Spicy Beef Lettuce Wraps

I am a huge fan of P.F. Changs. When I found this recipe, I was so excited! It tastes almost exactly like their spicy beef lettuce wraps. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon hot water

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 can bean sprouts, drained

3 stalks green onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 head of lettuce (iceberg, butter, your choice really)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet, saute ground beef and onions until meat is almost cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic and ground ginger and continue cooking meat until no longer pink.

2. In a small bowl, mix together sesame oil, hot water, honey, and sriracha sauce. Pour over the beef (with the heat still on medium) mixture and stir - then add in the bean sprouts.

3. Remove skillet from heat. Add in green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Divide the mixture between cleaned lettuce leaves and enjoy! 

Asian Beef & Broccoli

I absolutely love Asian food. Chinese, Japanese, Thai... they all make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Here I have taken a popular takeout dish which can be full of nasty junk, and made it healthier : )

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons cornstarch (divided)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound any cut of beef (we used skirt steak)

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 cups your choice of veggies (we used broccoli, sliced carrots & mushrooms)

1 small onion, sliced into wedges

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

cooked brown rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of water, and garlic powder in a bowl. 

2. Chop the beef into bite sized portion. Toss it in the cornstarch mixture. 

3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and stir fry beef until it reaches your desired doneness. Remove the beef from heat and keep warm in another bowl. 

4. Add the other 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the pan. Add your veggies and stir fry for about 10 minutes, or until they reach your preferred doneness. 

5. Return the beef to the pan. 

6. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, ground ginger, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and add into the skillet. Cover and cook for two minutes. 

7. Serve over cooked brown rice. 

FREEZING TIPS

Do not freeze the rice mixed in with the broccoli beef mixture. Just freeze the broccoli beef mixture alone. When you want to eat it, just make a batch of instant brown rice. 

Scrumdiddlyumptious Granola Bars

Granola bars are an excellent on the go snack. Unfortunately, they tend to be expensive and packed full of junk we don't need. My solution: make homemade granola bars!

Now, I do need to preface this recipe by saying that they did not pack well into bars. They crumbled when I tried to cut them. I think it was because I did not pack them firmly enough before baking. So, my next post about granola bars will be about my second attempt to get them into actual bars! Even though they crumbled, they are absolutely delicious! I made a huge batch and they are already almost gone. The possibilities are endless - you could add dried fruit, coconut, cinnamon, etc. Here I present to you: Scrumdiddlyumptious peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups crispy rice cereal

2.5 cups quick cooking plain oatmeal

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup natural no sugar added peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons miniature dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F.

2. Combine the oatmeal and crispy rice in a large bowl. 

3. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey, and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat until it becomes a smooth mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

4. Add the liquid mixture to the oatmeal and crispy rice. Gently stir until well mixed. 

5. Grease or spray a 9x13 inch pan. Add granola bar mixture. Press down into pan with wax paper firmly (I think this is where I messed up - I didn't press down well enough). Lift up wax paper, and add the chocolate chips. Press down firmly again to make sure the chocolate chips are pressed in. 

6. Bake at 200 degrees for 25 minutes. Here you have two options: A) shut the oven off, leave the granola bars in the warm oven for 2 hours. Then slice and store. OR B) remove from oven, transfer to fridge for about 30 minutes. Once they are hardened, cut and store. 

I store these in the fridge in a tupperware container to ensure freshness :) 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I absolutely love stuffed bell peppers! This is my "healthified" version of what can be a very greasy and fattening meal. If you are not a big fan of green bell peppers, try the red or yellow ones. They have a much more mild taste : ) 

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 large bell peppers 

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 zucchini or regular squash, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes with the juice

1 small can of green chiles

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Take a large pot of water and bring to a boil. While the water is heating up, cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove all of the seeds. Blanch the peppers in the boiling water for about 2 minutes, then immerse into cold water. This ensures that your peppers are not too crispy and undercooked!

2. Divide the peppers into a large 13x9 pan or two smaller ones. Set aside. 

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add the ground meat, onions and garlic, and cook until meat is no longer pink. 

4. Add the squash, rice, tomatoes, green chiles, and all spices. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 8-10 minutes. 

5. Stuff each pepper with the mixture. Top each pepper with a small amount of shredded cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until peppers are tender and cheese is bubbly. 

FREEZING TIPS

**If you are freezing, skip the baking. Freeze the peppers after stuffing them. When it comes time for you to eat them, just take out of the freezer. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 -40 minutes or until they are heated all the way through.

Whole wheat english muffin pizzas!

This is a very exciting recipe... whole wheat english muffin pizzas! They are a much healthier alternative to ordering pizza, which can be full of tons of processed nonsense. They also are much more cost friendly than frozen pizzas from the store. Make them at home for you and your family, save some money, and have a healthier meal! You can change the toppings from this recipe to suit your taste.

INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat english muffins

Pasta sauce

shredded mozzarella cheese

sliced mushrooms

sliced pepperoni

pineapple chunks, sliced (in juice, not syrup)

DIRECTIONS

1. Break each english muffin in half. Lay them out on a cookie sheet.

2. Put a few spoonfuls of sauce on each muffin, followed by your choice of toppings, and the cheese on top. 

3. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

FREEZING TIPS

**Make just as directed above, except do not cook before freezing. Take the muffins on the cookie sheet and put the entire cookie sheet in the freezer. Flash freeze for about 20 minutes. Take out of the freezer, then individually wrap each muffin tightly in aluminum foil, followed by a layer of plastic wrap. When you want to eat them, just take them out of the freezer the same way you would do a regular frozen pizza. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the middle is hot. 

Homemade Laundry Powder

I am all about pinching pennies whenever possible. Almost a year ago, I started making homemade laundry soap. The stuff from the store is just way too expensive! Especially with Justin having so many dirty clothes from being a personal trainer, I had to find a way to wash clothes for less cost. Here, I present to you - my homemade laundry powder! Just so you know, it is safe for HE machines, because it produces very low suds. I also love this laundry powder because it has no scent. It leaves your clothes smelling like, well, nothing. I am very sensitive to strong smells and also have sensitive skin, so this is a great choice for Justin and I. If you want a bit of smelly goodness on your clothes, just add one tablespoon of essential oil to the mix (try lavender!).

All you need:

1 bar fels naptha soap

1 cup borax

1 cup washing soda

1 tsp essential oil, if a scent is desired

(I always double this batch to make more at once!)

Directions: 

Using a cheese grater with the large holes, grate the bar of feels naptha. Combine the grated soap with the other ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until it becomes a fine powder. 

When washing the clothes, I use a leftover scoop from my Advocare Spark canisters. However, you can just use about 2 tablespoons per load. I drop the soap in, then start the water, and then load the clothes in. 

Fiesta Chicken & Rice

Ah, the end of another glorious cooking afternoon! Here is one of the delicious meals we made today to freeze for later in the week: Fiesta Chicken and Rice. Justin's eyes got wide when he tasted it and said "Not Fair!" Apparently it's too tasty for his own good. In any case, here is how you do it:

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chicken, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small 7 oz jar of green salsa (salsa verde)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 cup cooked brown rice

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until almost fully cooked. 

2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about ten minutes. 

FREEZING TIPS

*Completely cool before freezing

*When you want to eat it, take out of the freezer the night before and put into the fridge. Once it is mostly defrosted, just heat in the oven or a skillet. 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Whole wheat blueberry banana pancakes... whew that was a mouthful. But, I will never buy store bought pancakes again! Not only are these more delicious than any frozen waffle or pancake you can purchase at the store, they are easy to make, 100 percent natural, and are just darned delicious. The best part is, you can freeze them in between sheets of parchment or wax paper and pull them out for breakfast - just pop right into the toaster : ) I have adapted this recipe from 100 days of real food - and I hope you enjoy!

Once upon a time, I had the picture of my delicious pancakes. But I lost it, so you get this random one of some bananas and blueberries from google : ) 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon of honey

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 3/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 ripe bananas, mashed

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

2. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the honey, eggs, cinnamon, milk, and butter. Mix together lightly just until mixed - be gentle!

3. Gently fold in the bananas and blueberries. 

4. Heat a griddle or large skillet to medium high heat. Add pancake batter to the skillet, flipping when bottom side is brown. 

FREEZING TIPS

*Make sure to divide them with wax or parchment paper, otherwise they will stick together with a vengeance!

*Completely cool pancakes to room temperature before freezing. 

Black Bean Chili : )

OH.MY.GOODNESS.

It's that time of year, friends! Chili is perfect for lunches, snacks, or dinners, and will be even better when Texas decides to join the normal states and become cool for fall. In fact, we are having this from the freezer for dinner tomorrow night! I made this over last weekend and it is freezer-friendly and delicious! If you want it to be vegetarian, you can leave it as is. Or, you can add one pound of ground turkey or lean ground beef, putting in the pot after the cumin and chili powder.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

(1 pound ground meat, if desired)

2 (14.5 ounce) cans of chili style diced tomatoes (or plain)

2 (15 ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Start with a medium-large pot and add olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. 

2. Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.

3. Add all of the other ingredients and turn the heat to high. 

4. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes. 

FREEZING DIRECTIONS

Cook chili per directions above. Make sure it is completely cooled, then freeze in your choice of container. 

Cilantro Lime Chicken

My new cooking goal has been to create food that is freezer friendly for convenience! This cilantro lime chicken is inexpensive, easy, and take very little time to prepare or cook! It is really yummy paired with some fresh sliced avocado, piled on top of some black beans, or with some steamed veggies on the side. 

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds of boneless chicken tenderloins or thin breasts

2 medium limes - juiced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients besides the chicken together evenly in a bowl. Place chicken in a container and coat evenly with the cilantro marinade. Cover and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but for best results - overnight. 

**Freezer Friendly**

Follow all directions above, except put chicken and marinade in your freezer container and stick in the freezer. 

Black Bean and Brown Rice Burritos

Justin and I are always searching for new ways to make lunch exciting, so here I present to you.... Black Bean and Brown Rice Burritos!!! The best part about these besides the fact that they were quick and easy to make, is that you can FREEZE them - that's right folks, put them in the freezer just like those nasty fat infested ones from the grocery store, except here you have nothing but natural goodness! : ) You just wrap in foil, the plastic wrap and freeze. Of course, when you reheat - take the foil off! 

This recipe makes about 5 burritos.

INGREDIENTS

 1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms (or leave out if you don't like mushrooms!)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 (15.5 ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5) ounce can of diced chili -style tomatoes (or plain is fine)

1 cup chicken broth or stock

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Whole Wheat tortillas

DIRECTIONS

1. Place olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes.Then add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for another 3 minutes or until mostly cooked. 

2. Add the black beans, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. 

3. Warm tortillas in the microwave until soft. Add rice to burrito along with the bean and tomato mixture, and top with cheese. 

Wrap up and enjoy!

Carrot Apple Almond Muffins

Carrot Apple Almond Muffins

This is my favorite recipe so far. I just made these yesterday - perfect for fall! I adapted this recipe from onceamonthmom to make it "more healthy", and here you have my delicious carrot apple almond muffins :) 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped almonds

3 eggs

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or fresh)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrot (no need to peel!)

1 cup grated apple 

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and nuts. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, applesauce, ginger, and vanilla. Gently mix together wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in carrot and apple. Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 

***FREEZER FRIENDLY***

Make a bigger batch and freeze! Make sure they are completely cooled before storing in the freezer.

 

First Blog Post

Hi everyone! 

I have had some mass demand from my friends and acquaintances to post all of the healthy recipes that Justin and I have been making! So... here comes my new blog. Feel free to leave comments and suggestions! I can't make any promises right now to update it super frequently, but I will do my best : ) 

Happy Monday!

Lauren