Chicken Roll-Up

Easy and can be adapted to whatever you would like to put into the middle for this "chicken roll-up."

Ingredients:
Thinly sliced chicken breasts
Fresh/frozen (baby) spinach
Full-fat/low-fat ricotta
Shredded parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a big leaf of tin foil lightly with olive oil.
3. On a cutting board or other surface, beat the chicken breasts with a meat mallet until thin. Transfer onto the tin foil.
4. Spread a 1/2 inch coating of ricotta onto the breasts and sprinkle with salt & pepper (and/or whichever spice you would like).
5. Lay a few overlapping leaves of baby spinach onto the ricotta and roll up, rolling the loose end under.
6. Cover the breast roll-ups with another piece of tin foil.
7. Place in oven and let bake for 25 minutes.
8. Remove top layer of tin foil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Voila!

Peanut Butter Coconut Chex Mix

Easy, sugar-free, gluten-free, and highly addicting!

Peanut Butter Coconut Chex Mix

Ingredients:

6 cups Corn or Rice Chex cereal

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup toasted unsweetened, shredded coconut (directions below)

1/4 cup butter (although one could substitute a few tablespoons of coconut oil!)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Lay coconut on baking sheet and broil on low until toasted, a few minutes. Watch carefully not to burn! Put aside.

2. In a pan, melt butter/coconut oil and peanut butter on medium, stirring frequently. Add vanilla, stir, and remove from stove.

3. In a large bowl, mix the cereal, toasted coconut, and peanut butter mixture. Stir until cereal pieces are well coated. Allow to cool 30 minutes then stick in the fridge. Break up into pieces once mixture has fully cooled in the fridge and enjoy!

**One could also use the microwave to melt butter/oil and peanut butter together, then combine with mixture.

Banana & Cottage Cheese Sugar-Free Muffins

These muffins are easy, healthy, gluten-free, sugar-free, and a perfect snack. They are quite sweet because of the bananas, and very moist!

Banana & Cottage Cheese Sugar-Free Muffins

Ingredients:

3 bananas, mashed

2 1/2 cups oat flour (run oats through blender) or oats, depending on the consistency you like

1 cup cottage cheese

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Optional:

1 cup raisins/craisins or nuts (such as walnuts)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins (do not use paper muffin cups).

2. Combine all ingredients.

3. Fill muffin tins and bake for 30/35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Let stand for 10 minutes, then remove carefully (you might need a knife along the edges).

Kale Fried Rice

Addicting. Don't even plan on leftovers... it will be consumed within minutes. If you don't, you're a lost cause, stop reading this blog. (Adapted from Gwynnie).

KALE FRIED RICE

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, deribbed and cut up
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 gloves garlic or one shallot
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sriracha to taste

Directions:
1. Steam kale for about 5 minutes.
2. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat and add garlic/shallot. Cook garlic/shallot for about two minutes, then add the steamed kale. Cook another two minutes, then add the rice and cook another two minutes.
3. Add the soy sauce, cook for a minute then serve. Add Sriracha to taste.

Oh Crepe!

My husband made these delicious sugar free crepes today, easier than blintzes and healthier (sugar-wise) than traditional crepes:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Mix the flour and eggs, then mix the rest of the ingredients in and work out the flour clumps.
2. Heat griddle and pour about 1/4 cup of mixture on the hot surface, making sure to coat as much of the griddle as possible by turning it.
3. Flip the crepe after about 2 minutes, once it has browned slightly. Cook another 2 minutes. Enjoy hot, we put yogurt and applesauce in ours!

These are just some of my favorite blogs...

I love reading others' blogs and websites! Here are some of my faves:

My IQS inspiration: Sarah Wilson

Recipes from Gwyneth Paltrow's Blog

Love these vegan recipes from Lindsay Nixon (especially baked goodies, the best vegan chocolate chip cookies EVER)

Healthy Bitch

Oh She Glows (like this amazing recipe for Grilled Tofu and Pineapple Salsa)

Hal Higdon's Runner Training Website

Chocolate Covered Katie's Dessert Blog (with recipes such as this amazing Hummus Cake Batter Dip)

My cousin's Sex, Food & Kettlebells amazing blog with tons of paleo recipes (especially if you're into meat and/or maple syrup)

Family friendly and kid friendly yummy recipes from Weelicious

Chili Bo-Billy

Ok, I don't know what is up with the title of this post, but I recently stumbled on a photo of animals awaiting slaughter for our (the U.S.) meat consumption. I was in the middle of Barnes & Noble, enjoying the gift of daycare and no work for myself, when I was stopped in my tracks and realized I can't participate in meat consumption anymore. It's sad, and I have avoided really thinking about how animals are treated in the process. So, I am taking a little break from meat and eating lots of beans. You've been warned.

This is a chili recipe I found in a magazine, but I have added some special touches to it, and a bit more veggies. As it is crockpot season, just throw all these ingredients in and enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 red onion, chopped

1 green or red pepper, chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)

1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

1 15.5 oz can of black beans, rinsed

1 15.5 oz can of kidney beans, rinsed

1 28 oz can of petite cut tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 TB chili powder

1 TB cumin

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup water

kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Directions:

Throw all ingredients for 7-8 hours on slow cook or 4-5 hours on high cook. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, scallions, tortilla strips, or any other toppings of your choice!