Month: June 2021

Crunchy Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Crunchy Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Crunchy toffee mixed with chocolate make for a yummy bite sure to brighten up your day. Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 scoop chocolate protein powder ¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup unsalted butter 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 

Peanut Banana Energy Balls

Peanut Banana Energy Balls

Banana and peanut butter are a known combination.  These energy balls combine two popular flavors with the addition of oats, protein powder, almonds, and dates to ensure a well balanced and nutritious bite on the go. Ingredients: 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats 1 ripe 

Rhubarb Carrot Muffins

Rhubarb Carrot Muffins

Rhubarb muffins taste amazing and carrot muffins are a favorite of mine.  So I combined the two to make rhubarb carrot muffins.  These are light as usual, packed with flavor, and you can enjoy these without guilt. 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 rhubarb stalk thinly sliced

2 medium carrots peeled, cooked, and diced

½ teaspoon dried ginger

Zest from 1 half an orange

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons lite maple syrup

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large eggs

light brown sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin tins with baking spray or line with liners. 
  2. Peel carrots.  Slice into 1-inch segments.  Boil with ½ teaspoon dried ginger for 10 minutes.  Drain. Transfer to food processor.  Chop. 
  3. Add flours, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a bowl.  Mix to combine.
  4. Add beaten eggs, orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, and applesauce.  Mix gently.
  5. Add diced rhubarb and carrots. Mix gently.
  6. Use a large cookie scooper to fill muffin tins. I made 10 muffins.
  7. Place 2 rhubarb slices on top of each muffin.  Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon light brown sugar on each muffin.
  8. Bake 20 minutes.
  9. Let cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
  10. Store in an air-tight container.  I store these in the fridge after 2 days.  I also freeze extra muffins to enjoy later.
Apple Cider Pork Chops

Apple Cider Pork Chops

These pork chops have a light sweetness that make for the perfect dinner.  I grilled these, but you could bake these to really let the glaze soak in.  Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: Apple Cider Glaze- 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup apple cider 

Crunchy Ranch Slaw

Crunchy Ranch Slaw

This is a combination I would have never thought of by myself. I had fun torturing my boys and making them remove all the fronds from the fennel for this slaw. This is a tasty and refreshing summer slaw that tastes best when made a 

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Rhubarb Custard Pie

I love rhubarb and I have been dreaming of trying this pie since I stumbled on this recipe months ago.  Let me tell you this pie lives up to the hype.  This is so good. The tartness from the rhubarb and the sweetness from the custard with the tang from the orange zest and juice.  Delicious!!

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie dough

1 ¼ pounds rhubarb (6 medium stalks) sliced in to 1-inch pieces

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 large eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

¼ cup all-purpose flour

Confectioners’ sugar for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Place the pie dough over a 9 inch pie plate.  Flute the edges.  Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  3. Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake 20 minutes.
  4. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
  5. Cool pie crust.
  6. Toss the rhubarb with ¼ cup sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.  Transfer to the crust and spread to form an even layer.
  7. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
  8. Whisk the eggs with the cream, flour, and ¼ cup sugar until smooth.
  9. Pour over the rhubarb. 
  10. Bake until the pie is lightly browned after about 1 hour 15 minutes.
  11. Cool on a wire rack.
  12. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on top before serving.
Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian beef sandwiches are one of my favorite crock pot dinners.  My grandfather loved these too, so I think of him every time I prepare this recipe. Note: I often prepare this as a freezer meal.  Then I just thaw everything in the freezer bag 

Grilled Baby Potatoes with Watercress Pesto

Grilled Baby Potatoes with Watercress Pesto

Grilled potatoes topped with a fresh watercress pesto make for a healthy and delicious side dish. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 1 bag colored baby potatoes 4 cups baby watercress 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon 

Pop BBQ Pulled Pork

Pop BBQ Pulled Pork

If you like Dr. Pepper and you like BBQ pulled pork then you will love this recipe.  I used the food processor to dice the pork instead of shredding it using forks this time.  I think I prefer the “shredded” pork I normally make, but my son said these were like sloppy joe pulled pork sandwiches and he absolutely loved them.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds pork shoulder roast

1 onion sliced

1 bell pepper diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 12 ounce can Dr. Pepper

1 12 ounce bottle BBQ sauce

Serve on buns, wraps, etc..

Optional- sliced cheese, coleslaw, other toppings

Directions:

  1. Spray a crock pot with olive oil spray.
  2. Layer onion slices on the bottom of the pan.
  3. Top with diced bell peppers.
  4. Place shoulder roast on top.
  5. Sprinkle roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  6. Pour soda over the roast.
  7. Pour BBQ sauce over the roast.
  8. Cook on high 4-6 hours or on low 8-10 hours.
  9. Shred pork using 2 forks or cut pork into chunks and dice in a food processor.  Then transfer the meat back to the sauce.
  10. Serve on buns or tortilla wraps. 
  11. I put a slice of reduced fat provolone cheese on the bottom bun for my kids and I added fresh red romaine lettuce from the garden to my wraps. 
Pop BBQ pulled pork on a sundried tomato wrap with provolone cheese and red romaine lettuce
Pulled pork sandwich when I used forks to shred the pork
Banana Papaya Muffins

Banana Papaya Muffins

I bought a papaya for the first time for another recipe, so I had fun finding other recipes to use the other half of the papaya.  These muffins taste incredible without any added sugar.  The spices and sweetness from the fruit mix for a muffin