fed our family of 4 and 2 missionaries with this meal. PLUS, I made an additional tenderloin (plus rice and salsa) for a family who just had a baby. It was simple to just make two, and I was proud to present such a nice meal to another family!

Enjoy!

Tomato Basil {Personal} Pizza

We eat this on nights when we would normally eat out. It's quick, easy and OH SO YUMMY! I make cheese ones for the kids, and tomato basil for Daddy and Mommy. I hope you like these as much as we do!

Makes aprox. 4 pizzas

INGREDIENTS:

• Plumb Tomatoes; 2 or 3 (Sliced into rounds.)
• Fresh Basil - chopped (We like a Tbsp or two on each pizza)
  
• Whole Wheat Pita Bread
• Olive Oil or Coconut Oil - 5 or 6 Tbsp
  
• Fresh Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves
• Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese (Grated)
• Optional: Grilled chicken
  

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

"Sauce:" In a microwave safe bowl, poor in you choice of oil. (Maybe 2 Tbsp. per pizza.) Peal your garlic cloves. Crush them over your bowl of oil and add all the garlic to the bowl. Heat the oil in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. You just need it warm. Then remove it from the microwave and crush the garlic a little more with a fork. (You want as much flavor as possible.) I add a dash of salt and pepper at this point too. That's it! You have your sauce!

Spread the sauce on your pita bread. Add just a sprinkle of cheese. Then add your tomatoes and basil. *Again, we like a lot of basil. You decide how much you want.* (If you want a little protein in your meal, add chicken.) Then top with more cheese. Thats it!

Cook for 8 minutes. We make 4 pizzas at a time on Papered Chef baking stone. You just want the cheese golden and bubbly. Then it's done!

Crispy Chicken Bites

SERVINGS: 20-24 nuggets
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10-15 minutes

Details

McDonald's has nothing on these delicious nuggets. The crispy almond-based coating and yummy honey-mustard sauce will make this quick-dish a family favorite in no time. For more kid-friendly, Tosca-approved meal ideas, pick up your copy of The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts weighing about 6 oz. / 170 g each
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml of oat bran
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml of wheat germ
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml coarsely ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml coarsely ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp / 2 1/2 ml sea salt
• 1/2 tsp / 2 1/2 ml white pepper
• Pinch garlic powder
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml water or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or coating lightly with cooking spray.
2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, about 1.5 inches square. Set aside.
3. Next, combine all dry ingredients in a large container with a tightly fitting lid. Shake well. This is your coating mixture.
4. Combine water and egg in a medium bowl. Dip each piece in the water/egg-white mixture. Then dip each piece in the coating mixture. Make sure each piece is well coated.
5. Place on the baking sheet. When all of your chicken has been coated and your backing sheet is full, place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Friday Night Chili

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground bison or turkey 1 large onion, chopped fine 3 stalks celery, chopped fine 1 carrot, peeled and grated 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 T EVOO 1T molasses 1 can navy beans 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can red kidney beans 3/4 c chicken stock 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cooked and mashed 1 T chili powder

DIRECTIONS:

heat 1 T of oil in skillet and brown meat.

Heat remaining oil and cook garlic, onion, carrot and celery until soft.

Add meat, chili, molasses, tomatoes and beans. Add chicken stock and mashed sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Number of Servings: 12

THIS RECIPE IS FROM THE BOOK, EAT CLEAN DIET FOR FAMILY AND KIDS, BUT I FOUND IT HERE.

Eat-Clean Egg Salad

SERVINGS: 1 cup of egg salad

DETAILS:

Egg Salad is the perfect school lunch! It’s hearty, tasty and takes no time at all to prepare. Trade the fatty, mayonnaise-laden version for this Eat-Clean recipe from my latest book, The Eat-Clean Diet for Family and Kids! Make sure to pack it in a cooler.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup / 60 ml fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml skim milk
• 1 tsp / 5 ml mustard
• 4 hardboiled egg whites, diced
• 1 hardboiled yolk
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped celery
• Dash curry powder
• 1/4 tsp / 1 ml sea salt

PREPERATION: 

1. Whip cottage cheese and milk until smooth in medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Blend remaining ingredients except egg whites with cottage cheese mixture.
3. Add diced egg whites to cottage cheese mixture. Mix well.

Yogurt Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 Quarts low-fat plain yogurt, dairy or soy based.

Method for yogurt cheese:

1. Place 4 layers of damp cheesecloth in a fine mesh sieve or colander. Place the colander over a bowl.

2. Add yogurt and let it drain overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Discard the water from the bowl.

What Next?

The result of the draining process will leave you with a soft, creamy cheese-like product. In fact, it is lower in calories than cream cheese but can be used in its place. It is also lower in lactose, highter in protein, and lower in sodium than cream cheese. The best part is that it is all nautral.

You now have a wonderful base into which you can mix just about anything, since yogurt cheese readily takes on the flavors of whatever you choose to mix it with. It is sinfully rich and makes you think you are eating something naughty – but you aren’t.

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

• ½ turkey breast, roasted and cooled, skin removed, cut into 1/2 “ cubes – aprox. 1 ½ lbs

• 4 Ribs celery, trimmed and chopped

• 1 cup cored and chopped red apple OR 1 cup nectarines

• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and chopped

• ½ cup walnuts

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 cup yogurt cheese (you may need more depending on how big your turkey breast is)

• Juice of one fresh lemon

• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Place turkey, celery, apple, green onion, walnuts and cilantro in large salad bowl. Set aside.

2. In small mixing bowl, whisk yogurt cheese with lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad ingredients. Mix until dressing coats other ingredients. Chill.

Fabulous No Bake Protein Bars

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Oats

• 4 Scoops Protein Powder

• 2 Tbs Ground Flaxseed

• 1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter

• 1/2 Cup Water

• Optional: Almond Butter

• Optional: Ground Pecans

• Optional: Dark Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients together - Oats, Protein, and Flaxseed. (You can add about 1/2-1/3 of the chocolate chips to the patter at this point. Use your personal preference.)

2. Mix in Natural Peanut Butter, then Water

3. Mix well, will be clumpy and take awhile

4. Line 8x8 glass pan with aluminum foil, then use your hands to pack the mix into the pan.
   
   Optional:

5. Spread a light layer of almond butter over the top (I let mine set out a little while to be soft)

6. Sprinkle ground pecans over the top of the almond butter.

7. Melt about 1/3 of the (total) chocolate chips in the microwave. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of your bars.

Place into the freezer for 35 minutes
Cut into 3 sections of 3 - wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate.

Tips & Bonus Information

Ok, I totally played around with these until I found something that I preferred taste wise. I use BSN Banana Cream Protein Powder. You can use gluten free or pure whey, whatever works for you. I love the taste of banana with peanut butter, it gives it great flavor! Without the topping the nutritional value of mine (depends on your protein, etc) Calories - 192 Protein - 13.35g Sugar - 1.6g Total Fat - 8.6g Sat Fat - 1.6g

Yield: 9 Bars
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes chill time

P.S. I got the recipe from HERE.

Pumpkin Protein Shake

This is Planet Smoothie worthy! I am hocked on this now! Fresh and Light and can even help if you have a hunger for a treat, and much healthier!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
• 1 scoop protein powder (vanilla)
• 1/2 cup canned organic pumpkin
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ice

Instructions

Put all ingredients in the blender and enjoy.

Turkey Chili

This is a simple and Clean Eating worthy recipe. It also has only basic ingredients but still YUM!

Ingredients

• 1.2 lbs lean ground turkey (I used 7% lean beef for the extra iron boost)
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, ( no salt added)
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp virgin olive oil

Instructions

Brown diced onion and diced garlic in olive oil with the cayenne and cumin powders. Add turkey, brown. Drain and rinse beans. Once the turkey is looking cooked add beans, diced tomatoes, water and tomato paste for the desired taste. Simmer and serve with your choice of topping.....i used either chopped fresh spinach or broccoli, Yum!

* You can add more or less cumin, cayenne and tomato paste depending on your needs.

*Tip: I cook in my cast iron Dutch Oven, or skillet when I can. I tend to need every extra iron boost I can get and this is proven to help.

Spicy Taco Soup

Zesty soup with a little kick, perfect on a cold day. Vegetables can be added or taken away to fit personal tastes. Makes for great leftovers!

Ingredients

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 16 oz. bag frozen corn kernels
• 1.5 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 15 oz. can black olives (sliced)
• 2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (or habaneros for some extra heat)
• 2 packs taco seasoning
• 2.5 C. water
• 1 pack dry ranch dressing mix (optional)
• 1 15 oz. can black beans (do not drain)
• 1 15 oz. can pinto beans (do not drain)

Instructions

In a soup pot, brown onions in oil until tender.
Add ground turkey and cook thoroughly.
Strain excess grease (to remove more fat, run under hot water).
Add turkey, onions, and all other ingredients to pot, and let simmer for 25 minutes.


For a more flavorful soup:

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and let simmer all day.
Replace 1C. Water with chicken or vegetable broth.

Tips & Bonus Information

Per Serving: Calories: 186.2 Total Fat: 10.6 g Cholesterol: 33.7 mg Sodium: 821.1 mg Total Carbs: 12.9 g Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g Protein: 9.8 g Make it Healthier: Buy all veggies fresh! It'll add some time to the cooking process, but you cut way back on the preservatives.

Yield: 12 Servings
Preparation Time: Approximately 30 minutes (to prepare and cook)

Cilantro Lime Chicken Cacciatore

I absolutely love this chicken and I'm sure you guys will too. This is a recipe that I got from The Maker's Diet cookbook. My family LOVED it too!!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken breast (slice into 1 oz cubes)
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. chopped Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 5 medium Roma Tomatoes
• sea salt to taste
• Cayenne Pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat sauté pan to medium. Season chicken with cayenne peper and salt. Add olive oil, garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of lime juice to the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes then add chicken and the rest of the lime juice. Cook on medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.

This recipe serves 4 people

Yield: 4
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Autumn Chicken

a yummy fall dinner...

Ingredients

• 5 chicken breasts
• 1/4 c. olive oil or coconut oil
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. honey
• 2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

Instructions

Rub chicken with a little sea salt. Place chicken breasts into a 9 by 13 pan. mix the oil, lemon juice, honey, rosemary, and garlic. Array sweet potatoes and onion around the chicken breasts and pour the liquid mixture on top. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through (an hour or so?) serve over brown rice