Lemon Ricotta Pie

I found this recipe HERE. I couldn't pin it in Pinterest so I decided to put it on this blog so I can use it later.

This is a low-carb, low-calorie version of a lemon ricotta Italian Easter pie. This is a crustless "pie", but is very similar in flavor and texture (minus the crust). Whole milk ricotta is preferred for this recipe. Part-skim can be used, but the pie comes out grainier and more crumbly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb whole milk ricotta cheese (a 15-oz container works fine)
• 3 eggs
• Juice and grated zest of one medium lemon
• Sugar substitute to equal 2/3 cup of sugar - liquid preferred (see link below)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Separate the eggs, and beat the whites until soft peaks form.

2. Combine the egg yolks and the rest of the ingredients. Taste to see if it's lemony enough, as some lemons are "dryer" and have less juice (average is about 3 tablespoons of juice for a medium lemon). You can add half a teaspoon of lemon extract, or more lemon juice to taste.

3. Fold egg whites into the mixture and spread in a well-buttered pie pan.

Bake until barely set in the middle (a toothpick will come out clean or almost so) about 25 minutes. Chill completely before serving; about 90 minutes.

Serve plain, or with a berry topping such as this strawberry topping or this berry syrup. Sugar-Free Lemon Curd also makes a good topping.

Nutritional Information: Each of 8 servings has 2 grams effective carbohydrate plus 8 grams protein, and 123 calories.

Mug Cake

I got this recipe HERE. This is "user friendly" for phase 3.

Ingredients:

• 2 T almond meal/flour
• 1 T cocoa
• 3 pks of stevia
• 3 T half & half or cream
• 1 T coconut oil - melted
• 1 Egg

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a mug.
2. add wet ingredient & stir thoroughly.
3. Put in microwave for 90 secs or longer depending on strength of microwave.
   

Number of Servings: 1

Maria's Popeye Cake

This recipe was published on the HCG Difference Facebook page. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm excited to give it a go!

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Chopped Spinach ~ squeezed dry
• 8 eggs (can substitute more egg whites if egg yolks cause stall)
• 3 Tbls Fat Free Cocoa
• 2/3 cup Almond Flour or ~ Coconut or Quinoa Flour for Phase 2 (VLCD)
• Stevia to taste
• Peppermint oil/extract, or other flavoring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mix spinach and eggs in bowl.
2. Mix Cocoa powder and Flour in separate bowl.
3. Combine dry ingredients with spinach and eggs mixture.
4. Add Stevia and Peppermint oil/extract (or other flavoring)
5. Bake in a 9x13 non-stick baking dish. (Lightly greased if Phase 3- Maintenance)
6. Bake at 300 degrees until firm to touch.
7. Cool and cut into small squares and refrigerate.

Phase 2 ~Approx 1/4th of a 9x13 pan is equivalent to 1 protein and a vegetable.
Phase 3 ~ can be used as breakfast bars or snacks. Great for traveling!

The Worlds BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
4 1⁄2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 cups Butter, softened
1 1⁄2 cups Packed Brown Sugar
1⁄2 cup White Sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) Packages Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips (Butterscotch Chips are good too!)
2 cups Chopped Walnuts (Optional)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
4. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.
5. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
6. Blend in the flour mixture.
7. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
8. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges

Clean Crunchy Apple and Cabbage Salad with Sweet Curry Dressing

I originally got this recipe from THIS site. We've eaten it enough and I've made a few changes so I thought I would add it to our own little blog. The version I am posting is double the original recipe because (I think) it's easier. This salad is perfect for picnics and potlucks. *People won't even know it's super healthy because they'll be distracted by how YUMMY it tastes!* Because this version of the salad is so large I like to make and eat it all week long. I also send it with my husband for lunches. (He loves it!)

Salad:

1 bag of Tri-Color Slaw

2 medium apples, julienned (a tart and crunchy apple like Braeburn or Granny Smith works best)

2 handfuls (1-2 cups) dried unsweetened cherries (I used dried cranberries because it's what I already had.)

8 oz bag of chopped pecans, toasted

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

2-3 cups shredded chicken (Cubed would work too.)

Pile all the ingredients into a bowl and hand toss it to mix.

Dressing:

1/2 cup cider vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

8 tbsp honey or agave nectar (depending on the sweetness you prefer)

6 tsp Dijon mustard

3 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix the dressing and reserve. (You may or may not want to add ALL the dressing. You decide.) Pour dressing over the salad just before serving. Clean and absolutely DELICIOUS!

CHICKEN N' DUMPLINGS

I feel like every person should allow themselves pure and delicious comfort food once in a while. This meal is one of mine. (Those I've shared it with say it's the best Chicken n' Dumplings they've ever had!) I throw caution to the wind and just enjoy.

I got this basic recipe so long ago I can't remember who I got it from. I changed several things about it and added things I like, so I'm declaring this recipe MY OWN CREATION. :o)

This recipe is enough to feed 12-18 people. It’s great to make for large groups or if you are taking a meal to a friend. (Or, you can just cut everything in half.) Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tbsp coconut or olive oil

• 1 Onion chopped

• 2 ½-3 Large Chicken Breast, cubed

• 2 Tbsp Curry Powder

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 9 Ribs Celery – chopped

• 7 Carrots (I cut mine long and thin.)

• 3 (10.5 oz) cans of Cream of Celery

• 3 (10.5 oz) cans of Cream of Chicken

• 48 oz. Chicken Broth

• 4 Bay Leaves

• 4 Garlic Cloves crushed (more if you like garlic)

• 3-4 small cans of refrigerated biscuits. (I like a little byte of dumplings in each spoonful. If you don’t require that much, then add less biscuits.)

• ¾ Cup Cilantro – chopped

Directions:

1. In a large/deep pot, heat oil.
2. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper and curry powder and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Mix in celery, carrots, and cream of celery, cream of chicken and chicken broth. Bring soup to a simmer.
5. Add bay leaves, and crushed garlic.
6. Open the cans of refrigerated biscuits one at a time. Start tearing off pieces of each biscuit and drop in into the soup mixture. I like small (quarter size) pieces of dumplings so I can get a little bit in each byte. If you like larger dumplings then go for it.
7. Continue tearing the biscuits until they are all in the pot. Stir the contents every few minutes to make sure the pieces of bread are not sticking together. NOTE: The dumplings will swell at first. After cooking a while they will shrink back down.
8. After all of the biscuits are in the soup, let them cook for 10-15 minutes.
9. When finished, pull the pot from the burner. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the cilantro.
10. Enjoy!!!

SPLIT PEA SOUP

My family LOVES this soup! I doubled it, and it was gone! Light, Healthy and guilt free!

1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced* (optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup split peas, rinsed and sorted
5 cups water
2 teaspoons good quality salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf

Directions:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add water and bring to a boil. Add split peas and
simmer until slit peas form a smooth soup. Add salt, bay leaf and basil. Simmer for 10
minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Variations:
Add 1/2 to 1 cup evaporated milk to finished soup.
Add chopped carrots and celery to soup with the seasonings and simmer until vegetables
are lightly cooked, but still crisp.
Add 1/2 cup brown rice to the boiling water first, then after 1/2 hour add split peas and
cook until peas are tender or form a smooth soup. Add seasonings and simmer for 10
minutes. (Note: The brown rice completes the protein of the legumes.)

Notes:
*A head or bulb of garlic usually contains about 10 cloves. 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped
garlic = 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder = 1/2 teaspoon garlic
flakes = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic juice

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos

I got this recipe from the Clean Eating Magazine. I have not made it in a while, but when I made it my family loved it! All those that will eat Fish at least :-)

Sometimes it can be hard to find Mahi Mahi. You can buy it in the freezer section at Costco and then you will have Mahi Mahi on hand to make these YUMMY tacos anytime.

I am trying to make more fish, so guess what's for dinner tonight.

The Following recipe makes 12 tacos which is 6 servings.

Olive Oil Spray

1.9 Pounds Mahi Mahi, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 Tbs Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipolte Seasoning Blend

Sea Salt, to taste

3/4 cup Red Taco Sauce

1/4 cup Low-Fat Mayonnaise, should have no more than 3g of fat per tablespoon

12 Taco Size Corn Tortillas

3 cups Finely Shredded Cabbage

1/2 to 3/4 cup Chopped Cilantro

1 1/2 cups Pico De Gallo or Salsa, drained

Lime Wedges, Optional

Mist a small nonstick frying pan with olive oil spray and place it over medium-high heat. Season fish pieces evenly with Mrs. Dash and salt, then transfer to the hot pan. Cook fish, turning occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes or until pieces are lightly browned and flake easily in the center.

Meanwhile, using a small whisk, mix taco sauce and low-fat mayonnaise in a small bowl until well combined.

Remove fish from pan and place in a small bowl. Cover to keep warm.

Place tortilla in the pan. When the bottom is warm flip over. When both sides are warm, transfer it to a plate. Repeat with remaining tortilla. Spread 1 Tbs + 1 tsp of the taco sauce mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Add equal portions of fish, cabbage, cilantro and salsa to each. Fold each tortilla in 1/2 to form a taco. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

288 Calories, 4g fat, 0.8 Saturated fat , Carbs 34, Fiber 4g, Sugar 3g, Protein 30g, Sodium 603mg, Cholesterol 103mg