Healthy Cookies

Recipe submitted by Birgitta

Recipe taken from Skinnytaste.com

Makes 16 cookies

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup of uncooked quick oats
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
dash of cinnamon (optional-this is my addition)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a Silpat. Combine the mashed bananas and oats in a bowl. Fold in the walnuts and place a tablespoon of each on the cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes.

No Bake Power Protein Bars

Recipe submitted by Mauri

Recipe taken from daily hiit

Ingredients:
2 cup rolled oats
1 1/3 cup unsweetened thick cut coconut
2/3 cup raw honey, real maple syrup or blackstrap molasses
1 cup nut butter
1 cup ground flax meal
1 cup dark/bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tsp unrefined coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla

Optional:
4 tbs whey protein powder
2 tbs chia seeds

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Spread and press firmly into an 8″x 8″ pan - Or chill dough for at least 30 minutes and scoop rounded tablespoons into balls and stack in an airtight container in the fridge.

- I have never put the chocolate chips in these and they are still delicious!

Black Bean Chicken

Recipe submitted by Mauri

1-2 cans black beans
16 oz jar salsa
1/2 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 lb chicken breast

- Place frozen chicken breast in sprayed crock pot. Pour beans, rice and salsa over chicken. Cook low 8-10 hours and serve.
- If you thaw the chicken just a bit, you can cut the cooking time in half.
- Make sure you really like the salsa you use because that's where all your flavor comes from. We like it best with homemade, fresh salsa, but have made it with a variety. Sometimes we even mix several salsas together to get 16 ounces.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Recipe submitted by Mauri

recipe from skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:
24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat tortillas and your favorite toppings.

-We like to serve it with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and avocado

Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetables

recipe taken from Eat Good 4 Life

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 lbs chicken breast, chopped
12-16 oz fresh broccoli
2 garlic cloves, you can also use ginger
4-5 large organic carrots, sliced
Pepper flakes, optional
2 Tbsp olive oil

Teriyaki sauce Adapted from Savory Sweet Life

2 Tbsp ginger, chopped
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, gluten free
1/3 cup cold water
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
1/3 cup honey, or unrefined sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl mix the Teriyaki sauce ingredients. If you are just making the sauce for future consumption follow this step otherwise follow the next paragraphs. In a small sauce pan, over medium to low heat, heat the sauce until thicken stirring occasionally. About 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool and store it in a glass air tight container in the refrigerator.

In a large heavy bottom saute pan, over medium to high heat, add the olive oil. Add the chicken and carrots and cook stirring occasionally until almost tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook further for another minute.

While the chicken is cooking, place the broccoli on a safe microwave dish and microwave for 6-7 minutes. Depending on how strong your microwave is you may need less time. My microwave is not too powerful so I use 7 minutes but 3-4 minutes may be enough in yours.

Add the Teriyaki sauce from the bowl to the chicken and carrots and stir for about 1-2 minutes or until it thickens. Turn heat off and add the broccoli and pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.

Serve over brown rice or rice noddles. (I served mine over Broccoli Slaw)

**I made this for dinner this past week and we really liked it. I tripled my teriyaki sauce and then on another night cooked chicken breasts in the teriyaki sauce, shredded the chicken and had chicken teriyake tacos.

Broccoli Slaw

For one of my recipes I just wanted to share how much I LOVE this stuff! I buy it every week and use it all the time. I have used it as my pasta for spagetti, I use it as a base for taco salad, I have used it as a replacement for rice in hawaiian haystacks. It is a great way to add more veggies to your meals. Bring a skillet to medium-high heat on the stove. Add slaw and 1/4 cup water. Stirring occasionally, cook until water has evaporated and slaw has softened slightly, about 5 - 8 minutes.

Chocolate No Bake Bars

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (be sure to use unrefined for the coconut flavor)
2 cups dry oats (not instant)
1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips
1 t vanilla extract

Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil over medium-low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is entirely melted. Pour into a 9x13 pan and cool in the fridge. When it's set, cut into bars and enjoy. Store in the fridge.