recipe

November 9, 2014

Greek Chicken

image

 

Artichokes, Kalamata olives, mushrooms and basil?  Winning combination if you ask me.  Add in chicken and tomatoes and you’ve got yourself a meal!

 

Step 1

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil paste and garlic.  Stir in olives, artichokes and mushrooms.   Try not eat.  <— not lying.   I wanted to just take the bowl, sit on the couch and chow down.  It smells that good.

image

 

Step 2

Cube chicken, place in bottom of 9×13 pan, cover with the basil mixture that you DIDN’T just eat and place in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

 

image

 

Your house now smells delicious and you have a low carb, high protein meal in no time flat.

Enjoy!

 

Greek Chicken

 

.

image

 

 

October 8, 2014

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with PB and Chocolate Chips

For the last three of days I have had three very brown bananas just begging to be put to use.  I put them in my refrigerator for two of those three days knowing if I didn’t, they’d be a mushy mess by the time I got around to using them.

Finally last night, at 8:45pm no less, I decided to throw together some banana bread.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to do that at bed time?  To add fuel to the fire, I knew I didn’t want to make the traditional boring banana bread so asked Clint what he thought about Peanut Butter Banana Bread.

“Ya, sure. Why not” was the response, so off to the kitchen I went.

The recipe I found was originally from Six Sisters, but the ingredients I had in my cabinet were not, so a little improvising was required.

The end result?

Delicious – according to my taste tester.

image

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup natural applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup Stevia
1/4 cup brown sugar OR 2 Tbsp. Delecta (brown sugar substitute)
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter chips & 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

image

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan.

Mix together bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, egg and sugars.

Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Do not over mix.

In a large bowl stir together bananas, peanut butter, oil, egg and sugars.

Fold in peanut butter and chocolate chips and spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer bread to a cooling rack.

image

image

Enjoy!

October 1, 2014

Healthier Apple Crisp

image

October means Fall

And I think we can all agree that Fall means jeans, boots, hoodies, sweaters, soup, crock-pot meals, caramel apples, candy corn, football and apple crisp.

 

image

 

Apple Crisp is a highly requested dessert in our house.   There is something SO YUMMY about warm apples and cinnamon.

Of course, I am always toying around with recipes attempting to make them just a little bit healthier.

For this recipe I went the oatmeal route instead of flour, substituted half of the butter for yogurt and used brown sugar substitute rather than regular brown sugar.  That last step is completely optional as it isn’t the ‘natural’ way, however, I like to use sugar substitutes on occasion.   All that added sugar creeps me out sometimes.

image

 

I used an obsessive amount of cinnamon in this recipe.  I can’t get enough of the smell or taste.  You might find it to be a bit of an overkill.  If so, take it down a notch, but don’t tell me.   I’ll think less of you.

🙂

image

 

The recipe is incredibly easy and takes no time to put together and throw it in the oven.   Your house will be smelling like fall goodness in 5 minutes flat.

 

image

 

The husband wanted you to know that he approves, but, I also want you to note the amount of melted ice cream in that bowl.

 

image

 

And THAT ladies and gents, is exactly why I try and make recipes healthier.

Healthier Apple Crisp

 

Enjoy!

 

image

 

 

August 17, 2014

Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes W/ Buttercream Frosting

 

I hate naps.

Hate.

I’d rather walk around like a complete zombie and wish the time away until bedtime before lying down and taking an afternoon nap.

In lieu of an afternoon snooze session I will clean the house, read a book, catch up on some serious Facebook stalking…or, I”ll bake.

Last Sunday’s choice:  made from scratch chocolate cupcakes with butter cream frosting.  This isn’t your traditional chocolate cupcake with frosting either.  I threw in almond flavoring to add just a hint of almond without being too overpowering.  They were perfect.

 

Choc Cupcakes w.buttercream frosting

 

Step 1

Cream together the butter, sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, vanilla and almond flavoring and mix well.

 

004

 

Step 2

Add dry ingredients and mix, but not all at once.  I suggest half at a time unless you want flour all over.   Trust me.

Once dry ingredients are mixed well, add chocolate chips and stir.

 

007

 

Step 3

Bake in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

 

010

 

Step 4

Time for the best part – the butter cream frosting (once cupcakes are cool).  Mix together butter, vanilla and almond extract, milk and powdered sugar.

 

012

 

Step 5

Top cupcakes with frosting using any method you prefer.  I used my Pampered Chef tool.  Love that thing.

 

Chocolate Cupcakes W/ Buttercream Frosting

.

Chocolate Cupcakes W/ Buttercream Frosting

.

Chocolate Cupcakes W/ Buttercream Frosting

 

 

Cheers!